Garage repair failed again, warranty covers parts only: who helps?

Summary

When a garage repair fails again within weeks and the garage says its warranty covers the part only, remember that the warranty sits on top of your legal rights, not instead of them. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, a repair must be done with reasonable care and skill. If it was not, you can ask the garage to redo the work free, labour included, within a reasonable time, or ask for a price reduction. If the part itself was faulty, rules on goods apply as well. Start with a written complaint, back it with an independent report, then use the Motor Ombudsman (if the garage is accredited), Citizens Advice and your card provider.

Key information

• Safety first: if brakes are failing, do not drive. Arrange recovery and keep the receipt.
• The key question is why it failed again: poor fitting (a workmanship issue) or a faulty part. Both point back to the garage that did the job.
• A garage cannot use its warranty terms to remove your right to work done with reasonable care and skill.
• Get a written diagnosis from another garage or an independent inspection before more work is done, unless it is unsafe to wait. Ask for old parts back.
• Rights for services: free repeat performance first, then a price reduction if that is impossible or takes too long.
• Paid over £100 on a credit card: Section 75 may let you claim from the card company too.
• The garage can: inspect the car and decide if the fault is linked to their work; redo the repair or offer a partial refund. They will not always accept fault. Ask them to put any refusal and its reasons in writing.
• The Motor Ombudsman can: handle complaints about garages accredited to its service and repair code, for free; review evidence from both sides and make a decision the garage must follow if you accept it. They will not deal with garages that are not accredited, or look at it before you have complained to the garage. Check accreditation on the Motor Ombudsman site.
• Citizens Advice can: explain your repair rights using problems with a car repair; help you word a complaint and pass serious cases to Trading Standards. They will not inspect the car, negotiate with the garage, or bring a court claim.

Practical guidance

• Stop driving if it is unsafe. Keep all invoices, job cards and messages.
• Get an independent written report on what failed and why.
• Write to the garage: the repair failed again, the Consumer Rights Act 2015 requires reasonable care and skill, and you ask for a free repeat repair including labour within 14 days.
• If refused, check whether the garage is accredited and complain to the Motor Ombudsman.
• If you paid by card, ask your card provider about Section 75 or chargeback.
• Call the Citizens Advice consumer helpline for wording and Trading Standards referral.
• Last resort: a money claim online for the cost of putting it right.
• Ask the Shaman to set the order for your case.

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