It's worth knowing before taking out a policy with Warranty Direct (WD) that you CANNOT use the garage of your choice even if you paid for that service. The garage you choose must be VAT registered. I've just had a problem with my car, the local garage that I have used for the last 5 years came and helped me out and got the car to his garage. He identified the situation as needing a new alternator so I told him to order one and that I would get in touch with my warranty company. The alternator will arrive tomorrow to be fixed on Thursday. When I got home I telephoned Warranty Direct and informed them of the situation and the guy mentioned VAT registration. I said the garage isn't VAT registered and it seems that therefore I can't use him. I said that when I took out the policy I was quite pleased that I could use my own garage, I trust the mechanic. I asked the WD guy if he read all the small print of everything he signed up to, to which he replied, 'It's not in the small print, it's in the How to Make a Claim section'. I asked why would I read that before making a claim but evidently everyone else does. Anyway, even if I'd read that before purchasing the policy I wouldn't have known at the time that the guy I trust wasn't VAT registered, this only came about when I retired and we were talking about how difficult it is growing a business.

It seems that if a garage isn't VAT registered then they might be using someone's drive to repair cars on, indeed I might be repairing the car myself. This attitude stinks because it means the small guy misses out again, Kwikfit is ok, small guy is a cheat.

So I paid over £600 for my policy and now, having made a commitment to my usual garage and I don't like going back on my word (the difference between personal responsibility and a company's attitude is immense) I must pay £300 myself to have my car repaired.

I know WD will say what I should have done, but just to make others aware...