Watchdog threat to poor garages

Most garages have not signed up to the code of practice

The car repair industry has been warned that unless it provides a more reliable service to consumers, it faces the prospect of tough new regulation.

Only 15 per cent of the UK's estimated 35,000 garages have signed up to a voluntary code brought in last year.

The watchdog Consumer Focus is now warning that unless a greater number agree to abide by the code, it will push for industry-wide laws.

But many garages which have not signed up insist they provide a good service.

'Last chance saloon'

UK motorists have little or no protection when it comes to the quality of repair work. The Office of Fair trading estimates that around £11 million a day is spent on botched or non-existent work, and complaints are rising.

Steve Brooker from Consumer Focus says it is time things improved: "This is the last chance saloon for the motor sector.

"It has let down motorists for far too long. If it doesn't sign up to this code, then we would ask the government to regulate and introduce a system of licensing.

"We will hopefully see the independents sign up to the code over the next few months but if they fail to do so we are clear - it's the last chance for them to get their house in order, and if they don't sign up, then without hesitation we will use our legal powers."

Rivalry between competing motoring associations has been blamed by some in the industry for the failure of previous schemes - nearly a dozen in the past 30 years.

Most of our work is word of mouth. It's not stopping anyone coming through our doors and until it does there is no point in joining the scheme Gary Flavell, Garage owner

However, Chris Mason from Motor Codes Ltd, the body which is behind the latest code of practice, insists it will succeed.

He said: "It will work because it has the support broadly of the industry, of government, of the regulators, and of the consumers lobbies - that's trading standards and Consumer Focus.

Chris Mason, Motor Codes Ltd: "This scheme is the scheme that is going to take the industry forward"

"Increasingly the subscribers are coming on board because they are seeing it is the right thing to do. People want to be able to be acknowledged as responsible business operators, improving their offer to customers."

'Word of mouth'

But many of the thousands of small independent garages which so far have not signed up to the code of practice say it does not stop them offering a good, fair and reputable service.

Gary Flavell, who runs JF Motors in London, defended his decision not to sign up, saying: "Most of our work is word of mouth. It's not stopping anyone coming through our doors and until it does there is no point in joining the scheme."

A spokesman for the Department of Business and Enterprise said more time was needed for garages to sign up to the voluntary code: "We want to give this code a fair opportunity to succeed and for membership to become the norm across the industry.

"The code has made a promising start and is currently progressing through the Office of Fair Trading Consumer Codes Approval Scheme.

"The most important thing is that we drive up standards and change behaviour to expose cowboy operators.

"A recognised industry code which is properly policed and helps consumers to choose reputable operators can be very effective in achieving this.

"If the code does not have the desired effect, further regulation remains an option."