Garages seek compensation for MOT IT problems

Garages could receive compensation from the government for lost business as a result of problems with the MOT computer system.

Technical problems with the system last month left some garages almost unable to work, and now the government has contacted thousands of them to tell them to write in if they have suffered a financial loss.

The rollout of the system across all 18,500 UK authorised testing stations, was completed at the end of March this year, and is designed to combat the sale of fraudulent MOT certificates.

In response to a written parliamentary question about compensation for garage owners, transport minister Stephen Ladyman said there are two back-up "provisions" available to all garages in the MOT scheme, "designed to enable continuity of service to motorists in the event of technical difficulties to the MOT computer system".

But he added: "In addition to these, all of the 18,300 garages currently in the MOT scheme have been contacted and advised to write to the MOT service management team if they believe they have suffered financial loss as a result of disruptions to the MOT service."

Ladyman said each claim will be considered on its respective merits.