The MOT testing guide gives a typical frequency for MOT QC checks of one check per tester every two months, based on a tester doing two or three tests a day. It is a benchmark rather than a hard rule, but it is the figure DVSA will measure your quality control system against.

How often MOT QC checks are needed at your site

• One tester doing two or three tests a day: around six checks a year.
• Two testers: around twelve, six each.
• A newly qualified tester, or one doing a lot more than three tests a day: more often. The guide is clear that busier and less experienced testers should be checked more frequently.

It soon adds up. For a small garage, six or twelve checks a year is a lot to fit round a busy workshop, which is usually where it starts to slip.

Signs you should check more often

Your test quality information is the best early warning. It is worth looking more closely, and sooner, if you see:

• a tester’s fail rate well out of line with the site or national figures
• tests that passed in a lot less time than usual
• tests that don’t match up with the booking diary
• a new tester, or one back after a long break
• a complaint about a test

None of these automatically means something is wrong, but each one should be looked into and the outcome written down.

What happens if checks slip

If DVSA visit, your quality control records are one of the things they will expect to see. Gaps of six months or more are hard to explain, and a check that wasn’t recorded counts the same as a check that wasn’t done.

There is a good reason to keep on top of it too. When an AE picks up a tester’s shortcomings through their own quality checks and brings them to DVSA’s attention, it isn’t normally counted against the AE. Regular checks are protection, not just paperwork.

Keeping it regular without the hassle

For a lot of small garages, the easiest way to stay on schedule is to have someone come in every two months and do it for you. Through WS MOT Services I carry out independent QC checks for garages across Lancashire, from Blackpool and the Fylde coast to Preston, Garstang and Lancaster, and keep an eye on your TQI in between visits.

You’ll find everything a visit covers on our MOT quality control checks page, or get in touch on 07385 672501 or ws-motservices@outlook.com.

WS MOT Services… Part of WS Group.