Owner of closed south Wichita used car lot to pay penalty after not providing titles

The owner of a shuttered south Wichita used car lot has agreed to compensate a customer and pay a $10,000 civil penalty as well as court costs and investigative fees, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office.

The District Attorney’s Consumer Protection Division started to investigate Budget Used Cars, 2616 S. Oliver, and owner Michael Battles Sr. after receiving a complaint in March from a customer who purchased a 2004 Honda SUV in November and never received a title, court records show.

The division’s investigation found that the dealership hadn’t provided titles to three other customers before the business closed. Since then, each customer has been able to get their title, the attorney’s office said in a news release.

The attorney’s office said a title must be received within 60 days of the purchase or the purchase could be void and the customer may be refunded. Car shoppers should also check for safety recalls at safercar.gov/vin before purchasing a vehicle, the attorney’s office said.

This story was originally published May 29, 2020 at 1:29 PM.