Compliance Requirements

On 1 October 2003 European Regulations (1400/2002) fully came into effect in the UK which opened the way for independent retailers to compete directly with franchise dealers on car servicing and in particular preservation of manufacturer warranty rights for car ownership using independent servicing organisations.

Providing the independent garage business uses matching original specification parts and follows the manufacturer’s service schedule then these latter style warranties should offer no restrictions in requiring franchise dealer servicing.

This regulation and competition in the market allows the consumer to have a wider choice on where they would like to maintain their vehicle.

Under EU Block Exemption rules using correct parts and investing in the correct diagnostic equipment means that vehicle owners can choose to use an independent specialist company such as ours without affecting their UK warranty.