On Wednesday of last week, I had some work carried out on our Xantia following an MOT test failure the previous week. The garage that carried out the work also got the car re-tested for me, at a test centre local to them.
When I went to collect the car the following day, the test certificate still hadn't been issued, owing to problems with the new computerised system. I was told that an emergency certificate was available but had not been collected from the test centre. I was told it would be posted on to me.
I hadn't received it by today, so I phoned the garage proprietor to ask why. He was quite candid and said he had forgot to do it and would see I would get it today or tomorrow. It was pushed through our letter box this evening (no knock at the door or anything to let us know it had been delivered).
The test and issue date is today, which is obviously nonsense. I assume it means there is some questionable practice here?
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The test and issue date is today, which is obviously nonsense. I assume it means there is some questionable practice here?
No, I suspect that someone is overworked and simply hasn't followed procedure.
Does todays date mean that your car was effectively out of test for a period of time?
I would simply raise it with the tester. I had a problem recently where the MOT expiry was not backdated to tie in with the previous MOT. After some "manovering" from my local garage to try to avoid doing it (thinking it would hurt the testing station), I phoned the DVLA who said they could issue a new MOT cert on production of the old and the V5 at no charge.
I fed this back to my garage and gave them the option to do this for me and the chap plus tester willingly obliged.
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The car was out of test for a period of time, anyway, between the first test and the second. However, the test certificate issued today means that I have been driving the car since last Thursday without a valid test certificate. What would have happened, I wonder, if I had been involved in an accident?
The information on the certificate about the test date is blatantly untrue. If there was a problem with the computer system on the day, why can't it just be back dated?
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If there was a problem with the computer system on the day, why can't it just be back dated?
Good question, phone DVLA up and speak to them. They'll give you the info from the horse's mouth.
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Its VOSA Hugo not DVLA for Test certifate matters.
Now then, the vehicle was submitted for and eventaully passed its test on 26th April 2006. That is the date I submit should have been entered in the issue date box on the TC. Meaning that it conformed to certain tested items at that date.
But, lo and behold on the current Certificate of the owner is the issue date 4th May 2006. It did not undergo a test on this date.
Fast forward now to Section 175 Road Traffic Act 1988:
If a person issues a test certificate and the document so issued is to his knowledge false in a material particular he is guilty of an offence. Max fine £2,500.
Wonder what went in the Tester's Register?
dvd
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I stand corrected DVD ;)
Thanks for that - invaluable as ever!
H
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I dont understand the fuss. Your car was tested and passed but due to vosa computer problems they couldnt issue a cert. When you reminded them the guy sorted out a certificate and hand delivered it to your door. I would guess that the date was the date he did it because it was easiest/quickest way to sort out a new certificate. OK so not strictly to the rules, and perhaps vosa would have a word with him if you raise it. But all I see is a helpful mechanic testing your car and getting you a certificate despite the probs of the terrible it system. As a side effect you gain a couple of days extra on your mot. If there had been an accident or a doc check the garage would presumably explain or issue a cert with the correct date.
It isnt as if they have issued a cert without seeing and testing the car or anything. Its just a couple of days out on the issue date.
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mark99,
I agree with you 100%. Your is the post that I was going to write myself today but you've managed to beat me to it.
The computerised MOT test is such a shambles that I'm quite sure much worse things than have been described here are going to happen from the effects of testers sheer frustration at the faulty system.
The VOSA have only themselves to blame.
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Just out of curiosity does it matter if, once a new MOT certificate has been obtained, the previous certificate became invalid for a while? Provided you weren't stopped by the police during the period of invalidity of the previous certificate, or you weren't involved in an accident, does the period of invalidity matter? Just curious.
--
L\'escargot.
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I expect it would have mattered if I had been involved in an accident, or committed a traffic offence in the interim period, before the new certificate was issued.
The test centre's version of events is as follows. They issued an emergency certificate on the (true) day of the test and then a pukka certificate, which the garage proprietor mislaid. The test centre tried to issue a duplicate certificate yesterday but the details were not recognised on the VOSA system, so he could only issue a new certificate using yesterday's date.
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I dont understand the fuss. Your car was tested and passed but due to vosa computer problems they couldnt issue a cert. When you reminded them the guy sorted out a certificate and hand delivered it to your door. I would guess that the date was the date he did it because it was easiest/quickest way to sort out a new certificate.
See my earlier post below. The garage proprietor did me no favours in delivering the certificate, as he had mislaid the original and had forgot all about it before I rang him yesterday. I don't think the tester was best pleased from what he said when I spoke to him.
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