Harwoods Group extends Ombudsman accreditation

The Motor Ombudsman, the automotive dispute resolution provider, has announced that Harwoods Group, the long-established and family-owned retailer of luxury vehicles, has successfully extended its Motor Industry Codes of Practice accreditation to all of its South of England-based car franchise locations and Accident Repair Centres.

The agreement sees a further eight Harwoods dealerships commit to the comprehensive Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI)-approved codes for service and repair and vehicle sales.

Representing brands such as Aston Martin, Bentley and Jaguar across the counties of Sussex, Kent and Hampshire, they join the Harwoods Audi showrooms in Billingshurst, Portsmouth and Southampton, and Land Rover dealer in Basingstoke, which have been accredited to both codes since 2016.

In addition, the Harwoods Accident Repair Centres in Crawley and Southampton now adhere to the service and repair code as part of the latest phase of accreditation.

Bill Fennell, chief ombudsman and managing director of The Motor Ombudsman, said, ‘We are pleased to welcome Harwoods’ full portfolio of car showrooms and accident repair centres to our accredited business network. As the leading automotive retail group in the South, we are proud to have them on board. It reaffirms the value that the group places in being aligned to the requirements of our Codes of Practice, whilst equally enjoying unlimited access to our team of experts. We look forward to continuing to support businesses in the Harwoods Group and assisting them with their requirements.’

Archie Harwood, chief executive of Harwoods Group, added, ‘Expanding our accreditation to encompass every car retail location and accident repair centre within our group, gives our customers the important reassurance that we are committed to delivering the highest standards of work and service, a promise which lies at the heart of our brand. Furthermore, The Motor Ombudsman is an important source of information and guidance for our businesses, allowing them to continue to implement best practice across their organisation, and to ultimately give motorists the best possible experience at Harwoods.’