New car importer Broadspeed is considering legal action against one its continental suppliers after a series of customer complaints.

Broadspeed has received complaints about a continental intermediary, concerning “unacceptable delays” and the non return of deposits on order cancellation.

According to Simon Empsom, Broadspeed's managing director, some customers had also not had their deposit returned “on occasions where the request for the return has been made due to a clear breach of contract”.

Broadspeed, he said, has offered a number of solutions to the foreign company, including the UK firm taking over the orders and refunding customers the full deposit, second that Broadspeed finds a new 'end-user' of the ordered vehicle, third that the order is cancelled or finally that Broadspeed buys the company's business.

Mr Empsom said, however, that all offers of help have been refused by the intermediary.

“I do feel some sympathy for the intermediary since they are being made to suffer manufacturers blocking tactics in supplying overseas customers and not being transparent in their build and delivery times,” Mr Empsom said.

"But, it has broken its contract and I am considering taking a class action against the company to prevent it accepting further business from British consumers.

But, he stressed, the intermediary had been responsible for a small fraction of the orders taken by Broadspeed. Six customers had asked for their deposits back.

The intermediary was unavailable for comment.