Chasing money for poor repair by Garage!

sp.73

If anyone knows the answer to my question or has any advice I would be most grateful...

Is it legal for a garage to repair my car claiming to be Garage A Ltd (for examples sake) then charge me under the name of Garage B Ltd? Unbeknown to me, at the time of repair, Garage B Ltd were being dissolved by Companies House for not filing accounts (I subsequently found out he was notified of dissolvement 2 months before the poor repair). At the point of being handed a receipt for the work I'd had no prior knowledge that Garage B Ltd existed and that two business were ran out of the same premises.

Needless to say it gets worse. Directly after driving away from the garage, on day of repair, my car broke down with £757 worth of damage caused by poor repair (which I'd paid £800 for the privilege)! I have a DEKRA report confirming poor repair.

I'm chasing the garage director for the £757 it cost me to repair the damage but he is not playing ball (surprise). He is a director of Garage A Ltd and was Director of Garage B Ltd (though is denying directorship of . He is claiming he'd never mentioned the name Garage A Ltd to me and denies various conversations we had. Unfortunately I have nothing in writing regarding my initial contact with the owner of this garage (he was recommended to me by a recovery driver from a local rescue service I'd used).

It seems outrageously unfair that he can take this attitude. His work was incompetent and could have caused an accident (snapped driveshaft). I feel that charging me under another name knowing that my guarantee would be worthless as said other name was being dissolved is fraudulent but I am unsure this is the case. In essence he can damage my car severely, charge me under the guise of a 2nd Ltd company name that he knows is being dissolved by companies house, deny any liability then continue trading under Garage A Ltd.

Any help appreciated before I try my luck through the small claims court.