MOT regulations?

Road_Hog

If you take a car in for an MOT and it fails on something simple, you are allowed to take the vehicle away and have it fixed, with a free retest, providing it is back at the MOT test station by 5:00pm the following day. Can anyone confirm that the test station has a legal (VOSA) requirement to retest the vehicle and give a pass certificate (if it passes)?

The reason I ask is, I had a car fail on driver's windscreen wiper on a Monday lunchtime and said I would go to the motor factors and be back either later that day or early the following day. To which the manager said (national chain that rhymes with frauds) only if I have time, I'm busy and I can't guarantee that I'll be able to retest it. Starting going on about having to put it up on the ramps (I kid you not), until I explained to him that both he and I knew, that you only had to retest the failed item and I couldn't understand why on earth he want or need to put it on the ramps.

He basically said, that if I bought a wiper from them he'd pass it (blackmail) but not if I took it away. This annoyed me on two counts, one I'd checked and cleaned the wipers prior to taking it in and they were absolutely fine, two being blackmailed. So, putting aside the absurdity of not having enough time to check a wiper blade, does an MOT station by law, have to do a retest if the vehicle is brought back? If the answer is no, sorry, we're too busy, then it makes a mockery of the rules about getting the car fixed and brought back.

I got it sorted in the end, I asked him for his HQ customer service number, at which point he bottled it and rang his area manager, who I spoke to and he decided that maybe they might find time to check a wiper blade. But I'm curious whether they could have refused or whether I'd have had a strong legal position.

OddballJamie

They only need to do a partial re-test on the item that failed if it's a minor item then there will also be no retest fee.

However it's their right that you make an appointment for the retest. I had to do this when my partners last car failed on a cracked spring at the council test centre.

Road_Hog

OddballJamie wrote: »

They only need to do a partial re-test on the item that failed if it's a minor item then there will also be no retest fee.

However it's their right that you make an appointment for the retest. I had to do this when my partners last car failed on a cracked spring at the council test centre.

I understand this, and I certainly think that a wiper blade comes in the 'minor' category. And if the manager had said, you'll need to make an appointment for Monday afternoon or sometime tomorrow, I'd be happy with that. But it was his point blank refusal to guarantee that he would retest it in the alloted time (by close of business the next day) that I'm questioning.

paddedjohn

NO FEE: If you leave your vehicle at the testing station for repair and it is retested within 10 working days after it fails, then only a partial retest is required and no fee may be charged.
PARTIAL FEE: If the vehicle is taken away from the testing station for repair and brought back for a retest within 10 working days after failing the test, then only a partial retest is required and a partial retest fee can be charged.
FREE RETEST LIST:

If you car fails for one of the items listed below, a full re-test is not required and you can bring it back for a free retest by the end of the next working day. (If it fails on a Friday, you can bring it back on Monday) The only exception to this, is if the testing garage has changed owners.

• ABS warning light
• Bonnet
• Bootlid
• Brake pedal antislip – i.e. the pedal rubbers are worn through or missing
• Direction indicators – front, rear or side indicators
• Doors
• Dropsides
• Emissions
• Fuel filler cap – rubber seal on cap split or perished
• Hazard warning – bulb out or circuit / switch problem
• Headlamp aim – lights aimed to high / low etc
• Horn – not working or illegal type (air horn / musical horn)
• Lamps – compulsory vehicle lights, i.e. reverse, brakes etc
• Loading door -
• Mirrors – cracked, missing, badly secured
• Rear reflectors – missing or damaged
• Registration plates – cracked, letters evenly spaced, standard lettering
• Seat belts i.e. frayed belts
• Seats – securely bolted down
• Sharp edges – bodywork of the car that may cause injury to a pedestrial
• Steering wheel -
• Tailboard
• Tailgate
• VIN
• Windscreen & glass
• Wipers and washers
• Wheels & tyres

You are correct in what you say, it sounds like they are just being awkward.

OddballJamie

The reason I ask is, I had a car fail on driver's windscreen wiper on a Monday lunchtime and said I would go to the motor factors and be back either later that day or early the following day.

That's not making an appointment, you just gave him a really vague time you would come.

Out of interest did you ask the price for them to sell you a wiper? If it was a few quid difference, I would've paid it just so I didn't waste my time going back there. But then I would never go to a place like that for an MOT, council all the way.

OddballJamie

paddedjohn wrote: »

You are correct in what you say, it sounds like they are just being awkward. Ring the up and book a test for tomorrow afternoon and see what they say.

Bit late, the car failed on Monday.

Road_Hog

OddballJamie wrote: »

That's not making an appointment, you just gave him a really vague time you would come.

Out of interest did you ask the price for them to sell you a wiper? If it was a few quid difference, I would've paid it just so I didn't waste my time going back there. But then I would never go to a place like that for an MOT, council all the way.

I didn't give him a vague time, I said I'd be back before the deadline expired. As I've already said, if he said you'd need to book an appointment/time, then happily I would have done that - I may have just mentioned to him that I'd booked the car in for a 10:00am MOT and it was now 1:00pm so it would be good if they kept to their appointments

And yes, they told me how much the wiper was going to be, but I will not be sold something that doesn't need doing. I checked the wipers before going in, they were unfrayed and in good condition, plus I'd cleaned them prior to the visit. The cost has nothing to do with the discussion, as far as I understand, I can go and do the 'repair' myself and bring it back for a free retest and if that is the case, then if they want to remain a VOSA MOT test station then they should abide by the rules.

paddedjohn

OddballJamie wrote: »

Bit late, the car failed on Monday.

Yes I reread the ops post and have now changed mine.

vaio

In the two areas I get vehicles tested it's pretty much universal that any retest within two weeks is free.

Is it not the same everywhere? Or maybe it's because I use small independent garages rather than national chains?

Road_Hog

Well, I decided to give VOSA a call and the answer is...

Yep, a garage can say, sorry, we;re too busy, we won't have time to do a retest if you take the vehicle away. Makes a mockery of the minor items free retest if they can use that excuse.

Lum

Your first mistake was going to Halfrauds for an MOT.

If they force you to pay for a new MOT, take your business elsewhere.