Car issue- so angry! What do I do first?

[Allthepanicnodisco]

My brother has been using my car for just over a year while I was away. I did the tax last year and said he’d need to get the MOT and service sorted because it fell a month after I left. I’ve returned last weekend to find that he didn’t do an MOT, that there is damage to the indicator cover on the wing mirror, a windscreen washer jet has been pulled off and it’s now not taxed since a few weeks ago.

I’m so angry with him but he’s basically denying that I told him to organise the MOT last year.

What the hell do I do first? SORN, then booked in for MOT? Get the broken bits done at the same time? Will the garage report me for the car not being MOT’d for a whole year?

It will be fine. SORN it immediately. Book the MOT and remedial work. Tax the car.

The garage won't care about the missing MOT time - nothing to do with them. I assume you are suggesting SORN because you cannot tax it with no MOT?
This will only work if you have somewhere off road to keep it between now and the MOT. You may get some comeback from DVLA about the missing tax period although our local drug pusher drove his Polo about with faulty brakes and no tax and MOT for months and the Police refused to bother with him so you shouldn't have too much to worry about.

No the garage won’t report you. Put it in for an MoT, it may fail but you’ll then know exactly what needs fixing, then get it fixed. You’re allowed to drive it untaxed and without a mot to a garage for a pre booked test or repair. Make sure you’re insured, however lack of mot may be an issue if you do have an accident on the way to the garage, so check with your insurer if you’re nervous, or otherwise just chance it. As a one off I’d just chance it unless you know of a serious mechanical problem with the car e.g. brakes that would make an accident more likely. Make sure you send your feckless idiot freeloader of a brother the bill.

Book it in for service and MOT and tell them about the things you know about. They’ll do the whole lot in one go.

Don’t bother with SORN. Tax can be done online in 5 minutes. Just don’t drive it until the MOT is done.

It’s irresponsible of him, but it’s not that big a deal to sort out now you’re back.

Ah, yes, sorry, I didn’t think about you not being able to renew the tax without the MOT.

Ring round some garages, they might be able to pick the car up to take to the garage for a mot. Is your brother always this irresponsible or Is he a manchild who needs everyone to do everything for them?

No need for a SORN if you can get it MOTd quickly. You are entitled to drive the car to the MOT place. Then pay the tax.

And give your brother the bill for repairs.

Get your keys back from brother first thing.

Then get MOT.

Don’t let him drive it ever again.

work to be done.