You bought a car from a dealer. There’s a defect, a refund refusal, a deposit they won’t return, or a warranty they won’t honour. You’ve sent a Letter of Demand. You’ve sent a Final Demand. The dealer hasn’t paid, hasn’t refunded, hasn’t repaired, and isn’t responding. The next step is your state’s civil tribunal.
Why tribunals exist for this
Each Australian state has a civil tribunal designed for exactly these disputes — fast, low-cost, no lawyers required, designed for ordinary consumers and small businesses. They have jurisdiction over consumer claims against motor dealers up to a state-defined threshold:
- NSW — NCAT, up to $40,000
- VIC — VCAT, up to $100,000
- QLD — QCAT, up to $25,000 (Minor Civil Disputes)
- WA — SAT
- SA — SACAT
- ACT — ACAT, up to $25,000
- NT — NTCAT
- TAS — Magistrates Court Civil Division
Filing fees range from $80 to $350 depending on state and claim amount.
What you need to file
- The contract or invoice showing the purchase
- Records of the defect, refund refusal, or breach
- Copies of all communications with the dealer
- Your Letter of Demand and Final Demand (with proof of delivery)
- Independent inspection report or mechanic’s report (recommended for defect claims)
- Evidence of out-of-pocket costs (towing, alternative transport, repair quotes)
- The application form for your state’s tribunal, completed
- The filing fee
What happens after filing
The tribunal serves the application on the dealer. Most matters go to a conciliation conference (often by phone or video) before any hearing. A surprising number of dealers settle at the conciliation stage — the cost-benefit of fighting a tribunal claim, plus the licensing risk if the matter becomes a written decision, usually pushes them to resolve.
If the matter goes to a hearing, you present your evidence, the dealer presents theirs, and the tribunal makes a binding decision. The decision is enforceable as a court order.
Should you have a lawyer?
In most state tribunals, neither side can bring a lawyer without leave. The whole system is designed for self-representation. The dealer will not have a lawyer either. As long as your application package is well-prepared, you’re on equal footing.
How Claim Done helps
The Tribunal Application wizard asks for the vehicle, the dealer, the dispute, the prior demand letters, and your evidence. The AI drafts the entire application package — claim form, statement of claim, evidence index — formatted to the specific tribunal in your state. Flat $79 (the filing fee is paid separately to the tribunal).
You file the package. The tribunal handles the rest.