Local MP, Gordon Prentice, today welcomed a new initiative aimed at targeting vehicle servicing and repair garages that carry out unnecessary or shoddy work and often overcharge their customers into the bargain.

A presentation at Westminster earlier today to the All Party Motor Group by Consumer Focus (the new statutory organisation created through the merger of three consumer organisations – Energywatch, the National Consumer Council and Postwatch) highlighted the scale of consumer dissatisfaction with the vehicle servicing sector.

Speaking following the meeting, the Pendle MP said: "The motor industry is to be congratulated for introducing a new code of practice which will re-assure people they are not getting ripped off. But, so far, there are only 5,000 service centres and garages are signed up out of anywhere between 30,000 and 40,000 garages nationwide."

"Participating garages will carry literature about the Code of Practice and should advertise to customers they are signed up to it. Over time we shall see more and more garages join the scheme. If they don’t they will lose business."

The scheme allows garages to self certify for a modest £75 annual fee. If someone has a bad experience they can complain to the Motor Industry Code Advisory and Conciliation Service on 0800 692 0825. They can visit the dedicated website: www.motorindustrycodes.co.uk

The MP added: "There are 19,500 MOT testing garages and I want to see them all signed up to the Code. I am in touch with Ministers about this."