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Problem with garage repair - what are my rights?
Four months ago I couldn’t open the boot on my 2013 Mazda 5. My local garage stripped the inside of the boot and replaced the catch. They did a few other jobs and charged my £350 in total
Since I washed my car with the garden hose the other day the boot won’t open. It looks like the same fault as before, what are my rights?
Since I washed my car with the garden hose the other day the boot won’t open. It looks like the same fault as before, what are my rights?
Asked on 29 March 2022 by garcon6
Answered by
Dan Powell
Speak to the garage that did the work originally and see if they are forthcoming with an offer to inspect the car and fix the boot catch for free. Most businesses will, at the very least, offer to look at the car and identify what's gone wrong. If it's a problem with the part or repair then the garage should fix at no cost.
If they refuse, say you want the car inspected by an independent garage. It's important that the garage that did the work agrees with a third-party business to look at the boot and provide a written report on what's failed. The garage may agree to cover the repair cost if the failure is due to a problem with the work they carried out in December.
If that doesn't provide a satisfactory result, ask the garage if they are a member of a trade organisation or alternative dispute resolution scheme. Either of these will assist in solving a disagreement between a customer and a garage over a disputed repair.
The small claims court should be your final option, but I'd be surprised if the garage would force you down this road over a £350 job.
If they refuse, say you want the car inspected by an independent garage. It's important that the garage that did the work agrees with a third-party business to look at the boot and provide a written report on what's failed. The garage may agree to cover the repair cost if the failure is due to a problem with the work they carried out in December.
If that doesn't provide a satisfactory result, ask the garage if they are a member of a trade organisation or alternative dispute resolution scheme. Either of these will assist in solving a disagreement between a customer and a garage over a disputed repair.
The small claims court should be your final option, but I'd be surprised if the garage would force you down this road over a £350 job.
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