Pure Rip‑Off Merchants — Please Read and save yourselves a lot of money and stress
Yesterday, I made one of the biggest mistakes of my life: I trusted Servicing Stop. I booked an MOT and service for £187. The day before, I received multiple texts confirming my car would be collected between 8am and 10am, along with a number I was told to “save.”
10am came and went. No driver. I tried calling the number — completely useless, just a recorded message. I went online to find another way to contact them and ended up stuck in circles with a bot that might as well not exist. Eventually, I found an email address and asked why my car hadn’t been collected. The reply? They would “look into it.”
At 10:53, I finally got a message saying the driver was on his way. When he arrived, I asked which garage my car was going to and for a contact number. He was reluctant to tell me anything. Only after speaking to his manager did he give me the details.
At 15:38, I received a call from — yes, I’m naming you — Dean, who launched into a long list of supposed faults. According to him, I needed new wipers, a new tyre, new oil, new brake fluid, an engine flush (“you only get one chance to do this,” he warned), new antifreeze, and the big one: an engine belt for £328.88.
I asked which of these were required for the MOT. Dean insisted the brake fluid, engine oil, and engine flush were essential. Feeling pressured, I agreed and paid an extra £379.39.
When the garage returned my car, I asked them about the engine belt. They looked confused — they knew nothing about it. I told them what I’d been charged for, and they looked visibly shocked.
Then I checked my MOT certificate. Only one advisory: a slightly damaged tyre. And the MOT had been completed at 12:18 — nearly three hours before Dean called me with his list of “urgent” issues.
He knew my car had already passed. He still pushed me into paying for work that wasn’t needed.
I’ve emailed customer services asking for a refund and was told my complaint has been “escalated.” I’m not holding my breath. This company has caused me stress, upset, and a complete loss of trust — exactly what you don’t need when dealing with something as important as your car MOT.
I’ve reported everything to Trading Standards in the hope that no one else gets caught out like I was.
And Dean — you asked me for a review. Here it is, from one very unhappy customer.
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Servicing Stop offer car servicing and MOTs with FREE nationwide collection and delivery from your home, work or a convenient location to one of our approved Servicing Stop garages.
We can service any make and model, anywhere. You can book online at servicingstop.co.uk. All parts and labour come with a 12-month guarantee as well as a stamped service book. No additional work carried out without your consent. A recent survey has confirmed Servicing Stop as being up to 60% cheaper than other car service providers.
In 2009, Servicing Stop featured on the BBC television programme Dragons Den where the company directors attempted to secure additional investment into the company. Despite receiving offers from three of the Dragons (Peter Jones, James Caan and Deborah Meaden), the brothers ultimately decided to continue the development of the business independently.See more
