MOT - no retest as Garage closed over Xmas.

MOT - no retest as Garage closed over Xmas.

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Discussion

Yomamaisasnowblower

Original Poster:

322 posts

24 months

Friday 15th December 2023
quotequote all

Mods please move if in the wrong section.


My son (teenager) dropped his car off for an MOT today, failed so asked about the earliest retest, garage said they are now closed till the 3rd January effectively meaning he'll have to pay the £50 fee again. I understand bank hols and weekends aren't counted but in this case anyone using them is effectively not able to have a retest as expected.

They are a great testing station and we've been using them happily for years so no issues on that front.

Does anyone know what the rules are around retests in this situation? Thanks!

DanL

6,436 posts

272 months

Friday 15th December 2023
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The rules are laid out here, I think.

https://www.gov.uk/getting-an-mot/retests

Talks about time limits and returning to the same test station. I think your son is out of luck, and will have to pay for a test elsewhere (or at the same place much later) if the original place is now shut until the new year…

Truckosaurus

12,040 posts

291 months

Friday 15th December 2023
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Such is the problem with having government tests run by private businesses - they have no obligation to be open on the 'working days' the legislation allows for.

Same if they have a summer shutdown, you can't just roll over the retest until they can fit you in - especially now it is all done on a computer so no back dating certificates as a favour to regular customers.

samoht

6,279 posts

153 months

Friday 15th December 2023
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I make 3rd Jan the tenth working day from today, so potentially if they had a slot then he could qualify for a 'partial retest' under the 'within ten working days' part.

There's nothing stopping the garage from discounting the fee for the retest if they felt like it under the circumstances, although I guess in theory they have to run through the whole test again.

Something to be aware of in future, perhaps worth doing it a bit early next year to get the date away from the Christmas hols.

Panamax

5,059 posts

41 months

Friday 15th December 2023
quotequote all
Darn, these pesky Christmas and New Year holidays turn up so unexpectedly. How's anyone supposed to know they're coming?

stevemcs

8,988 posts

100 months

Friday 15th December 2023
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I think i make it the 4th, its working days so 25/26/1 don't count.

WE advise anyone at time of booking we may not be able to carry out repairs, we also son't book any mot's on the last fo mots is the 19th, we then have space for repairs. Its not a good time of year to mot a smiley face transit.

Venisonpie

3,636 posts

89 months

Saturday 16th December 2023
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Annoying but predictable as others have said. Surely you check with the garage ahead of booking?
I was in the same position and decided on a Jan 3rd test for this reason plus if the car fails as in this case you're not stuffed for wheels over Christmas.

cliffords

1,808 posts

30 months

Saturday 16th December 2023
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I just got very near to this with our dog car . The garage we have been using absolutely said weekend and Bank holidays counted but it was a futile argument so I just went elsewhere. I have diarised to do it much earlier next year .
Going elsewhere was interesting, I had fixed the major but not the minors, however they passed it with a clean sheet no minors recorded.

Earthdweller

14,371 posts

133 months

Saturday 16th December 2023
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Truckosaurus said:
Such is the problem with having government tests run by private businesses - they have no obligation to be open on the 'working days' the legislation allows for.

Same if they have a summer shutdown, you can't just roll over the retest until they can fit you in - especially now it is all done on a computer so no back dating certificates as a favour to regular customers.
Conversely look at NI where Government tests are run by government test centres and it’s almost impossible to get a test and you have to book them several months in advance and likely travel from one side of NI to the other to get it


Yomamaisasnowblower

Original Poster:

322 posts

24 months

Saturday 16th December 2023
quotequote all

Yes, it was my 19yr old son dealing with the MOT for his car. Tbh, I'm glad he took the initiative this time as I've been on it for him in the past. I do wish he informed me before going ahead as I'd have asked him to check these things first.

He'll learn from the mistake I'm sure - bloody kids!

agent006

12,058 posts

271 months

Saturday 16th December 2023
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Panamax said:
Darn, these pesky Christmas and New Year holidays turn up so unexpectedly. How's anyone supposed to know they're coming?
It's a garage, not a public school, so it's not unreasonable to have expected them to be open till next Friday.

InitialDave

12,224 posts

126 months

Saturday 16th December 2023
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agent006 said:
It's a garage, not a public school, so it's not unreasonable to have expected them to be open till next Friday.
Yeah, I took a car for an MOT this morning, wouldn't even occur to me that the garage wouldn't be open next week had it failed and needed a retest.