Car Repairs and Garages

Repairs and servicing must be done with reasonable care and skill, to the standard expected in the vehicle repair industry. Anything the garage says about the service or itself can become part of the contract. source

You pay a reasonable price unless a fixed price was agreed, and the work must be finished within the agreed time or, if none was set, within a reasonable time. source

If the work is poor, you can ask for it to be redone at no cost within a reasonable time. If that fails, you may be entitled to a price reduction, possibly a full refund. source

Parts fitted by the garage must be of satisfactory quality and match their description. For a faulty part, you can reject it for a full refund within 30 days, or ask for a repair or replacement instead. source

If a fault with a part shows up within six months, the garage usually has to prove it was not there when the part was supplied. After six months, you may need to prove it. source

A warranty is on top of your legal rights, not a replacement for them. source

You can ask for a written quote or estimate and an itemised invoice for parts and labour. The garage should get your permission before doing extra work, and you can ask for the old parts back. source

If a card payment was over £100 and up to £30,000, Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 may apply. Debit card or lower-value payments may be covered by chargeback. source

Do not pay under protest without getting advice first from Citizens Advice, or Advice Direct Scotland. It can be needed to recover a vehicle the garage is holding until you pay, but get advice first. source

If you need to settle the bill to get your car back, pay it and mark every invoice 'paid under protest' to show you intend to take it further. The Motor Ombudsman page does not say whether you can refuse to pay or whether a garage can keep your car, so get advice first. source

You can complain to The Motor Ombudsman only if the garage is signed up to its Service and Repair and/or Vehicle Sales Codes. Check with its Business Finder. Complain to the garage first and give it up to eight weeks to give a final answer. source

The Motor Ombudsman reviews evidence from both sides against its Codes of Practice and the Consumer Rights Act 2015. If you accept its final decision, it is legally binding on both sides and you may lose the right to take the complaint elsewhere. It does not cover car finance, car insurance or hire car complaints. source

If a garage charges more than was agreed, complain to the garage first with evidence of the agreed price. The Motor Ombudsman's Service and Repair Code requires accredited garages to be upfront and clear about costs before going ahead with the work. source

If a garage damages your car or property, it is often one person's word against another's, so records matter. Inspect the car with a garage representative at drop-off, check any inspection sheet is accurate before you sign it, and check the car again at collection before you drive it off. source

If you disagree with an MOT result, do not have repairs made until the appeal process has finished. Send DVSA the complaint form within 14 working days of the test, and DVSA should contact you within 5 days. source

If DVSA rechecks a failed vehicle, you arrange a date and pay the full test fee again, and get it refunded if your appeal succeeds. If your car passed but should have failed, the recheck is free. DVSA cannot take action against a test centre for you, but Trading Standards can be contacted. source