Increase in Rogue MOT Testers

Apparently, Sunday is the best day of the week to have your vehicle MOT with a reported pass rate of 82.5%, compared to Monday being the worst day with a pass rate of just 74.5%.

Regardless of the chosen day of the week, we all need to be more cautious as the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) who form part of the UK motor trade industry; revealed there has been an increase in the number of unprofessional MOT testers in the UK according to data released from a recent ‘Freedom of Interest request’.

Data showed nearly 700 MOT testers working in the motor trade were disqualified between April 2020 and March 2022, while the total number of technicians disqualified jumped by almost 50% compared to the previous two years dating back to 2018, a very worrying statistic for all motorists of used vehicles requiring an MOT each year.

The data does not include the number of auto technicians and MOT testers who were issued with warnings by governing bodies for their conduct and professionalism during the same period.

Tester disqualifications have continued to rise over recent years and the DVSA banned over three times the number of MOT testers in 2020/21 compared to back in 2015/16, disqualification usually only occurs if improper or careless practices are carried out during a vehicle MOT procedure, or if found to be issuing fraudulent test certificates to motorists.

These recent findings highlight the need for vehicle owners to be vigilant, only use trusted mechanics, garages, testers, and auto-technicians when booking in for an MOT, or any other type of work required on your vehicle.

Well known trusted industry providers, including all private and motor trade insurance brokers will advise you to check all credentials and accreditations of a chosen professional before agreeing to any work being carried out to ensure you are safe and legal on the roads.

This controversial news follows on from the Government announcing motor industry changes in Parliament earlier in the year, new proposals could mean drivers saving over £55 a year if the annual MOT is set to be scrapped and replaced with a bi-annual test, however, at the time of writing this article this new rule is still to be confirmed.

Just as well, as a high percentage of motorists believe changing the annual MOT could be dangerous and a bad idea.

Latest MOT testing data reports motorists are travelling far fewer miles than they were before Covid-19, the tests revealed that the average annual mileage drivers notched up was an average of 5,398 miles, almost 25% lower than the number of miles driven during 2019. MOT pass rates throughout the UK have also fallen by 0.7% compared to 2020.

If you’re currently in the market for a new or used vehicle then you may be interested to know before shaking hands with your local car sales dealer, the top performing motoring brands for MOT passes included Honda, Toyota, and Suzuki, unfortunately, Citroen, Peugeot, and Vauxhall didn’t perform as well!