Terms of Service

These Terms of Service (the "Terms") set out the terms on which Cedar Garage Limited provides its services, including MOT testing, servicing, diagnostics and repairs, and supplies and fits parts, tyres and other goods. They apply to every booking, whether you make it online, by telephone or in person.

Please read these Terms carefully before you book. If you are a consumer, nothing in these Terms affects your legal rights, including your rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015. We recommend that you print or save a copy of these Terms for future reference.

We are Cedar Garage Limited ("we", "us" or "our"), a private limited company registered in England and Wales under company number 05318711. Our registered office is at 307 Tarring Road, Worthing, West Sussex, BN11 5JG. Our VAT registration number is GB376803232.

We are accredited by The Motor Ombudsman (accreditation number 12422) and are committed to its Motor Industry Code of Practice for Service and Repair.

We trade from the following sites:

• Worthing: 307 Tarring Road, Worthing, West Sussex, BN11 5JG. Telephone: 01903 248967
• Sompting: Unit 1, Rectory Farm Road, Sompting, West Sussex, BN15 0DP. Telephone: 01903 830303

You can contact us by emailing info@cedargarage.co.uk or by calling either of the numbers above.

In these Terms:

• "you" means the person booking or paying for our Services, and "consumer" means an individual acting for purposes wholly or mainly outside their trade, business, craft or profession;
• "Services" means the work we carry out for you, including MOT testing, servicing, diagnostics, repairs, collection and delivery, and vehicle recovery; and
• "Goods" means any parts, tyres, fluids or other items we supply to you, whether fitted as part of the Services or supplied on their own.

Your use of our website is governed by our Website Terms and Conditions. We use your personal information as set out in our Privacy Policy.

We will give you a quote or estimate for the Services where possible. A quote is a fixed price for the work described. An estimate is our best guess of the likely cost, and the final price may differ. We will always tell you which one we are giving you. Quotes are valid for the period stated on them.

Diagnostic work and repairs are both charged for. We will quote the cost of diagnostic time and any repair work to you in advance, and payment is due when the work has been completed.

A booking request made through our website, by telephone or by email is an offer to buy our Services. A contract between you and us is formed when we confirm your booking. We may decline a booking, for example if we do not have the parts, equipment or availability needed.

Please tell us about anything that may affect the work, such as known faults, warning lights, modifications or previous repairs.

We may ask for a deposit to secure certain bookings. We will tell you the amount of the deposit, and whether it is refundable, at the time of booking.

Some parts or items need to be ordered specifically for your vehicle, including bespoke parts and items that our suppliers will not accept back ("Special Order Parts"). We will tell you before ordering if a part is a Special Order Part, and we may ask for a separate deposit to cover its cost. As we cannot return Special Order Parts to the supplier, this deposit is non-refundable once the part has been ordered, except where the part is faulty or not as described, or where you are entitled to a refund under section 5 or by law.

If you are a consumer and you book our Services online, by telephone or by email without visiting our premises, you have a legal right to cancel the contract within 14 days of the day we confirm your booking, under the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013.

• If you ask us to start the Services within the 14 day cancellation period and then cancel, you must pay for the Services provided up to the time you tell us you are cancelling.
• Your right to cancel ends once the Services have been fully completed within the cancellation period, if you asked us to start them during that period.
• The right to cancel does not apply to Special Order Parts made to your specifications or clearly personalised for your vehicle, or to Goods that have been fitted to your vehicle and become inseparable from it.

To cancel, please tell us by email to info@cedargarage.co.uk, by telephone or in writing to our registered office. You can use the model cancellation form set out in the Regulations, but you do not have to. We will refund any money due to you within 14 days of being told you are cancelling, using the same payment method you used.

If you need to change or cancel your booking outside of the 14 day cancellation right in section 5, please let us know as soon as possible, ideally by email to info@cedargarage.co.uk so that we both have a record of your request.

If you cancel or change a booking that required a deposit within 7 days of the booked date, we may keep from your deposit an amount that reflects the reasonable costs and losses we have incurred as a result, such as the cost of parts ordered for your vehicle that cannot be returned, and time reserved for your vehicle that we are unable to rebook. We will refund the rest of your deposit. If you reschedule within 7 days of the booked date, a new deposit may be required to secure the new date.

Sometimes we find further faults during our work, or a job takes longer than expected because of circumstances such as corrosion or seized components. If this means the price will be higher than our quote or estimate, we will contact you as soon as possible to explain the extra work and cost.

We will not carry out any additional chargeable work without your agreement. You can give your approval by telephone or by email, and we will keep a record of what you have approved, including the work and price agreed. If we cannot contact you, we will pause the work and keep your vehicle safe until we can speak to you.

Diagnostic work is carried out in a logical order based on the evidence found. A vehicle may have more than one fault, and some faults only become apparent once another has been repaired. Where this happens, we will explain the position and agree the next steps with you before carrying out further chargeable work.

Some components, such as wheel bolts, locking wheel nuts, exhaust fixings, brake pipes and other fixings, can become seized, corroded or weakened over time. Despite our reasonable care and the use of the correct tools and methods, these may break or be damaged when we remove them. If this happens, we will tell you, and any replacement parts and extra labour needed will be charged to you, with your approval as set out above. This does not apply where the damage was caused by our failure to use reasonable care and skill.

Unless we agree otherwise in writing, full payment for the Services and any Goods is due when the work is completed and before your vehicle is released. All prices include VAT unless we state otherwise. We accept payment by debit card, credit card or cash.

We may charge interest on overdue payments at a rate of 4% a year above the Bank of England base rate. Interest will accrue daily from the due date until payment is made in full.

Please collect your vehicle within 7 days of us telling you that the work is complete. If you do not, we may charge a storage fee of £20 plus VAT per day, starting from the 8th day after we told you the vehicle was ready.

We may keep your vehicle until all amounts due to us, including any storage charges, have been paid in full.

We offer a vehicle collection and delivery service. You must make sure that the vehicle, its keys and any locking wheel nut key are available and accessible at the agreed time and place.

We may decline to collect or deliver a vehicle if we reasonably consider it unsafe to drive. If this happens, you will need to arrange another way to transport the vehicle, or we can offer our recovery service at an additional cost.

If we are unable to collect or deliver your vehicle because it is not accessible at the agreed time and place, we may charge you for any reasonable additional costs this causes.

We offer a recovery service for vehicles that cannot be driven or that need to be transported to our premises. We will quote the recovery fee when you book, and depending on the distance and time involved we may ask for payment in advance.

If, on arrival, we reasonably decide the vehicle cannot be safely recovered, we may still charge for attending. We will tell you about this charge when you book.

We will do our best to arrive at the agreed time, but we are not responsible for delays caused by events outside our reasonable control, such as traffic, adverse weather or problems accessing the vehicle.

Where we provide a courtesy car or hire car (a "Replacement Vehicle") while your vehicle is with us, the following rules apply in addition to any separate agreement you sign when you collect it:

• Only the named driver, who must hold a full and valid UK driving licence, may drive the Replacement Vehicle. We may ask to see your licence and proof of address, and may carry out a DVLA licence check.
• The Replacement Vehicle must be returned at the agreed time, in the same condition and with the same fuel or charge level as when you collected it. We may charge for refuelling or recharging, cleaning beyond normal use, and late return.
• You are responsible for any damage to, or loss of, the Replacement Vehicle while it is in your care, up to the insurance excess we tell you about when you collect it, unless the damage was not caused by you.
• You are responsible for any speeding, parking, congestion, toll or other fines and charges incurred while the Replacement Vehicle is in your care. We will pass on your details to the relevant authority and may charge a reasonable administration fee.
• The Replacement Vehicle must not be used for hire or reward, racing, towing, off-road driving, driving outside the UK, or any unlawful purpose, and must not be driven under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Smoking and vaping are not permitted.
• Please report any accident, damage or fault to us straight away. Do not arrange repairs yourself.
• Replacement Vehicles are subject to availability and must be booked in advance. Any charges for a hire car will be confirmed to you before you collect it.

MOT tests are carried out in line with the rules and guidance set by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA). If your vehicle fails its MOT with a dangerous defect, it must not be driven on the road until the defect has been repaired.

If you choose to take a vehicle that we consider unroadworthy away from our premises, we will ask you to sign a declaration confirming that you are aware of its condition.

You are responsible for making sure that your vehicle is roadworthy and meets UK legal requirements when it is on the road. If you disagree with the result of an MOT test, you can appeal to the DVSA.

Unless we agree otherwise with you, the parts and Goods we supply will be new and will be either genuine manufacturer parts or parts of matching quality. Goods we supply will be as described, of satisfactory quality and fit for purpose.

If you supply your own parts, or ask us to fit used parts, we will fit them with reasonable care and skill, but we cannot guarantee the parts themselves. If parts you supply turn out to be incorrect, incompatible or faulty, we may charge for any extra time this causes.

You may ask for any parts we replace to be returned to you, unless they need to be returned to the supplier under an exchange or warranty scheme, or must be disposed of as hazardous waste. Please ask before the work starts.

If you are a consumer, the law says that we must carry out our Services with reasonable care and skill, and that Goods we supply must be as described, of satisfactory quality and fit for purpose. If they are not, you may be entitled to have the work redone or the Goods repaired or replaced, or to a price reduction or refund. You may also be able to reject faulty Goods for a full refund within 30 days of supply. For more information, visit the Citizens Advice website or call 0808 223 1133.

In addition to your legal rights, parts we fit carry the manufacturer's warranty, and we guarantee our workmanship and the Goods we supply against faults for 30 days from the date the work was completed. This guarantee does not cover fair wear and tear, damage caused by accidents, misuse or neglect, or vehicles used for racing, track days, off-road driving or other extreme conditions.

If you think there is a problem with our work or Goods, please contact us as soon as possible, and before having the vehicle repaired elsewhere, so that we have the opportunity to inspect it and put things right.

We take reasonable care of your vehicle while it is with us, and we are responsible for loss or damage to it that is caused by our negligence or by our failure to comply with these Terms. Vehicles parked at our premises when they are not in our care, for example before drop-off or after we have told you they are ready for collection, are left at your own risk.

Please remove valuables and personal belongings from your vehicle before leaving it with us. We are not responsible for items left in vehicles, except where loss or damage is caused by our negligence.

For insurance purposes, we may disconnect onboard recording devices such as dash cameras. We recommend that you disconnect these yourself before leaving your vehicle with us.

By leaving your vehicle with us, you agree that our staff may drive it where reasonably necessary, including for road tests before and after the work, moving it around our premises, and for our collection and delivery or recovery services. Our staff are covered by our motor trade insurance while driving your vehicle. Please make sure your vehicle has enough fuel or charge for any road test needed.

Vehicle batteries, including hybrid, electric and 12 volt batteries, can be damaged if left to discharge for long periods. If your vehicle will be left with us for an extended period, for example while you are away or waiting for parts, please tell us so that we can agree how the battery will be maintained. We are not responsible for battery damage caused by a vehicle being left unused for long periods at your request or because it was not collected when ready, unless the damage was caused by our negligence.

Our premises are an active workshop environment. For your safety, customers must stay in the designated waiting and reception areas, follow any safety signs and instructions from our staff, and must not enter the workshop or other restricted areas unless accompanied by a member of staff.

If we fail to comply with these Terms, we are responsible for loss or damage you suffer that is a foreseeable result of our breach or our failure to use reasonable care and skill. We are not responsible for any loss or damage that is not foreseeable. Loss or damage is foreseeable if it is obvious that it will happen or if, at the time the contract was made, both we and you knew it might happen.

We supply our Services and Goods for domestic and private use. If you use your vehicle for commercial or business purposes, we have no liability to you for any loss of profit, loss of business, business interruption or loss of business opportunity.

We will not be liable to you for any indirect or consequential loss, or for any loss of profits, revenue, business, contracts or goodwill, whether arising in contract, tort (including negligence) or otherwise. Our total liability to you in connection with any booking will not exceed the total price paid for that booking.

We do not exclude or limit in any way our liability where it would be unlawful to do so. This includes liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence or the negligence of our employees, agents or subcontractors, and for fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation.

We are not responsible for delays or failure to perform our obligations caused by events outside our reasonable control, such as severe weather, supplier delays or parts shortages. If this happens, we will contact you as soon as possible and take reasonable steps to minimise the effect of the delay.

We are committed to responsible waste management. A disposal charge may apply for the safe recycling or disposal of vehicle parts, oils, fluids and other hazardous materials, and a tyre disposal fee applies to old tyres, in line with UK environmental regulations. Any such charges will be shown on your quote or invoice.

Telephone calls to and from Cedar Garage may be recorded for training, quality and monitoring purposes. Recordings are stored securely and used only for these purposes, as explained in our Privacy Policy.

We use your personal information in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018, as set out in our Privacy Policy.

Modern vehicles may store data, including connected vehicle data. We may access this data temporarily where it is needed to diagnose or repair your vehicle, and we will not keep it for longer than necessary.

We aim to provide a high standard of service. If you are unhappy with any aspect of our Services, please contact us by emailing info@cedargarage.co.uk or by calling 01903 255963. We will acknowledge your complaint within 3 working days and aim to resolve it as quickly as possible.

As a business accredited by The Motor Ombudsman, if we are unable to resolve your complaint directly, you may refer it to The Motor Ombudsman's free and impartial dispute resolution service. You can find out more at www.themotorombudsman.org.

We may update these Terms from time to time. The version that applies to your booking is the one published on our website when your booking is confirmed, and changes will not affect bookings we have already confirmed. The date at the top of this page shows when these Terms were last updated.

If any court or relevant authority decides that any part of these Terms is unlawful or unenforceable, the remaining parts will remain in full force and effect.

If we do not insist immediately that you do anything you are required to do under these Terms, or if we delay in taking steps against you, that will not mean that you do not have to do those things and will not prevent us taking steps against you at a later date.

These Terms are between you and us. No other person shall have any rights to enforce any of these Terms, whether under the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 or otherwise.

If you are a consumer, these Terms are governed by the law of England and Wales, and you can bring legal proceedings in the courts of England and Wales. If you live in Scotland, you can bring legal proceedings in either the Scottish or the English courts. If you live in Northern Ireland, you can bring legal proceedings in either the Northern Irish or the English courts.

If you are a business, these Terms and any dispute or claim arising out of or in connection with them (including non-contractual disputes or claims) are governed by the law of England and Wales, and the courts of England and Wales will have exclusive jurisdiction.