24 March, 2008

Kwik-Fit

Kwik-Fit (GB) Limited
216 East Main Street
Broxburn
West Lothian
EH52 5AS

Dear Sir,

I took my car (**** ***) to your Stockport (154-179 Heaton Lane) branch on 9th August for an MOT test. The failure certificate (************) stated a number of faults. As your garage was not able to rectify them all, I took my car to Electro Mechanical Services (EMS) for repairs. After completing the repairs, EMS completed a full MOT test, which failed on a number of accounts, including brake hoses which were so deteriorated as to be on the brink of failure. The faulty parts are in my possession, should you wish to dispute the extent of the deterioration.

The break hoses are a mandatory part of the MOT test; it is difficult to understand how your mechanic missed such a failure. This could have led to a severe accident, had the test not been repeated by EMS. I therefore wrote to your Stockport branch on 19 August requesting a refund of the botched test, and some compensation for the considerable inconvenience thereby caused.

The Stockport branch manager phoned me to deny any obligation or professional responsibility, and advised that my only recourse was to contact VOSA. I therefore took the issue up with VOSA. They attempted to investigate, initially desiring to interview the mechanic who performed the test. This was complicated by the fact that the mechanic was no longer employed at that particular location. After a considerable length of time, during which nothing of substance was achieved, VOSA advised me to complain to the Trading Standards Officer.

I wrote to the Stockport Trading Standards Service on 6 January. It seems that this issue should have been dealt with by my local office, and as a consequence there was some delay in obtaining a response. Trading Standards have now advised me to write to Kwik-Fit's head office before proceeding to court.

Hence, I am now writing to you. Your Stockport branch were clearly negligent and unprofessional in carrying out the service for which I paid them. I am certainly owed a full refund for the test that was not carried out to any acceptable standard. It would also be reasonable to provide some form of compensation for the extended period of time during which I was without a usable vehicle, and the significant danger to both myself and other road users had I simply gone along with their repairs and retest.

I look forward to a prompt resolution.

Yours Sincerely,



Kwik-Fit's response was indeed quick. I was phoned by the Operations Manager (Andy Bennett), who helpfully informed me that

1) Kwik-Fit do not deal with customer complaints. Go cry to VOSA.
2) They will not put their position in writing. So what if I've sent in two letters of complaint, that doesn't mean they have to document their shoddy service and screw-the-customer policy.