Terms & Conditions

1. About These Terms

These Terms and Conditions ("Terms") govern the provision of vehicle testing and related services by Cobridge Car Testing Centre Limited, a company whose registered office is at Elder Road, Cobridge, Stoke-on-Trent ("we", "us", "our", the "Centre"), to any person who books, brings a vehicle for, or otherwise makes use of our services ("you", "your", the "Customer").

By booking an appointment, bringing your vehicle to our premises, or otherwise instructing us to carry out any service, you agree to be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree to these Terms, please do not use our services.

Where we carry out a statutory MOT test, that test is conducted in accordance with the requirements of the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency ("DVSA") and the relevant MOT testing legislation in force from time to time. Nothing in these Terms overrides or limits any statutory right, obligation, or protection arising under that legislation.

2. Definitions

• "MOT Test" means the statutory annual test of vehicle roadworthiness carried out under DVSA authorisation.
• "Services" means the MOT testing, diagnostic testing, pre-test checks, retests, and any other services offered by the Centre from time to time.
• "Vehicle" means the motor vehicle presented by the Customer for testing or related Services.
• "Appointment" means a booked time slot for the Vehicle to be presented for Services.
• "Test Certificate" means the VT20 (pass) or VT30 (refusal) document, or electronic equivalent, issued following an MOT Test.

3. Our Services

We provide MOT testing for classes of vehicle for which we hold current DVSA authorisation, together with associated services which may include pre-MOT health checks, diagnostic assessments, and retests. The specific Services available, and the classes of vehicle we are authorised to test, are as advised at the time of booking and may change from time to time in line with our DVSA authorisation.

We are an approved MOT testing station. All MOT Tests are carried out independently and objectively in accordance with DVSA inspection manuals and testing standards. We do not guarantee that any Vehicle will pass a test, and the outcome of any test is determined solely by the condition of the Vehicle against the applicable statutory standards.

4. Bookings and Appointments

Appointments may be made in person, by telephone, or online (where available). We will confirm the date, time, and estimated duration of the Appointment at the time of booking.

Please arrive on time for your Appointment. If you arrive significantly late, we may not be able to carry out the test within the original slot and may need to reschedule, subject to availability.

You must ensure the Vehicle is presented in a reasonably clean condition (including the engine bay, underside where accessible, and interior) to allow the test to be carried out safely and efficiently. We reserve the right to decline to test, or to charge a valeting/cleaning surcharge for, a Vehicle presented in an unreasonably dirty or unsafe condition.

5. Cancellations and Rescheduling

You may cancel or rearrange an Appointment free of charge by giving us at least 24 hours' notice. Cancellations or no-shows with less than 24 hours' notice may incur a reasonable administration charge, details of which will be provided at the time of booking.

We reserve the right to cancel or rearrange an Appointment where necessary, for example due to equipment breakdown, staff illness, or matters outside our control, and we will endeavour to give you as much notice as possible and to offer the next available alternative slot.

6. Fees and Payment

Our current fees, including the statutory maximum fee for MOT Tests set by the DVSA, are displayed at our premises and available on request. We will not charge more than the statutory maximum fee for an MOT Test.

Fees for additional Services (such as diagnostics, pre-test checks, or repairs carried out by a linked or third-party garage) will be advised before work is undertaken wherever practicable.

Payment is due in full at the time the Services are completed, unless otherwise agreed with us in writing in advance. We accept the payment methods displayed at our premises.

7. Test Outcomes and Retests

Following an MOT Test we will provide you with the relevant Test Certificate (VT20 or VT30) or, where applicable, the electronic MOT record. Where a Vehicle fails its MOT Test, we will identify the reasons for refusal in accordance with DVSA requirements.

Where permitted under DVSA rules, a free or reduced-fee partial retest may be available if the Vehicle is returned within the applicable retest period and the only faults are those originally identified and left with us, or as otherwise set out in DVSA guidance current at the time. Full retest fees apply outside those circumstances.

We are not able to alter, waive, or influence the outcome of a test. Any dispute about a test result should be raised with us in the first instance; you also have the right to request an appeal ("Notification of Refusal" review) directly through the DVSA appeals process.

8. Repairs and Advisory Work

Any advisories noted on a Test Certificate are provided for your information and do not necessarily mean the Vehicle has failed the test. We may offer to carry out repair or remedial work, or refer you to a suitable third party, but you are under no obligation to have such work carried out by us.

Where you instruct us (or an associated garage) to carry out repair work, separate terms relating to parts, labour, and warranty on that work will apply and will be confirmed to you before work begins.

9. Your Responsibilities

• You confirm that you are the owner of the Vehicle or have the owner's authority to present it for testing and to authorise any associated work.
• You confirm the Vehicle is insured, taxed as required, and safe to be driven onto and manoeuvred around our premises.
• You are responsible for removing valuables and personal belongings from the Vehicle before it is left with us; we accept no responsibility for personal property left in the Vehicle.
• You must inform us of any known faults, unusual behaviour, or safety issues with the Vehicle before testing begins.

10. Liability

We will carry out all Services with reasonable skill and care, in accordance with applicable DVSA and industry standards. Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits our liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence, for fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation, or for any other liability which cannot lawfully be excluded or limited.

Subject to the above, we do not accept liability for indirect or consequential losses, or for loss of use, arising from our Services. Our total liability to you in connection with any Appointment or Service shall not exceed the total fees paid by you for that Appointment or Service, except where a higher limit is required by law.

We accept liability for physical damage to your Vehicle that is caused directly by our negligence while the Vehicle is in our care, custody, or control. We are not liable for pre-existing faults, wear and tear, or damage that becomes apparent as a result of, but was not caused by, the testing process (for example, the discovery of corrosion during an under-vehicle inspection).

11. Vehicles Left With Us

Where a Vehicle is left at our premises before or after an Appointment, we will take reasonable care of it, but the Vehicle remains at your risk. We recommend you do not leave a Vehicle with us for longer than necessary and that you collect it promptly once Services are complete.

If a Vehicle is not collected within a reasonable period after being notified as ready, we reserve the right to charge a reasonable storage fee and, ultimately, to deal with an uncollected Vehicle in accordance with applicable law.

12. Data Protection

We will process your personal data (including MOT and vehicle test data submitted to the DVSA's central database) in accordance with our Privacy Notice and applicable data protection law, including the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018. Test results are, where legally required, submitted to the DVSA's central MOT database. A copy of our Privacy Notice is available on request or at our premises.

13. Complaints

If you are unhappy with any aspect of our Services, please raise this with us in the first instance, either in person, by telephone, or in writing to the address at the top of these Terms, so that we can try to resolve the matter promptly.

If a complaint specifically concerns the conduct of an MOT Test and cannot be resolved with us directly, you are entitled to raise it with the DVSA.

14. Force Majeure

We shall not be liable for any failure or delay in performing our obligations where such failure or delay results from circumstances beyond our reasonable control, including but not limited to equipment failure, power outage, adverse weather, or DVSA system outages.

15. General

If any provision of these Terms is found to be invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions will continue in full force and effect.

We may update these Terms from time to time. The version displayed at our premises or on our website (where applicable) at the time of your Appointment will apply.

These Terms do not affect your statutory rights.

16. Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of England and Wales, and the courts of England and Wales shall have exclusive jurisdiction over any dispute arising out of or in connection with these Terms or our Services.

17. Contact Us