Motor Ombudsman launched

A new Motor Ombudsman has been launched to provide consumers with peace of mind and to help resolve garage disputes.

The Motor Ombudsman – the first ombudsman specifically for the automotive sector – is built on a track record of successfully resolving more than 99% of disputes for nearly a decade under the Motor Codes name. It is responsible for providing an impartial service between consumers and its 7,500 accredited businesses to resolve motoring-related disagreements outside of the courtroom.

Bill Fennell, chief ombudsman and managing director of The Motor Ombudsman, said, ‘Our ultimate aim is to give consumers peace of mind, ease relations between garages and motorists and find the fairest solution for both parties should a dispute arise. All our accredited garages comply with our comprehensive Trading Standards-approved Codes of Practice and our service is completely free for the public.’

At its launch, the new organisation warned that nearly half of the nation’s drivers (43%) put their safety at risk along with the safety of other road users by avoiding taking their car to a garage despite suspecting a fault.

New research of 1,000 UK drivers has found that the major barriers to seeking professional garage advice are ‘not being able to explain what’s wrong with their car’ (35%) and ‘feeling intimidated by the garage’ (32%). Also, 38% of motorists have skipped having their car serviced, with the biggest concern a fear of overcharging (36%). Furthermore, 57% of drivers who have experienced an unresolved dispute with their garage did not know where to turn to for help resolving the issue.

 

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