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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

MOT due & Social distancing

34 replies

Espress0Patronum · 22/03/2020 08:00

I’ve had a letter to say my tax is up at the end of the month and I need an MOT. What with everything that’s going on it completely slipped my mind.

Question is, if we’re all supposed to be social distancing, would you take your car for an MOT?

My local garage can fit me in Monday and I have booked but now I’m thinking if that’s the right thing to do.

I’m worried about not being able to drive for the next couple of months if I need to go and get food.

OP posts:
RhymingRabbit3 · 22/03/2020 08:03

I would take it on Monday but use precautions - ask if you can pay by phone to avoid going into the office, use cleaning wipes to wipe down any hard surfaces in the car before and after the MOT, wash your hands as soon as getting home.

However, I imagine shortly they will be asking garages to cut non essential services anyway and people wont be prosecuted for not having a valid MOT.

showmewhatyougot · 22/03/2020 08:03

I did last week, they asked me to drop it in and leave keys in car and pick it up at the end of the day. It's was lovely and fresh when I collected so imagine they cleaned what they had to touch etc.

But I live in the middle of no where so really need my car to get food etc as no delivery's offered.

speakout · 22/03/2020 08:05

Yes- the world hasn't completely stopped.

Wildlingyoumakemyheartsing · 22/03/2020 08:08

I'm taking mine. We have had the virus over the last two weeks but as part of self isolating we haven't used the car. Now we are free of it I'm just going to give it a clean in places we might have touched before dropping it off.

middleager · 22/03/2020 08:10

Wilding
How do you know you've had the virus? Fair enough if you have had a test of course.

RubyTrees · 22/03/2020 09:41

However, I imagine shortly they will be asking garages to cut non essential services anyway and people wont be prosecuted for not having a valid MOT.

This won't be enough though - the MOT is needed to renew your insurance. People living in areas with non-existent public transport are heavily reliant on their cars.

MarginalGain · 22/03/2020 09:44

Yes- the world hasn't completely stopped.

Yes. Of course you should get your MOT. Jesus Christ.

FormerlyFrikadela01 · 22/03/2020 09:45

I'm worried about this too. MOT due in may, if all this madness continues then where do we stand. We need our car to get to work unless the trust decide they're going to provide taxis (looking more likely to be fair).

purdypuma · 22/03/2020 09:48

I am still working & not self isolating. My car tax is due at the end of the month and well as MOT. I brought my MOT forward by 2 weeks & had it tested last friday in case garage needs to shut or I need to isolate as I omly have on street parking. The MOT tester mentioned that most of his MOT bookings for the end of the month were being brought forward by owners so he was very busy! You could always wipe the interior of the car & dash etc with a watered down disinfectant solution to be on the safe side, park the car up with keys in ignition & pay by contact less card.

playthestation · 22/03/2020 09:51

I'm a bit confused by this tbh.

Yes take your car for an MOT. I would expect the garage to give it a clean properly inside afterwards, offer to pay for their time to do that, but aside from that just don't get too close to the person when you hand over the keys?

playthestation · 22/03/2020 09:52

Oh and of course clean it before hand and take some wipes to go over it when you drop it off.

Hingeandbracket · 22/03/2020 09:55

the MOT is needed to renew your insurance
No it isn’t.

MarginalGain · 22/03/2020 09:56

the MOT is needed to renew your insurance
No it isn’t.

----

Without it your insurance is invalid.

TheQueef · 22/03/2020 09:58

MOTs for lorries, buses and trailers
DVSA has suspended MOTs (annual tests) for all heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) and public service vehicles (PSVs) for up to 3 months from 21 March 2020.

All HGV and PSV vehicles with an MOT will be issued with a 3-month certificate of temporary exemption (CTE) until further notice.

Vehicles must be maintained, kept safe to drive (roadworthy) and operate within the terms of operators’ licence conditions.

Check what you need to do to exempt your vehicle.

MOTs for cars, motorcycles and light vans
The Department for Transport continues to keep MOT testing under review and will provide an update in due course.

From gov.I'm
Check tomorrow.

SquashedFlyBiscuit · 22/03/2020 10:03

Our garage is coming to collect our car, mot and return and then we wont touch it for a few weeks. We're long term customers and high risk though.

playthestation · 22/03/2020 10:04

Please don't let this descend into an insurance scrap again. It happens on every thread abut MOT's.

If people could just post what they know rather that what they think, that would be helpful for OP

Original poster
Espress0Patronum · 22/03/2020 10:18

Great thanks for the clarity everyone, I will keep my appointment for Monday.

OP posts:
TerryScottsBridge · 22/03/2020 10:35

@playthestation If everyone posted what they knew rather than what they thing, AIBU would be the least posted part of MN.

playthestation · 22/03/2020 10:37

If everyone posted what they knew rather than what they thing, AIBU would be the least posted part of MN.

Yes but the content would be useful, which is more important.

reenon · 22/03/2020 10:42

I own an MOT testing station. We are doing everything possible to maintain hygiene and social distancing requests. We are collecting cars and delivering them back to customers...we are sanitizing them before we get in them, our mechanics then sanitise before and after the test and the we are sanitizing them once again before either being collected or dropped off.

We are regularly sanitizing the customer waiting and viewing area. I'm going in there after every customer and making sure everything is wiped down.

Until the Gov says MOTs are to be stopped we will stay open. Just trying to be a super careful as we can.

TerryScottsBridge · 22/03/2020 11:08

@playthestation

I'm in total agreement - it was a point about the idiocy on here, not your own point.

BodiesMakeForGoodFertiliser · 22/03/2020 11:15

Even in countries on a proper shutdown the garages remain open as essential business. However, people use masks and gloves. Stay 2m apart and garages (and shops) make sure they let only safe number of people in.

Just take precautions, keep safe, you need your car

Oldraver · 22/03/2020 11:34

Take it in but like people said take any precautions you need to.

And just this once do your tax for 6 months so it's not reliant on waiting for your MOT. This is handy if you have any issues getting your car in for MOT or it needs work. Then revert to yearly Tax

minionsrule · 22/03/2020 11:51

I rang my garage last week to ask if they are taking MOT bookings as car tax due end of the month.
They said they are and have changed their H&S procedures as a result of COVID 19.
I did go on the Gov website for tax renewals hoping their might be some advice or temporary relaxed rules but no. Not sure what happens if we go in lockdown, will you get an auto fine if tax is not renewed?