Dodgy MOT fraud crackdown

29th September 2025/1 Comment/in mot testing/by Eric Roberts

Dodgy MOT fraud crackdown

As the owner of a UK MOT testing station.

Then I just fail to understand the number of MOT stations that have been shut down for fraudulent activities. According to the attached article, there are 143 testing stations. Of one type or another have had there testing facilities removed. Consequently, I am not able to carry out any more MOT tests.

The public is now able to report stations that they feel are not truthful in one way or another. Probably leading to more investigations. The end result was a station losing its MOT testing status. The mind boggles when you realise the importance of such a great system for testing vehicle safety here in the UK.

I believe that we have to be totally honest with both the DVSA and the public who bring their vehicles to us for a honest and reliable MOT test. We do hear of horror stories coming from customers with a long list of improper failures after a test on their cars.

Could things get worse !

What frightens me the fact that we are heading in for an economic downturn. So putting pressure on people to fail cars for the sake of more income. I have been in this industry for 50 years or so now and seen all this kind of thing before.

Larger companies with massive overheads will be under even more pressure to increase their sales and profit margins. Recently, a good friend of mine decided that he had enough sales pressure from the large garage network that he worked for.

Encouraging the workers below him to report car faults that did not exist.

He did not mention specific MOT jobs but you could not rule this out. Customers were told that things needed replacing when they were perfectly fine. We have all heard of this, yet the companies keep on trading when the little guys get hit.

Finally, as long as we keep up our good reputation,

for honesty when testing cars and doing everyday servicing work, then to hell with the rest. We will not be involved in any dodgy MOT fraud crackdown.

The DVSA has published its annual report, outlining its 2020-2021 activities. Some 40,490,000 MOT certificates were issued from 2021-22, up from 38,790,000 in the previous period. Following on from the DVSA’s Beat the Rush campaign in 2020, the

Source: MOT fraud crackdown remains key focus for DVSA

MOT Test Combined with Car Servicing

20th August 2025/in All Car Servicing, mot testing, mot testing Halifax/by Eric Roberts

MOT Test Combined with Car Servicing

Unlike a vehicle MOT test, servicing is not a legal requirement for your vehicle. However, you will probably find that regular servicing can help to keep everything.

Eric Roberts‘s insight:

Pre-testing your car can mean the difference between passing and failing the MOT test when it comes time for testing. Consider it as giving your vehicle some TLC before the examiners arrive.

A service helps identify any minor concerns, such as worn-out brake pads, malfunctioning lights, or even low fluid levels, that could become serious problems during the MOT. In addition to increasing your car’s chances of passing the test, taking care of these issues beforehand can guarantee that it operates smoothly and safely when driving. You might also avoid the inconvenience of having to retake the test, which nobody likes!

To be honest, most of our customers do have an MOT test and service at the same time. This practice gives the car owner peace of mind that their car is in reasonable condition for at least 12 months up to the next annual testing time. Of course, this doesnt count for any mechanical failure of a part.

We all must be responsible for our cars servicing and test

Sometimes I find it a great shame. Incredibly, we are in the motor trade. Insistently, you have to keep harping on about servicing your cars. One of the main excuses in recent times! Of course, there has been a recession. Recently, car drivers just haven’t had any spare cash to spend on their vehicles. Consequently, we have all seen people just putting £10’s worth of fuel into their cars at the filling station? Ridiculous, but true !

In my opinion,

I think that these people should have some kind of budget. A sort of “piggy bank” and save to have their vehicle serviced. Including any mechanical work required when it goes in for its annual vehicle test. Incidentally, it is estimated that 4.7 million people miss their mot testing date. I am sure that drivers either just flaunt the law or are not aware that driving your

A car without a valid MOT test certificate is an offence referenced in Section 47 of the 1988 Road Traffic Act.

Also, driving without an MOT test.

will make your insurance invalid, and you may receive a fine of up to £1000. Is it really worth it when you can have a vehicle test and a service for most average family saloons for around £150? If you are not sure where you can go to have your vehicle serviced, you should go online and look for your nearest local independent garage; they will offer you excellent service at a fair price.

Once you have had your MOT test and service you should be safer for another year, although I recommend that you have an engine oil and filter change in between the tests to be on the safe side. Also, do not forget to check your levels at regular intervals, say once a week, and top them up when required.

Here we are now at the back end of 2024, nearing Christmas time, and the price of fuel has plummeted. The only problem is that the price of oil and petrol is not following as fast. The experts say that it may take a little longer for this to take place, but I was just wondering if services for cars would also be coming down. I am not so sure , but I suspect so.

MOT Test for Safer Roads

12th August 2025/in mot testing, mot testing Halifax/by Eric Roberts

MOT Test for Safer Roads

Some motorists may think

that the Ministry of Transport (VOSA) is in a money-making racket. You have to take your car to be MOT tested every year to pass a roadworthy test. But they do not see that having those MOT tests, . Actually, you can help prevent accidents and cut down on road deaths by keeping badly maintained vehicles off the road.

By carrying out an MOT test every year on vehicles that have been on the road for three years from their first registration, VOSA has successfully managed to lower the number of unsatisfactory cars on the road, making things safe for the rest of us.

So if you have had your car for at least three years, then you need to find your nearest MOT test station and have your car MOT tested. The easiest way is to book online, You can search for MOT Halifax if you need to find your nearest testing station if you live in the Calderdale area of West Yorkshire.

MOT Test Safer Roads-Any testing station? MOT Test for Safer Roads

It is possible to take it to any testing station to have it tested there. Consequently, you can be on your way home soon after you get a test completed. The only thing you need to know. Hence, they are a fully accredited testing station. Able to carry out a thorough and legal test. It is also important that they don’t let you get away with small mechanical faults. Of course, that would affect the roadworthiness of your vehicle.

After all, this will defeat the whole purpose.

Thus, the tests were carried out in the first place. You want to make sure that your vehicle gets through the test as smoothly as possible. As a result, there are many checks that need to be performed. During the MOT test, your car has to meet the standard.

So, for ,these checks,. Consequently, you will be ready to go home in no time with a pass. The bodywork on your car needs to be in good condition. Therefore, there are no rusting or rotten holes. The fuel system, emissions tests, and exhaust system. All need to be in good working order without any more CO2 than is required.

MOT Test Safer Roads-Your car could fly past the MOT test. MOT Test for Safer Roads

Seat belts and seats must not be rotted and be able to keep you secure. Your brakes must still have enough pads left in them before the next brake check, and your tyres need enough tread to make sure you have the minimum legal requirements. . Make sure your lights and indicators are in good working order, and your wipers must be in good condition to ensure they clear the windscreen when it is raining and the rubber blades are in good shape.

Your steering and suspension need to be within regulation standards to make sure you are able to control the movement of the vehicle with no loose, worn parts. Your registration, plates, and vehicle identification need to be in good order as well. So look after your car, and it should fly through the MOT Test Safer Roads.

MOT Test Fee: How low

7th August 2025/in mot testing, mot testing Halifax/by Eric Roberts

MOT Test Fee: How low

MOT Test Fee In recent times, the price of an MOT test fee has dropped.

So, enabling garages to try and attract the cash strapped motorists. All sorts of deals have been advertised. Incredibly, even “FREE”, testing. Which is allowed under the “DVLA MOT Rules” signs outside garages.

So, as the owner of an MOT test centre in Halifax. I am amazed at the number of garages giving away “cheap MOT tests” . Of course, the official mot test fee should be £54.85 (no vat). As stated on the www.gov.uk web-site.

This MOT test fee is only a suggested amount for garages to use; it is not required. So, based on the time and equipment that it should take to carry out the mot test, according to VOSA the government test agency here in the UK,.

Significantly, the Government totally regulate our testing stations.

Including visits by their inspectors ? Consequently, who also make sure that we have the correct equipment and that all our paperwork is in order. Naturally, we have regular updates for testing procedures .

Such as any mechanical updates or different specifications that may have to changed during a test. The ministry guys also check our testers. Making sure that they are carrying out the correct testing procedures.

We have to provide a suitable reception and viewing room for the customers and also use VOSA’s own computer system to register the test results and store all the other information about my garage and the cars that are entered into the system.

In other words, in my opinion, we are controlled by the government!

Ensuring that the testing procedure is carried out correctly and within the law. If we stray from the correct procedures, we are subject to all sorts of penalties. Which would ultimately result in the closure of your MOT station. I am not moaning about all this, to the contrary.

I think that the system is a very good one and is the envy of many countries. Of course, it is not perfect, but then again, nothing is in the world of garages.

The average hourly rate that we charge for mechanical work in the independent garage sector. It is said to be around the £40 per hour mark ! In my opinion, this is a very fair price to charge. The Government maintain that because we here in the UK use the private sector to test cars.

Then the MOT Test Fee is only a recommended fee and garages could charge what they want. So, the problem is that when they visit, they ask you what you charge in your garage. Subsequently, they don’t seam to like it if you discount the MOT Test fee (that’s the impression that I get). However, it appears that they are the ones who believe that the private sector should control pricing.

mot test prices have dropped “big style”

In recent times, the price of an MOT Test Fee has dropped. Enabling garages to attract cash-strapped motorists. All sorts of deals have been advertised. Even “FREE”, testing is allowed under the DVLA MOT Rules. Can be seen up and down the country. Obviously, this is a move to attract motorists into your garage ! I hope that you may get some mechanical work from a test failure! There is nothing wrong with that ! you may say.

The problem is that we have all made huge investments in these mobile test stations.

Meaning that the price we are getting is far lower than the investment in staff and machinery. I understand that we all have to take the good with the bad ! But I now feel that it is time that the Government step in.

They could do two things, in my opinion. They could have a minimum price paid for a test based on the average hourly rate, say perhaps £40, or make the £54.85 in to a mandatory MOT Test Fee to all motorists, and not just a recommendation.

It will be interesting for some feedback from other garage owners with mot test stations here in the UK. So, since this article first appeared. Computerization has made significant changes to the DVLA garage procedures. In fact testers have now to be examined t more regular intervals that previously. In my opinion this is a good thing !

Also, testing procedures are now adjusted more often.

Because of the regular changes to emission testing procedures emanating from the of requirements of the European Union strict emission laws. Of course to bring down the nations “carbon foot print” So, reducing the C02 emissions. Naturally, this has affected diesel cars the most.

We all know about the diesel car scandal ? Most car manufacturers were falsifying the C02 figures of their diesel models. Of course, this brought a clampdown from the regulators.

Significantly turning around the theory that the diesel cars were better for the climate than the petrol cars. Responding to this, the EU came out with much stricter emission rules. resulting in stricter MOT emission testing in the EU member countries.

However, I have recently learned that VW have been selling older diesel cars to countries like Albania at highly discounted prices ! So much for emission standards !

There are rules for some and rules for others ! Many diesel cars can now be treated to clean the internal workings of the engine. Significantly improving the cars chances of passing the MOT test.

We offer an engine carbon cleaning service for this purpose.

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Dodgy MOT fraud crackdown

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Dodgy MOT fraud crackdown