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Why is this important?
Problems with the quality of garage repairs or service
If you’re not happy with the quality of work done by a garage or a fault reappears, the garage may have breached their contract with you or have been negligent.
Strictly, you can get the work done by another garage and claim back the cost. However, you'll need to get expert evidence to support your claim, which could be expensive. It's usually best to give the garage that carried out the original repair an opportunity to put things right at no cost to you first.
This page explains how to get a garage to put things right if you're not happy with the quality of the work they've carried out.
Top tips
Garage work and services doesn’t just include repairs or routine servicing of your car. It can also include improvements, such as re-spraying the bodywork or upgrading the brakes. It also includes installation of other goods such as audio equipment or satellite navigation systems.If the garage refuses to put things right
If the garage refuses to put things right, check whether it belongs to a trade association with a code of practice setting out standards of service it must follow. You can use this to show the garage that they must put the problem right.
If a second repair doesn't solve the problem
If a second repair doesn’t solve the problem, you can take your car to another garage to have the faults put right and then claim the cost back from the original garage. However, you’ll need to prove that the repairs or service need to be done again by getting a second expert opinion.
You could ask the original garage for your money back or for the work to be undone at no cost to you. You could then go to another garage to get the work done.
Top tips
If your vehicle is under warranty, check the contract to see if you have any extra rights. For example, a warranty might state clearly that you have a right for the repair to be carried out free of charge if there is a problem.Getting the work done by a different garage
If the garage won't or can't put things right, you are entitled to take your car to another garage to have the faults put right and then claim back the cost from the original garage. But you’ll need to prove that the repairs or service need to be done again by getting a second expert opinion.
Getting a second opinion
If the garage disputes the problem or you want to take your car to another garage, you can get a second opinion. You can ask another garage to take a look at the car to assess the problem and provide a quote for the cost of work to put it right. This second opinion might help you negotiate with the original garage for the problem to be fixed.
You could also think about asking an independent engineer to provide a report on the condition of the car and its problems. It would be up to you to pay for this report. Be aware that if you ended up taking the garage to court, the judge might not read the report or award you compensation for the cost of carrying it out,
If this doesn’t work and you are on speaking terms with the original garage, you could negotiate to get a report from an independent garage or vehicle engineers. You would both need to agree on who provides this report, how the cost would be split and to be bound by the findings.
Next steps
- If there is a problem with the spare parts used by a garage
- Find UK Garages approved by the Motor Industry Code of Practice for Service and Repair
- Find out whether your garage is a member of a trade association
- If you think you’ve been charged too much for repairs
- If you need more help