Unauthorised charge was added to the car service but I signed it - what are my rights?

mike_job

I booked a second service for my car at Perry's using their phone booking centre. I explicitly asked only for the second service, and nothing else was discussed or offered.

When I dropped the car off, I signed the job card without realising it included a brake fluid change. I collected the car later that day and paid the full amount by credit card.

When I queried the unexpected brake fluid charge, Perry's replied:

• It's their policy to automatically add manufacturer-recommended items (e.g. brake fluid change) to any service.
• They reviewed the booking call and confirmed that I requested only the second service — the agent did not explain their policy or mention the extra.
• I signed the job card, which they say constitutes authorisation.

While I accept that I signed the job card, I believe automatically adding extras without informing the customer during booking is misleading. If I’d known about the extra, I might have declined or budgeted differently.

Am I within my rights to challenge or reclaim the cost of the brake fluid change on the basis that I wasn't informed at the time of booking?

Thanks!

Okell

I never sign anything without reading what I'm signing.

Did you read what you signed and did you understand what work you were authorising?

eg should a second service have included a brake fluid change, did you know that, did what you signed include a brake fluid change?

(I'm a bit confused as to why - if you think a brake fluid change was not on the schedule for a second service - Perry's should say the manufacturer recommended it.  Do you know if what Perry's says is true?)

CliveOfIndia

mike_job said:

• It's their policy to automatically add manufacturer-recommended items (e.g. brake fluid change) to any service.

Seems reasonable enough to me.  Without knowing the specifics of your car or the recommended service schedule, if a brake fluid change is recommended by the manufacturer at the second service, then that's what you've got - the manufacturer's recommended "second service".

If a brake fluid change is part of the service, and you hadn't had it done, that may give you issues should you ever need to claim on the warranty.

mike_job said:

While I accept that I signed the job card, I believe automatically adding extras without informing the customer during booking is misleading. 

Presumably the job card included the brake fluid change?  If so, then I can't see you've got any grounds for complaint.  It's not their fault if you don't read what you're signing for.

born_again

mike_job said:

I booked a second service for my car at Perry's using their phone booking centre. I explicitly asked only for the second service, and nothing else was discussed or offered.

When I dropped the car off, I signed the job card without realising it included a brake fluid change. I collected the car later that day and paid the full amount by credit card.

When I queried the unexpected brake fluid charge, Perry's replied:

• It's their policy to automatically add manufacturer-recommended items (e.g. brake fluid change) to any service.
• They reviewed the booking call and confirmed that I requested only the second service — the agent did not explain their policy or mention the extra.
• I signed the job card, which they say constitutes authorisation.

While I accept that I signed the job card, I believe automatically adding extras without informing the customer during booking is misleading. If I’d known about the extra, I might have declined or budgeted differently.

Am I within my rights to challenge or reclaim the cost of the brake fluid change on the basis that I wasn't informed at the time of booking?

Thanks!

So what does the service schedule say for your car. I know mine has check & replace brake fluid every 2 years.

mike_job

Hi @Okell @CliveOfIndia @born_again

Thanks for the replies — helpful points.

To clarify:

• The manufacturer’s service schedule for my car states that a brake fluid change is recommended every 2 years (not linked to the service intervals) as an optional maintenance item, but it’s not part of the required service schedule to maintain the manufacturer’s warranty. In other words it isn’t automatically included in the second service package, nor is it mandatory for warranty compliance.

• When booking by phone, I was quoted the price for the second service only — no extras were mentioned.

• Never at any point during either the booking process or the car drop off I was informed about additional charges added to the service requested

• At drop-off, the service desk gave me the job card to sign without going through the details. I signed assuming it matched the booking. In hindsight, I should have checked more carefully, but my point is that their booking process didn’t give me a chance to make an informed decision. 

I’m less concerned about the fluid change itself (it may well have been due soon) than about the policy of silently adding extras and relying on the job card signature.

I’m trying to establish whether this constitutes misrepresentation or an unfair practice, rather than a legitimate add-on I simply missed.

Okell

I can only suggest you go back to them and reiterate your complaint as you have done here.

I'd emphasise to them that you had booked a second service - which you understood did not include a brake fluid change - and that when you signed the job card you did so in good faith, never imaginging that Perrys would try to include anything that you hadn't specifically booked without first drawing your attention to it.

Not sure what else you can do 

How much £s are we talking about?

mike_job

@Okell

that's what I did, and their only reply is that they include the recommended work by default and that I signed the job card with the brake fluid change included.

It's around £80 on top of the £260 for the service itself. 

born_again

Most manufacture use mileage & time limits on servicing. Based on which is 1st.

Why did you ask for a 2nd service? Rather than saying my car is due a service?

So might be helpful to state which car, how old & how many miles. 

mike_job

@born_again

> Why did you ask for a 2nd service?
Because I knew it's due a 2nd service based on the service schedule intervals (2nd year)

> Rather than saying my car is due a service?
How/why would that have made any difference? 

born_again

mike_job said:

@born_again

> Why did you ask for a 2nd service?
Because I knew it's due a 2nd service based on the service schedule intervals (2nd year)

> Rather than saying my car is due a service?
How/why would that have made any difference? 

The manufacturer’s service schedule for my car states that a brake fluid change is recommended every 2 years (not linked to the service intervals) as an optional maintenance item, but it’s not part of the required service.

You booked car in as it was 2 years old.

So it is recommended every 2 years. So where is the issue
Far better to have it changed, than find out that due to excess moisture in the fluid, that brakes do not work as well as they should.

This is std on my car, inspect & replace if required every 2 years. Cost is built into the actual service cost I pay. It is not a extra.

So when you booked the service, did they give you a price & how did that  compare to what you paid?

mike_job

@born_again

I completely agree that changing brake fluid regularly is good practice. Some people follow the manufacturer’s 2-year recommendation strictly, while others also take into account the actual expected life of the fluid and do a moisture check first (Volvo dealer, for example, suggest brake fluid change based on the combination of two, not purely on 2 years intervals).

But I think we’re getting a bit off track here — my issue isn’t whether the brake fluid change was needed for my car, it’s how it was added.

To clarify:

• The brake fluid change is not part of the minor or major service for my car (and I believe that’s the case for most standard consumer cars — not luxury, sports, or heavy-duty vehicles).

• The brake fluid change is recommended every two years, regardless of whether the car is being serviced or not.

• It’s optional (customer can choose) — not a manufacturer requirement to keep the warranty valid.

• I booked the car in for its second service specifically (I didn't ask for "everything what is recommended for my car by its current age/mileage"), expecting this to mean the standard minor/major service as defined by the manufacturer.

• I expected that any optional or extra recommended work would be discussed with me before being added.

That’s why I have an issue with Perry’s automatically including it without saying anything upfront.