Damage done to car as a result of a repair.

Danica

Dont know where I stand with this.
Two weeks ago my car passed its MOT but the tester advised me to get the drivers side wheel bearing replaced as its in its infant stage of going. I then booked it into a local garage to get the bearing replaced. When I picked the car up from getting it repaired the lad on reception told me that the bearing was fixed but there is noise there from worn brake pads and discs, I just assumed that it would be the usual grinding sound when you press the pedal. When I drove the car home it was making a very loud high pitched rubbing sound, by the time I got the car home the garage was closed and only their answering machine was contactable. I phoned the next day to voice my concerns and was told that the brake pads were excessively worn and that the disc's were badly lipped so I asked for a quote for the repair of both front pads and disc's and was quoted £110 +vat. In todays day and age it is always best to shop around so I booked it into Kwik Fit for their free no obligation brake service. This morning I took the car to Kwik Fit and the service engineer there looked at it and asked if any work had recently been carried out on the drivers side bearings, I told him it had only 4 days before. He advised me that the whole hub is bent out of line and that the wrong bearing are fitted and the rubbing sound is coming from the disc rubbing against the hub, he also told me that the nut holding it all together was not tightened to the correct torque setting and if it was the wheel would not be able to turn. He quoted me a price of £900 + to fit a new hub, fit front & rear discs and fit front & rear pads. He also told me that the brake pipe was stretched over and fitted and in his opinion the hub was damaged while the bearing were being pressed in.
I will be taking the car back to the garage Thursday (as I am away for 3 days from Monday) to ask for a full repair but would like to know where I stand legally. The garage is subscribed to the Motor Industry Code of Practice.
Thanks in advance.

mo786uk

This is controlled by the Supply of Goods and Services Act 1982. As the original garage have carried out the original repair work they are liable for any damage they have caused and should put it right for free. They will probably say it was not their fault or the fault is not related to the work they carried out.

I would get somethign in writing from Kwik Fit to say what all the issues were and I would consider taking it to a local garage for a second opinion first (dont have a high opinion of KF). Take some pics of the damaged area for evidence if later required.

Danica

I have all the faults recorded by KF and put onto headed paper.