Rise in rogue MOT testers – check credentials of your local garage before taking car in

Drivers must check garage certifications before having their cars assessed after a large increase in the number of MOT testers disqualified over the past two years.

There has been a 49 percent increase in rogue testers following a growing number of inappropriate or careless practices during the testing process and the issuance of fraudulent certificates, data obtained from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency shows.

Approximately 687 APK testers were disqualified in the fiscal years 2020 to 2022, compared to 460 in the previous two years, 2018 to 2020.

The number of unreliable APK testers being scrapped has been increasing in recent years, warns BookMyGarage.com – which issued a Freedom of Information request.

In fact, the number of registered disqualifications in 2020/21 is three and a half times higher than in fiscal year 2015/16, representing 252 additional cases, according to DVSA records.

In addition to the 687 denials issued by the DVSA in the past two financial years as a result of an investigation, more than a thousand warnings were also issued to APK inspectors in the same period.

BookMyGarage says the numbers show how important it is for motorists to do their homework and find trusted and reputable garages to conduct the annual technical assessment of their vehicles, both from a safety and legal point of view.

“We applaud the disqualification of rogue APK testers, as it gives peace of mind that vehicles on the road are properly inspected.

“Ultimately, this will improve safety for all road users,” says Karen Rotberg, co-founder of BookMyGarage.

‘The increase in the number of denials from the DVSA shows the importance of your research when booking an MOT and finding a reliable garage.’

The latest available MOT test data shows that UK motorists drive far less than even before the pandemic, which is closely linked to an increase in hybrid works and rising fuel prices over the past two years.

The average annual mileage recorded in APK tests shows that drivers covered 5,398 miles in 2021, which is 24 percent lower than the pre-pandemic level of 2019.

“It’s official, we’re now a country of low-mileage drivers,” said James Blackham, chief executive of short-term insurance company By Miles, which analyzed the latest MOT data.

More than a thousand warnings have been issued to APK testers in the past two years, in addition to nearly 700 disqualifications, DVSA data shows.

He said average annual mileage could continue to decline as motorists reduce their journey times during the cost of living crisis.

“Many of us may have expected the annual average mileage in the UK to bounce back from the lows of the 2020 data, but our analysis shows the opposite.

“Even with more freedom in 2021, the average driver now travels the equivalent of a return trip from Land’s End to John O’Groats (1,700 miles) less than in pre-pandemic times.

“Despite the drop in mileage, most drivers just don’t know how far they’ve driven – 65 percent of By Miles members overestimate their mileage every year, despite only charging for what they use.

‘In addition, we know that half of the motorists are driving less since the beginning of this year as a result of the cost of living.’

Overall MOT pass rates also fell to 75.6 percent last year, from 76.2 percent in 2020.

Sunday (82.5 percent) remains the best day of the week to pass a test, with Monday (74.5 percent) the worst.

The only day of the year to record the highest MOT hit rate in 2021 was Boxing Day, at 93.3 percent – ​​although probably very few engines were reviewed that day.

The worst day for APK passes was February 1, with a success rate of only 72 percent.

Japanese car brands are most likely to succeed first time, with Lexus leading the way with a 94.7 percent success rate, ahead of Honda (94.1 percent), Toyota (92.4 percent) and Suzuki (92.3 percent) .

Porsche also appeared in the top five manufacturers for MOTs, with 94 percent sailing through the rating on the first question.

French brands dominated the other end of the spectrum, with Citroën. DS. Renault and Peugeot are among the five brands with the lowest MOT pass rates, with Vauxhall (which now happens to be French-owned) also among the five worst performers.

While Japanese brands are most likely to pass an MOT the first time, French motorcycles are most likely to fail. Renaults (a Clio in the photo) had an MOT pass rate of 86.7% in 2021