What this checklist covers
The Add-On Product Compliance Checklist is a 15-point scorecard for customer consent, transparent pricing, approved product list, terms and conditions, warranty impact, and mis-selling prevention. Each criterion is scored from 1 to 5 on what the auditor sees on the day, and every gap goes into an action plan with an owner and a close date.
AutoSmart tip: Add-on product compliance is a regulatory obligation in every market where consumer protection law applies. The minimum non-negotiable is documented, individual consent for every product. A customer who cancels an add-on product within a cooling-off period, or who complains that they didn’t know they had purchased it, is a mis-selling indicator regardless of whether a signature exists — because a signature obtained without a genuine explanation does not constitute informed consent.
The checks
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Customer consent and transparent pricing
- Is customer consent obtained for every add-on product individually — with each product presented, explained, and consented to separately, not consolidated into a single bundle consent?
- Is the price of every add-on product disclosed separately in the customer's quotation and invoice — with no add-on included in the total price without individual line disclosure?
- Is every add-on product presented as optional — with the customer clearly told it is their choice and that declining it will not affect the primary transaction (vehicle purchase, service, finance)?
- Is the monthly cost impact of add-on products incorporated into a finance arrangement disclosed to the customer before they agree to the finance terms?
Approved product list and terms
- Are all add-on products sold by the dealership on the OEM's, distributor's, or the dealership group's approved product list — with no third- party or self-sourced products sold outside the approved framework?
- Is the terms and conditions document for each add-on product current — reflecting the version currently approved by the provider — with no outdated T&Cs in circulation?
- Are staff trained on the current terms of each approved add-on product, sufficient to answer customer questions accurately without misrepresenting coverage, exclusions, or claim processes?
- Is the approved product list reviewed at least annually, with discontinued, superseded, or non-compliant products removed from the sales process promptly when notified?
Warranty impact
- Is the customer informed if any add-on product or modification could affect the vehicle's standard warranty — and is this disclosure documented in the sale record?
- Are add-on products that require physical installation (tinting, paint sealant, tracking device) confirmed as compatible with the vehicle's warranty before being recommended or sold?
- Is there a documented escalation process for customers who later raise a warranty claim that may be affected by an add-on product previously sold — ensuring the claim is handled consistently and fairly?
Mis-selling prevention and governance
- Is a mis-selling prevention checklist or protocol in place, requiring advisors to confirm and document that each add-on was presented, explained, and consented to — before the deal is finalised?
- Are add-on product sales reviewed through a quality monitoring process — including sampling of consent records and customer follow-up calls — on a defined schedule?
- Is a complaint specifically related to an add-on product — whether about the product itself or the way it was sold — escalated promptly and investigated with reference to the consent record and sales documentation?
- Is add-on product compliance training refreshed when new products are introduced, when regulatory guidance changes, or when a complaint pattern suggests a training gap?
How to run it
How the scoring works
Before the visit, fill in the dealer or centre, the auditor, the date and the audit cycle. Then score each of the 15 checks from 1 to 5 on what you see on the day, not on what the site aims for, and add them up out of 75.
- 1Not in place
- 2Attempted
- 3Defined
- 4Managed
- 5Fully sustained
- Green60–75 · 80–100%Compliant. Keep the standard.
- Amber38–59 · 50–79%Improvement needed: a structured action plan within 30 days.
- Red0–37 · Below 50%Priority intervention, escalated to regional management.
Then close every gap
Each gap goes into the action plan tracker and moves through four stages until the auditor closes it.
- 1PendingOwner and close date set
- 2In progressWork under way, evidence gathered
- 3CompletedEvidence submitted for review
- 4ApprovedVerified and closed by the auditor
