Complaining about the unsatisfactory servicing of a vehicle
Dear
[Reference: registration number of vehicle]
On [date] I asked you to service the above vehicle [make, model, engine capacity]. When I collected the vehicle from you on [date], I was told that you had carried out a “full service”, had diagnosed [particular faults: specify if necessary] and had put these right. The bill for this work was [£….]
On [date], [……] days after the service, the vehicle developed serious faults [describe in detail], rendering the vehicle unfit to drive.
The [motoring organisation\independent garage etc] whom I called out confirmed that in their opinion the fault [specify] which you had originally diagnosed and was supposed to have been put right, when my car was being serviced by you, was the direct cause of the vehicle breaking down.
Given that I use my car on a daily basis and I was many miles from your garage I had no option but to have the necessary work carried out on the vehicle costing [£….] to rectify. A copy of the receipt for that work is enclosed.
You were under a legal obligation to carry out the work on my [vehicle] with reasonable skill and care, using parts of satisfactory quality and fit for their purpose, as laid down by the Supply of Goods and Services Act 1982 as amended.
The above faults indicate that you failed to do so, and I am therefore legally entitled to receive compensation from you for breach of contract.
I look forward to receiving your cheque for [£…..], representing [expenses incurred], within the next 14 days.
Should you fail to reimburse me I shall have no alternative but to issue a claim against you in the county court for recovery of the money without further reference to you.
However in accordance with the Civil Procedure Pre-Action Protocol, I would be willing to refer my case to the Motor Industry Code of Practice for Service and Repair, as I understand that they have a free conciliation and low cost independent arbitration scheme, and it would be a way of successfully resolving my dispute without resorting to legal action.
Please confirm whether you are a member of the Motor Industry Code of Practice for Service and Repair
Yours sincerely,