[DarrenC]

Hi,

I have a free MOT voucher when I took out my breakdown cover. I booked my car in to a RAC approved garage through the link on the Free MOT Voucher.

This morning I dropped the car off and presented the voucher and they advised that I would need to pay and then claim it back from the RAC? This does not align with the voucher T&C.

I am picking it up later but does this sound right or are they trying to avoid taking a voucher?

[DarrenC]

We spoke to the garage and they advised that while they are a RAC approved garage and it was booked through the correct link, they have not signed up to the Free Mot scheme and have been telling RAC repeatedly to remove them from the MOT booking option.

So we ended up having to pay in full which is hugely dissapointing and frustrating. Especially as we could have got the MOT test cheaper at a non RAC approved garage.

We have tried to call RAC several times today but finding who to talk with has proven impossible.

I am going to raise a formal complaint and as our breakdown cover expires in 2 months I likely will shop around for breakdown cover.

[Lily]

Hi @DarrenC, welcome to the RAC Forum.

I’m really sorry to hear you had a poor experience with the MOT voucher. I can imagine how frustrating that must have been, especially if you’d planned your budget around it.

I hope my colleagues in the Customer Services team are able to look into this for you and come back with a satisfactory outcome. Thank you for taking the time to flag it as well, it’s genuinely valuable feedback.

Let me know if I can support you in any way. Have a great day!

[olduser]

Interesting situation, as I see it the RAC should refund the customer to the value of the voucher.

We are told the RAC gave out a voucher for part of the cost of an MOT if carried out at specified garages (the list of garages).
This implies the RAC has an arrangement (contract) with these garages.
The garage gets the status of being linked to or approved by the RAC in exchange for the discount or part.
The RAC gets the marketing benefits of arranging a discount on an MOT for that customer.

A garage on the list then refuses a customer the discount.

There is an implied contract between garages and the RAC.

The voucher is a binding offer between customer and RAC (mainly due to the limited list of garages)

If a garage from the list, refuses the voucher on presentation by the customer and charges the customer the full price, then the RAC, under the binding offer, in law, will be liable for the value of the voucher, as it happens, morally as well.