Employers’ responsibility for vehicle maintenance: how far does it go?

Andrew Hack
Member - 1 post

With regard to employees using private vehicles for work purposes - is a valid MOT certificate adequate in ensuring roadworthiness?

Iain Sanderson
Member - 39 posts

NO. An MOT certificate only indicates that at the time of inspection the vehicle was road worthy in terms of the test carried out.

Melanie Brittain
Member - 1 post

"My view is that you have to make sure the safety critical systems are properly maintained such as brakes, steering and tyres."

What suggestions are there for employers to obtain sufficient assurance that these safety critical systems are maintained on employees private vehicles?

Kevin Brown
Member - 110 posts

The advice in the interview is that although employers customarily ask for declarations that (a) the driver has a valid driving license, (b) has a current MOT certificate, (c) has the appropriate insurance cover (i.e. includes business use) and (d) the vehicle is properly serviced, that this is not enough. I present my driving license for inspection at regular intervals and a number of insurance certificates are called in at random for inspection (to check that the declarations are worth the paper they're printed on). The MOT is only a 'snapshot' on the date of the inspection and you need a current MOT to renew the vehicle excise license anyway, so make of that what you will.
The main nettle to grasp is the servicing issue, particularly the safety critical systems. These are, after all, employee's cars and you'd think the majority of drivers would have the common sense and enlightened self interest to ensure their cars are safe. What percentage of them, particularly those driving used cars, use main dealers and stick to service schedules outside warranty periods I wouldn't care to guess at. Perhaps, if we're deriving the not-inconsiderable benefit of employees using their own cars we should require (as part of the expenses package) that regular servicing should take place and that proof of this should be made available.
As a suggestiion, perhaps a deal with a local service garage with a bulk discount, might be an attractive proposition and benefit employer and employee alike.