MOT Testing Scams
Buying your first car after you have passed your driving test is great fun, but when it comes to the annual MOT Test it can be very daunting.
Believe it or not there are companies out there that will conduct MOT testing scams for their own financial gain.
Here’s a few examples of poor MOT practice:
Rushing the job or not carrying out an MOT at all: There are some MOT testing stations that will sign off an MOT without actually conducting a test. This is usually common with vehicles that require their first test after the 3 years have lapsed from a new purchase. The tester may look for anything obvious and then sign it off. To some people they may be rubbing their hands, however, remember why we have MOT’s in place = Safety. You may have saved yourself some money because your car hasn’t had a thorough MOT test, however, you might not be so happy if your ABS braking system doesn’t work when you need it. Here’s an article from a local newspaper where an MOT tester got caught on camera not conducting 9 out 10 MOT tests.
Turning Advisories into Fails: There ares some MOT Testers that will turn something borderline like tyre tread or brake pads into a fail. This means you will have to return your vehicle within 7 days repaired or use the garage that conducted your MOT test.
Fake Certificates: This is rare with MOT testing as all results of an MOT test is recorded online. However, if you are buying your first car on a budget this is where it could happen. The MOT certificate is just a print out of the results. So it can be easily forged. if you are buying a car you can check the cars MOT history on the direct.gov site: Check MOT status
How can you avoid a MOT Scam ?
1. You are very welcome to wait and watch whilst your MOT is being conducted. By law, every MOT station should have this available to their customers. Walk away if they don’t have a viewing area.
2. Do the simple checks yourself. Things like tyre tread depth, wipers, fluid levels, seat belts, warning lights etc are all easy checks that can be made before turning up for your MOT.