Dodgy MOT

[Ricardus]

So I'm on the hunt for another car at the moment and my budget leads me to a small place selling crash repaired (Cat-D) cars - late models with low mileage for good prices.
One car took my fancy - the repair has been done to a good standard (I did take an expert with me), car has all the toys and they all work.
We take a quick squint at the paperwork whilst the salesman is called away and I notice that the last two MOTs are from different garages, conducted by different testers but amazingly, they both have the same signature!

Needless to say I didn't buy the car, and dropped an email to his local trading standards office when I got home.

What puzzles me is that A) He didn't just get the car MOTd - it was a late model in (as far as we could tell) good condition, and B) When faking the MOT why not just scrawl a different signature on the form instead of copying the same one from a different tester?

 

[AlanE]

It is possible both are genuine!

Two scenarios:
1. Assuming the two MOT's are 12 months apart (or at least not within a few days at least) tester could have ceased employment at first test station and started working at a second.

2. Both garages trade independently but are either part of a group that shares MOT resources.

or even a third maybe the tester works part time with two different test stations.

 

[Burnerman]

I wouldn't worry too much about it.....some testers go freelance.
Dodgy MOT's do exist though - it depends on the integrity of the tester at the end of the day.
John

 

[Astra99]

Also, don't forget that now MOT certificates are not issued, the "bit of paper" that the MOT station hands out does not need to be signed by the tester. It is of no legal significance. It can be "signed" by the office guy/girl.

 

[Ricardus]

It is possible both are genuine!

Two scenarios:
1. Assuming the two MOT's are 12 months apart (or at least not within a few days at least) tester could have ceased employment at first test station and started working at a second.

2. Both garages trade independently but are either part of a group that shares MOT resources.

or even a third maybe the tester works part time with two different test stations.

In this case, only if the tester followed the car 400 miles south

 

[JohnD]

you can look up MoTs online, and see the date, mileage and even the advisories. Not much chance of that being forged.

https://www.gov.uk/check-mot-history-vehicle

 

[Ricardus]

you can look up MoTs online, and see the date, mileage and even the advisories. Not much chance of that being forged.

https://www.gov.uk/check-mot-history-vehicle[/QUOTE]

Which requires the reference number from the V5 and I suppose I could have looked it up on my phone there and then, the fact the MOT cert was obviously dodgy just set off the alarm bells and I walked away.

Pity as it looked like a very nice motor too.