Service and Repair

Can I get a replacement vehicle if a fault has not been fixed?

The seller has only one opportunity to repair your vehicle if there is a breach of your consumer rights. You can allow the seller a further attempt at repair if you wish. However, if you give them this opportunity, you will not be able to ask for a different remedy until that repair has either failed to rectify the issue, or another problem occurs.

If you are offered a replacement vehicle, it should be like-for-like so far as is possible. However, if you request a newer model or one with lower mileage, or a car with a higher specification, you may be asked to make some payment towards this.

What if I can’t afford to pay for repairs done on my car?

If pre-agreed repairs have been carried out on your car, and on receipt of the bill (e.g. an invoice), you don’t have the ability to pay, then the first step is to speak to the business to try to come to an agreement with them, such as putting a payment plan or affordable installments in place.

If this is not possible, the business may have the right to retain your vehicle until payment is received. If the vehicle is being retained due to an unpaid bill, the business has to maintain it whilst in their care. However, they are able to charge reasonable costs for doing this, and their terms may state that storage fees may be applicable. This can end up increasing the overall debt.

Can I leave my car with the repairer indefinitely if I can’t pay?

You may be able to come to an agreement with the business to use the car for part of full payment of the outstanding sum, or arrange to pay for the disposal.

However, if you are unable to pay the bill, leaving a car on a business’s premises without their consent is never advisable due to the potential for an escalation in costs.

A business may be able to take possession of the vehicle if they chose to take the dispute to court following an unpaid bill.

What do I do if I have a complaint about a repair conducted by a business appointed by my insurance company?

If a repair was conducted by a business appointed by the insurer of your vehicle, and a dispute arises about the standard of work or contract, your complaint needs to be raised with the insurer. The Motor Ombudsman is unable to handle disputes of this nature.

What can I do about car bodywork defects?

Bodywork defects on a vehicle may arise due to the following reasons:

• Through corrosion (also known as ‘in to out’ corrosion)
• Surface corrosion (also referred to as ‘out to in’ corrosion)

Through corrosion results from a defect in the metal (as a result of a manufacturing problem or treatment of the bodywork). When this occurs, the metal beneath the paintwork begins to deteriorate, therefore giving rise to perforations in the bodywork (this can appear as bubbling).

Surface corrosion can be caused by external influence, such as stone chips removing the paintwork, deep scratches, over-polishing, adverse weather (hailstones), and salt in the air.

If you encounter corrosion, the first step is to take your car into an approved repairer by the vehicle manufacturer (they will be able to inform you of your local business), for it to be inspected in order to determine the cause of the corrosion, and the type.

Often, a vehicle manufacturer’s warranty will cover surface corrosion for a period of three years if it has been caused by a build defect. As for through corrosion, the warranty policy will state the duration as to how long this is covered for, which is usually longer than the coverage period provided for the base warranty.

It is always worth reading the terms and conditions of the warranty agreement carefully when purchasing a vehicle to understand the coverage and duration of the policy.

If you require an independent technical report to assess a bodywork issue, you can find more information about how to obtain a report here.

If you have been unable to resolve your complaint to your full satisfaction, and you have reached a state of deadlock with a Motor Ombudsman-accredited business, you are able to submit your dispute to The Motor Ombudsman for help getting it resolved.

If you haven’t notified a garage that you wish to keep old parts from your car once they have been removed, the business should keep the parts until you have collected the vehicle and will normally dispose of them in a reasonable timeframe after the repair for space and safety reasons.

If the removed components are no longer available to view or keep, contact the business to find out if there is any other evidence they have kept showing their condition (e.g. videos or photos). If there isn’t any such evidence, you may wish to consider discussing with the business, before raising a dispute with The Motor Ombudsman, as to whether they may be open to some form of remedy to recognise the fact they have been unable to provide the old component(s).

Read The Motor Ombudsman’s article “Looking the part” for further information.

As the owner of the vehicle, you are entitled to keep any parts that are removed from your car during a service or repair, regardless of their condition. When booking in your car for work, it is important that you notify the garage at this stage not to dispose of any old parts that are taken off your vehicle.

Read The Motor Ombudsman’s article “Looking the part” for further information.

How do I submit a case to The Motor Ombudsman?

If you have a complaint about a business, for example following work you have had carried out on your vehicle, you need to ensure that you have given them a chance to resolve your issue first.

If you are unsure as to how to submit your complaint, it is worth asking the business for their complaints process to ensure that your concerns are going to the right place.

Explain what’s happened and let them know how you would like things to be put right, preferably in writing. The business then has eight weeks to give their final answer to your complaint but can respond at any point within this period.

If you’re not happy with the response from the business, or don’t receive one at all after waiting eight weeks, you can submit your case for us to look into. The business that you have a dispute with must be accredited to The Motor Ombudsman.

Accredited businesses are listed on this website as follows:

• Independent garages, bodyshops, repairers and franchise car dealerships accredited to the Service and Repair and / or the Vehicle Sales Codes are listed on our Garage Finder.
• Vehicle manufacturers (OEMs) accredited to the New Car Code can be found here.
• Vehicle warranty providers accredited to the Vehicle Warranty Products Code can be found here.

What do I do if my garage is taking too long to fix my car?

Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, the garage has an obligation to conduct repairs within a “reasonable” time frame. What is considered reasonable will depend on the type of repairs required. For example, we would expect a wheel to be replaced in less time than it would take to dismantle an engine.

When the garage fails to repair the car within a “reasonable” period, you may be awarded a discount on the repair costs. If you’re unhappy with the amount of time the garage is taking to repair your car, then you should firstly raise your concern with the garage directly, ideally by submitting a formal complaint to the business in line with their complaints procedure.

If you’re not satisfied with the final response of the business, or more than eight weeks has passed since raising the complaint with the business, then you may escalate the complaint to The Motor Ombudsman for further investigation.

What should I do if I’m unhappy with the garage’s work on my car?

Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, the garage has an obligation to use reasonable care and skill when completing any repairs, servicing or investigations on your car. Therefore, if the garage has failed to use reasonable skill and care in the work provided, then the business has an obligation to do the work again or provide you with a refund.

In order to resolve a dispute regarding the standard of work, you should firstly raise your concern with the garage directly, ideally by submitting a formal complaint to the business in line with their in-house complaints procedure.

If you’re unhappy with the final response of the business, or more than eight weeks has passed since raising the complaint with the business, then you may escalate the dispute to The Motor Ombudsman for further investigation.

When does my car need a service?

Servicing schedules vary from vehicle to vehicle, so if you are unsure of when your next service is due, we recommend that you speak to your garage, consult the owner manual, or contact the manufacturer of your vehicle.

Some cars feature a self-diagnostic system, which will notify you when a car service is due. Drivers are advised not to ignore these warning signs even if they occur before 12 months or 12,000 miles has been reached.

In order to enjoy the benefits of your warranty, you will need to follow your manufacturer’s service schedule for full and interim services. These should be undertaken when you reach a prescribed mileage limit or age of the vehicle (e.g. 10,000 miles or one year).

Always make sure you keep your service schedule up to date so that you can show proof of regular maintenance when selling on the vehicle, or for warranty purposes.