Terms of Service

1. Definitions

• "We", "us", "our" — CAR GARAGES DIRECTORY LTD, trading as CarGarages.co.uk (see section 2 for full details).
• "You", "your" — any person or entity accessing or using the Website.
• "Car Owner" — a user who uses the Website to search for garages, post a Job, use the MOT reminder service, or browse content.
• "Garage" or "Business" — a garage, mechanic, or automotive service provider listed on the Website.
• "Listing" — a garage's profile page on the Website, including contact details, services, reviews, and images.
• "Free Listing" — a basic listing created from public data or submitted by a business at no charge.
• "Claimed Listing" — a Listing whose owner or authorised representative has verified their connection to the business and taken control of the profile.
• "Featured" — a Listing given priority placement in search results, identified by a badge on the Listing.
• "Job" — a request posted by a Car Owner describing work they want quotes for, including vehicle details, the work required, location and any photos.
• "Lead" — the opportunity for a Garage to view a Job in full and submit a Quote for it.
• "Lead Credit" — an allowance that lets a Garage unlock a Lead without a charge. See section 9.
• "Quote" — a priced offer submitted by a Garage in response to a Job.
• "Account" — a registered user profile on the Website, whether as a Car Owner or a Garage.
• "Car Problems Data" — aggregated and anonymised MOT testing statistics derived from DVSA (Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency) bulk data, published under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
• "Services" — all features and functionality provided through the Website.

2. About Us

The Website is operated by CAR GARAGES DIRECTORY LTD, a company registered in England and Wales under company number 17377200, trading as CarGarages.co.uk.

You can write to us at 1 New Houses, Penybryn, Hengoed, CF82 7FR. To contact us about anything covered by these Terms, please use our contact page.

3. Acceptance of Terms

3.1 By using the Website, creating an Account, posting a Job, claiming a Listing, or unlocking a Lead, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agree to these Terms together with our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy.

3.2 You must be at least 18 years old to create an Account, post a Job, or claim a Listing.

3.3 We may update these Terms from time to time. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated "Last Updated" date. Where a change is material, we will tell registered users by email. Your continued use of the Website after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.

3.4 If you are using the Website on behalf of a business, you represent that you have the authority to bind that business to these Terms.

4. User Accounts

4.1 Some features of the Website require you to create an Account (for example MOT reminders, posting a Job, or claiming a Listing). You must provide accurate and complete information when registering.

4.2 You are responsible for keeping your login credentials secure and for all activity that takes place under your Account. You must tell us promptly if you believe your Account has been compromised.

4.3 You may only create one Account per person. We reserve the right to suspend or delete duplicate accounts.

4.4 You may delete your Account at any time by contacting us. Upon deletion, your personal data will be handled in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

5. Our Role — What We Do and What We Do Not Do

5.1 We operate a directory and an introduction service. Car Owners describe the work they need; Garages near them are invited to quote; the Car Owner chooses which quote, if any, to accept.

5.2 We do not carry out repairs or any other garage work. We are not a garage, we do not employ or supervise any Garage, and we do not inspect vehicles.

5.3 The contract for the work is between the Car Owner and the Garage only. We are not a party to it. We do not act as agent for either of you, we do not negotiate on either side's behalf, and we take no commission on the work.

5.4 We do not vet, approve, endorse or accredit Garages. Inclusion in the directory, appearing in results, or being matched to a Job is not a recommendation. We do not check qualifications, certifications, insurance, or standard of work. You should satisfy yourself that a Garage is suitably qualified and insured before agreeing to any work.

5.5 We provide our own Services — operating the Website, matching Jobs to Garages, and passing messages between you — with reasonable care and skill. We do not guarantee that any Quote will arrive, that Quotes will arrive within any particular time, that any Garage will respond, or that the Website will be uninterrupted.

6. Services for Car Owners

The following features are provided free of charge to Car Owners:

6.1 Garage Search & Directory

You may search for, browse, and view Listings. Search results are ordered by relevance and distance, and Featured Listings are given priority placement (see section 12.3). We do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or availability of any Listing. The inclusion of a Garage on the Website does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by us.

6.2 MOT Reminder Service

You may register vehicles and receive email reminders before your MOT expires. MOT data is sourced from the DVSA and is provided for informational purposes only. We do not guarantee the accuracy or timeliness of DVSA data and accept no liability for missed MOT dates, incorrect expiry information, or any consequences arising from reliance on this data, except where such liability cannot be excluded by law. You should always verify your MOT status independently.

6.3 Vehicle Data

When you enter a vehicle registration, we query the DVSA's public API to retrieve MOT history. This data belongs to the DVSA and is subject to their terms. We store your vehicle registration, make, model, and expiry dates on your Account to provide the reminder service. You may delete your vehicles at any time from your dashboard.

6.4 Car Problems Data

The Car Problems section presents aggregated statistics about common MOT failures and advisories for specific vehicle makes, models, and generations, derived from DVSA bulk MOT testing records using our own statistical analysis.

Important: Car Problems Data is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute mechanical advice, a vehicle inspection, or a recommendation to buy or avoid any particular vehicle. It shows statistical patterns across large populations of vehicles — it does not describe or predict the condition of any individual vehicle. Always consult a qualified mechanic for advice specific to your vehicle.

We do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of Car Problems Data. DVSA data is updated periodically and may not reflect the most recent MOT testing results.

7. Posting a Job and Receiving Quotes

7.1 Free for Car Owners. Posting a Job and receiving Quotes is free. You are under no obligation to accept any Quote you receive.

7.2 How Jobs are matched. Jobs are offered to Garages based on their distance from the location you give. Matching is by area only — it does not filter by the services a Garage offers, so a Garage may receive a Job it does not carry out. We cannot guarantee that any Garage in your area will see or respond to your Job.

7.3 Accuracy. You are responsible for describing the work accurately, for the accuracy of the vehicle and location details you give, and for providing safe access to the vehicle for any work you agree to. A Quote is based on the information you provide and a Garage may revise it after inspecting the vehicle.

7.4 Photos. You may attach photos to a Job. Photos are private: they are visible only to Garages that have unlocked your Job, and to us. Do not include images containing personal information about anyone else, and do not upload anything you do not have the right to share. Photographs of your number plate may be visible to those Garages.

7.5 What Garages see before you accept. A Garage that unlocks your Job sees the work required, your vehicle details, your general area, and any photos. It does not see your name, phone number or full address.

7.6 What happens when you accept a Quote — please read. When you accept a Quote, your name and phone number are released to that Garage only, so that they can contact you to arrange the work. They are not released to any other Garage, and they are not released at any earlier stage. Once released, that Garage is an independent controller of your details and is responsible for how it handles them; it may use them only to carry out and arrange the job you accepted, and not for marketing. See our Privacy Policy for more.

7.7 Messaging. You can message a Garage about your Job through the Website before deciding. Messages are between you and that Garage only. Do not use messaging to send abusive, unlawful or misleading content, and do not use it to advertise unrelated goods or services.

7.8 Cancelling. You may cancel a Job at any time before accepting a Quote. Cancelling does not cancel any agreement you have already made directly with a Garage — that is a matter between you and them.

7.9 Expiry. A Job that has not been accepted expires 14 days after it is posted. Once a Job has expired or been completed, messaging on it closes. You can post a new Job at any time.

8. Business Listings

8.1 Free Listings: We create Free Listings using publicly available data (including Google Places, DVSA records, and public business registers). If your business appears on the Website and you did not submit the information, it was sourced from public records. You may request corrections or removal by contacting us.

8.2 Claiming a Listing: If you are the owner, manager, or authorised representative of a listed Garage, you may claim the Listing free of charge to take control of your business profile. Claims are subject to our review and approval. We may reject a claim if we cannot verify your connection to the business.

8.3 What a Claimed Listing includes: control of your business description, logo, photo gallery, website link, social media links, contact details and opening hours, together with access to Job Leads under section 9. Claiming does not give priority placement in search results — that is the separate Featured option described at section 12.3.

8.4 Adding a New Listing: You may submit a new Garage to the directory. Submitted listings are subject to our review before being published. We reserve the right to reject submissions that are incomplete, inaccurate, or not a genuine automotive service business.

8.5 Accuracy of Information: By claiming or adding a Listing, you represent and warrant that all information provided (including contact details, services offered, qualifications and opening hours) is accurate, current, and not misleading. You are solely responsible for keeping your Listing up to date, and for any certifications or qualifications shown on it — we do not verify them.

8.6 Our Rights: We reserve the right to edit, suspend, or remove any Listing at any time if we believe it contains false, misleading, or fraudulent information, or if it breaches these Terms.

9. Job Leads for Garages

This section applies to you as a business. It does not apply to Car Owners.

9.1 Being matched is free. Holding a Listing and being matched to Jobs in your area costs nothing. There is no subscription and no commission on any work you win.

9.2 Free Lead Credits. When your claim is approved we may give your Garage a number of free Lead Credits, each of which lets you unlock one Lead at no charge. The number granted is shown in your dashboard and is set by us.

9.3 Lead Credits are a promotional allowance, not an entitlement. They are granted at our discretion and we may change the number granted, reduce, suspend, or withdraw them entirely at any time, with or without notice. Lead Credits have no cash value, cannot be exchanged for money, are not transferable between Garages or Accounts, are not your property, and lapse when your Account or Listing closes. Holding Lead Credits is not a promise that you will receive any Leads.

9.4 Unlocking a Lead. You see the work required, the vehicle and the area before you decide whether to unlock a Lead, so you can judge whether it is worth pursuing. Unlocking reveals the full Job and lets you submit a Quote. Unlocking a Lead buys the opportunity to quote — it does not buy the job, and it is not a promise that you will win the work or that the Car Owner will respond. You may submit one Quote per Job.

9.5 Charges. A charge may apply to unlock a Lead where you have no Lead Credit available. Where a charge applies, the amount is shown to you before you commit, and no charge is ever taken without you choosing to unlock that specific Lead. We may introduce, vary or withdraw charges at any time; any change applies only to Leads unlocked after the change.

9.6 Leads are sold to you as a business. Leads are supplied for purposes relating to your trade, whether you trade as a limited company or as a sole trader. The 14-day cancellation ("cooling-off") right under the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 therefore does not apply. In any event, by unlocking a Lead you ask us to give you access to it immediately and acknowledge that, to the extent any cancellation right would otherwise apply, it is lost once that access has been given.

9.7 Credits and refunds. Where you have paid to unlock a Lead, the charge is not refundable once you have submitted a Quote. It is also not refundable where the Car Owner accepts another Garage's Quote before you submit yours — the risk that a Job is taken before you quote is part of the Lead. Where a Job is cancelled by the Car Owner or expires before you have submitted a Quote, we will return the value to you as a Lead Credit for a future Lead. Returns are made as Lead Credits only and never as a cash or bank refund.

9.8 No guarantee of volume. We do not guarantee that you will receive any particular number of Leads, or any Leads at all. The number of Jobs posted in your area is outside our control, and we may change how Jobs are matched at any time.

9.9 Failed payments. If a payment you owe us fails, is reversed or is charged back, we may suspend your access to Leads until the amount is settled, and may recover our reasonable costs of recovering it.

10. Payments

10.1 Payment for the work is between you and the Garage. We do not collect payment for any repair, service or other work, and we take no commission on it. Payment terms, deposits, invoices and any dispute about the price of the work are matters between the Car Owner and the Garage.

10.2 Payments to us. Where you pay us for anything under these Terms, payments are processed by our payment providers (Stripe and PayPal). We do not receive or store your card details.

10.3 Premium subscriptions have been withdrawn. We no longer sell premium listing subscriptions. If you previously held one, its withdrawal does not affect any right that had already accrued to you.

11. Reviews

11.1 The ratings and reviews shown on Listings are sourced from Google Business Profiles. We do not author, edit, moderate, or verify them, and they are not collected or moderated by us.

11.2 Reviews are displayed as provided by Google and reflect the opinions of the original reviewers. Any dispute about the accuracy or fairness of a review must be directed to Google or the reviewer.

11.3 We do not permit, commission, or facilitate fake reviews. In line with the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024, we take reasonable steps to ensure that reviews displayed on the Website are genuine by sourcing them exclusively from a verified third-party platform.

11.4 Subject to section 15, we are not liable for any loss of reputation, business, or revenue resulting from third-party reviews displayed on the Website.

12. Third-Party Data, Featured Placement & Affiliate Disclosures

12.1 Government Data: The Website uses DVSA data for two purposes: (a) MOT history and reminder services via the DVSA's public API, and (b) the Car Problems feature, which uses DVSA bulk MOT testing data to generate aggregated statistics. This data contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. We are not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of government-sourced data.

12.2 Business Data: Listings may include data sourced from Google Places, public business registers, and the DVSA. While we make reasonable efforts to ensure accuracy, we cannot guarantee that all Listing information is correct or current.

12.3 Featured placement is paid: Search results are ordered by relevance and distance, except that Listings marked Featured are given priority placement. Featured placement is a paid promotional option available to Garages, and every Featured Listing carries a badge identifying it as such. Featured placement is not an endorsement, does not indicate quality, and does not affect how Jobs are matched to Garages — Job matching is by distance only and is never influenced by payment.

12.4 Affiliate Partnerships: The Website may display third-party products and services (such as warranty, insurance or breakdown cover). Where we have a commercial relationship with a provider and may receive a commission or referral fee, this is disclosed at the point the offer appears. These are not endorsements, we hold no data on outcomes, and you should conduct your own research before purchasing.

12.5 External Links: The Website may contain links to third-party websites. We are not responsible for the content, accuracy, or practices of any external sites. Following an external link is at your own risk.

13. Intellectual Property

13.1 Our Content: All design, text, graphics, logos, software, and the compilation of data on the Website are our intellectual property or used under licence. You may not copy, reproduce, scrape, crawl, or extract data from the Website for any commercial purpose without our express written consent.

13.2 Database Rights: The Website constitutes a database in which we have invested substantial effort. Under the Copyright and Rights in Databases Regulations 1997, you may not extract or re-utilise a substantial part of the contents of the database without our permission.

13.3 Data Analysis: While the underlying DVSA MOT testing data is Crown Copyright published under the Open Government Licence v3.0, our statistical analysis, classification methodology, fault groupings, and presentation of that data constitute our original work and are protected by copyright and database rights.

13.4 Your Content: You keep ownership of content you submit (including business descriptions, logos, gallery images, Job descriptions, Job photos, Quotes and messages). You grant us a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide licence to host, display and use that content for the purpose of operating, improving and promoting the Website. You warrant that you own or have the rights to all content you submit and that it does not infringe any third party's rights. Job photos are used only to operate the Services and are not used for promotion.

14. Acceptable Use

You agree not to use the Website to:

• Misrepresent your identity, qualifications, insurance, or business.
• Submit false, misleading, or fraudulent information, including fake Listings, fake Jobs, or fake Quotes, or impersonate a business you do not own or represent.
• Post a Job you do not genuinely intend to have quoted, or submit a Quote you do not intend to honour.
• Use the Website to harass, defame, threaten or intimidate anyone.
• Contact a Car Owner other than through the Website before they have accepted your Quote, or attempt to obtain their contact details by any other means.
• Use contact details released to you under section 7.6 for marketing, or for anything other than the job that was accepted.
• Scrape, crawl, or use automated tools to extract data from the Website without our written permission.
• Attempt to gain unauthorised access to any part of the Website, other users' accounts, or our systems.
• Upload content that is unlawful, defamatory, obscene, threatening, or that infringes any third party's intellectual property rights, or upload malicious files.
• Send unsolicited communications (spam) to Car Owners or to businesses listed on the directory.
• Interfere with or disrupt the Website's operation, security, or performance, or circumvent any rate limit or usage control.
• Use the Website for any purpose that breaches applicable UK law.

We reserve the right to suspend or terminate your Account and remove any content that breaches these rules, without prior notice.

15. Limitation of Liability

For All Users

15.1 Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits our liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence, for fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation, or for any other liability that cannot lawfully be excluded or limited. Nothing in these Terms affects your statutory rights as a consumer.

15.2 The Website is provided on an "as-is" and "as-available" basis. We do not guarantee that it will be uninterrupted, error-free, or free from viruses or other harmful components.

15.3 We are not responsible for the work. As set out in section 5, we are not a party to the contract between a Car Owner and a Garage. We are not responsible for the work, conduct, pricing, timescales, or any act or omission of any Garage, or for any loss arising out of your dealings or contract with a Garage. Your rights in respect of the work itself are against the Garage.

For Car Owners (Consumers)

15.4 If you are a consumer, we are responsible for foreseeable loss or damage caused by our breaking these Terms or by our failure to use reasonable care and skill in providing our own Services. We are not responsible for loss or damage that is not foreseeable, or for loss arising from the work itself (see 15.3).

15.5 Our Services are provided to consumers free of charge. Subject to 15.1, and to the extent permitted by law, our total liability to a consumer for all claims arising under or in connection with these Terms will not exceed £100.

For Garages (Businesses)

15.6 If you use the Website as a business, then subject to 15.1 we are not liable for loss of profit, revenue, business, contracts, goodwill or data, or for any indirect or consequential loss, however arising.

15.7 Liability cap: subject to 15.1, our total aggregate liability to a business for all claims arising in any 12-month period will not exceed the greater of (a) the total sums you paid us in that period, and (b) one hundred pounds (£100).

16. Termination & Suspension

16.1 We may suspend or terminate your Account or remove your Listing immediately if we reasonably believe you have breached these Terms, engaged in illegal activity, or acted in a way that poses a risk to other users or to the Website.

16.2 Where possible, we will give you notice and an opportunity to remedy the breach before taking action. However, we reserve the right to act immediately where we consider it necessary to protect other users or the integrity of the Website.

16.3 You may terminate your Account at any time by contacting us. Any unused Lead Credits lapse on closure and are not exchangeable for money (see 9.3).

16.4 Upon termination, your right to use the Website ceases. Any provisions of these Terms that by their nature should survive termination (including sections on intellectual property, limitation of liability, and governing law) will continue to apply.

17. Accessibility Statement

17.1 We are committed to making CarGarages.co.uk accessible to as many people as possible, regardless of disability, ability, or technology. We aim to comply with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 at Level AA.

17.2 Measures we take:

• Semantic HTML structure with appropriate heading hierarchy
• Sufficient colour contrast ratios throughout the site
• Keyboard navigation support for all interactive elements
• Descriptive alt text for images
• ARIA labels on icons, buttons, and navigation elements
• Responsive design that works across screen sizes and devices
• Form labels and error messages associated with their inputs

17.3 Known limitations: While we strive to meet WCAG 2.1 AA, some third-party content (such as embedded Google Maps and payment provider forms) may not fully meet these standards as they are outside our direct control.

17.4 Feedback: If you experience any difficulty accessing or using the Website, or if you have suggestions for improving accessibility, please contact us. We take all accessibility feedback seriously and will do our best to address any issues promptly.

18. General

18.1 Governing Law: These Terms are governed by the law of England and Wales.

18.2 Jurisdiction: If you are a consumer, nothing in these Terms deprives you of the protection of the mandatory consumer-protection law of the part of the United Kingdom (England and Wales, Scotland, or Northern Ireland) in which you are habitually resident. You may bring proceedings in the courts of the part of the UK in which you are habitually resident, or in the courts of England and Wales; we will bring proceedings against a consumer only in the courts of the part of the UK in which they are habitually resident. If you use the Website as a business, the courts of England and Wales have exclusive jurisdiction.

18.3 Complaints & Disputes: If you have a complaint about our Services, please contact us. We will aim to resolve your complaint within 14 days. A complaint about the work itself should be raised with the Garage — see section 5.3. If we cannot resolve a dispute between us, you may be eligible to use an alternative dispute resolution (ADR) service, although we are not obliged to participate in ADR.

18.4 Severability: If any provision of these Terms is found to be invalid or unenforceable by a court, the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect.

18.5 No Waiver: Our failure to enforce any right or provision of these Terms does not constitute a waiver of that right or provision.

18.6 Entire Agreement: These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and us regarding your use of the Website and supersede any prior agreements.