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If you think a garage bill is unreasonable or you're not happy with the quality of the work, you can dispute the bill. You’ll have to tell the garage why you think the bill is too high and what you're prepared to pay.
This page explains how to dispute a garage bill.
Top Tips
If the garage has given you an unrealistic estimate, this is called taking part in unfair commercial practice. Carrying out work that you didn't ask for or which is unnecessary could also be an example of unfair commercial practice.
If you think the garage may have carried out an unfair commercial practice, contact the Citizens Advice consumer helpline.
Talk to the garage first
Before you dispute a garage bill, try to negotiate the price with the garage informally first.
Paying 'under protest'
If you formally dispute the bill, the garage has the right to keep your vehicle until the bill has been paid. This is called having a lien over the car. If you need your vehicle urgently, you should only agree to pay 'under protest'. If you don’t do this, it will be difficult to get the money back later on, as the garage could argue that by paying the bill, you were accepting the charges.
Write the words 'paying under protest' clearly on the repair order sheet, so there's no doubt about your intention.
How to dispute the bill
Before you dispute the bill, check whether your garage is a member of a trade association with a complaints procedure. If it is, you may find it quickest and easiest to follow the trade association’s procedure.
If the garage is not a member of a trade association, you will need to:
- gather together any supporting information, such as a quotation for repairs from the garage
- contact the garage to say why you think the bill is too high. You may wish to do this in writing and enclose copies of your supporting information
- make it clear that you intend to take the claim to the county court (sheriff court in Scotland)
If you do go to court, depending on what your disagreement is, you’ll have to prove that:
- you didn’t ask for the work to be done, or
- you didn’t agree to the price charged, or
- the price wasn’t reasonable, or
- the work was of poor quality.
Going to court can be very costly and time-consuming, and you are not guaranteed to succeed. Always take independent advice before you decide on this course of action. However, the threat of court action may encourage the garage to take your complaint more seriously.
If you can't afford to pay under protest or go to court
If you can’t afford to pay the bill under protest or the costs of going to court would be more than the amount of money you’re disputing, talk to the garage to try and come to an agreement about what you should pay.
The garage is not allowed to sell or get rid of the vehicle while you’re disputing the bill, so they may be prepared to negotiate with you to get the vehicle off their hands.
Some garages charge a storage fee for vehicles that are not collected as soon as repairs are carried out. If the fee is written into the terms of the contract, they may still be able to charge you for this service, even if it turns out they have charged you too much for the work.
The best option may be to offer to pay what you consider a reasonable amount, ask to take your vehicle and then dispute the rest of the bill separately.
Next steps
- Find out if your garage is a member of a trade association that offers a conciliation or arbitration service
- If talking to the garage doesn’t solve the problem and you want to take your complaint further
- If you need more help
More information
source:- https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/cars-and-other-vehicles/garage-repairs-and-services/disputing-a-bill-for-garage-repairs/
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