Car Repairs

Your rights

You have a number of rights when getting your car serviced or repaired, including:

• the work must be carried out with reasonable care and skill;
• if no time is agreed at the outset, the work must be done within a reasonable time;
• the materials used must be of satisfactory quality - essentially the same rights as you have when buying a car;
• the materials must be as described - so new parts must be new and not reconditioned.

Finding a reliable garage

Shop around for an established firm with a good reputation. Look for a trade association sign, such as the Vehicle Builders and Repairers Association or the Motor Vehicle Repairers Association, which should mean the garage follows a code of practice.

A reliable garage will do some or all of the following:

• display a menu of fixed-cost work
• tell you how much they will charge to diagnose a fault
• have trained staff and display certificates
• have a complaints procedure.