Thread: Garage mended car without authority

Originally Posted by smiffy66

I rang my garage and explained that the MOT was due on our car, but I wasn't sure whether it was worthwhile getting work the done on it.
The engineer said that if I took the car, he would have a look at it and let me know.

I rang the garage later in the day and they told me the car was ready to collect. I asked them how much the work had cost and they told me £308.00.

This shocked me, the car is a K registered Volkwagon Polo which was given to us by my brother. I have used this garage for about 5 years and they have always been good with us.

I asked to speak to the garage owner and explained that I wasn't happy that they had done the work, as the car in my opinion was probably worth £300.00. To add to my disappointment the owner said I would need a new clutch fitting to the car some time soon, but he said he hadn't discovered this until they had done the repairs and were driving the car to the testing station.

The garage still has the car, we haven't paid for the repairs as to be frank I am still fuming.

The garage owner's explanation for repairing the car was that it was a good car (didn't need any welding). If we had decided to scrap the car and buy a new one, how did we know it was going to be as good as the one we have?

Surely that's my choice.

Does anyone please have any advice? We are without a car, we have had this work done, which we didn't ask for and I made it clear that we wanted the garage just to have a look at the car.

Your advice/comments are very welcome.

Thanks.

If you didn't authorise any work at all just a look at then they can't charge you.

Ask for your vehicle to be released if they refuse advise garage you are calling police. Call police tell them you didn't authorise any work only an inspection for a quote for you to consider. They will tell garage to release car & pursue matter civilly.

However if you did authorise work garage would probably have a right to hold vehicle as a lien on debt unless on previous times they had allowed you to part pay and take vehicle