Garage refusing to provide invoice

So,

Back in April I had 2 of my bikes serviced and one MOT'd at a garage that we had not used before but came recommended on our local MCC FB page.

Its a proper business with a workshop etc.

On collecting the bikes we were advised the bill was £545 and that he didn't have a card machine, so we handed over the cash and asked for the invoice. We were told the invoices weren't ready and that he'd post them out. On getting the bikes home I also quickly noticed that one bike was missing the rubber stoppers that sit between the tank and the frame and stop the tank wobbling about and the other bike was missing a paddock stand bobbin. We contacted him and he said he had the parts and would get them to us.

The bikes received a free health check at another garage shortly after they were supposedly serviced as I noticed the brakes on one were much spongier/softer than they had been last time I'd rode it, the other bike was ok, the one with the off brakes the second garage were not confident it had been recently serviced. So we contacted first garage again for invoices, were told he'd send them out...

So we waited...

Long story short its now 6months later, I've contacted him 5 times requesting the invoices and parts each time he's said he'd send them out and nothing. My last msg he did not reply to.

This is actually the second time this has happened to me (theres a lesson to be learned) except last time the guy admitted he wouldn't give us an invoice as he'd been reported to the hmrc and been caught being dodgy (and I've since found out that that guy used to work for the garage who are now refusing to give me invoices!)

Is there anything I can actually do about this?

Citizens advice bureau and possibly consumer ombudsman?

tell hmrc he is doing cash in hand jobs to avoid tax

let them get on his case

as for the money you have spent for by the looks of it services not received I would put it down to experience and learn that people will rob you blind given half the chance and next time spend the money on tools and do the work yourself and with the extra change you would have let Mr iiisecondcreep take you out for a slap up meal

Aww man that sucks Like you I am way to trusting and could see myself making a similar mistake

I'm with others CAB can be good for things like this, just be aware they are super busy most of the time so be concise and clear with your information, have it all ready to go.

As Stu has said HMRC must be interested in the way he's running a business..

Also name and shame, tell the bike group you found out about him from that he's crap and let us know so people in your area don't waste their time also..

Have a good snuggle and hot chocolate to cheer yourself up, some people are just w**kers!

Can of petrol and a box of matches. Problem solved.

i would give him the option of providing copy invoices as he must have them as he has sent some out originally and let him know that he has 7 days in which to supply them or you will have to look at taking steps to report him as the fact he has replied to you in the past proves he has done the work or was meant to of done the work then if he fails to respond go to hmrc trading standards and whoever else you can report him to in scotland and dont forget to inform him that you will after the seven days be making a public post about it if needs be

thanks for all the replies and suggestions guys, I have tried to get in touch with the CAB but unfortunately they've been extremely busy. My OH actually managed to get in touch with him on the phone yesterday and his excuse was that his business partner had lost interest in the business and all invoices are now with the accountant? But this apparently happened in late july which was still 3 months after my bikes were serviced and I'd already requested invoices a few times by that point so whether its true or not its irrelevant. So he said he'd get the invoices to me once he gets stuff back from the accountant, in about a month?

I'll hang on in the hope of getting the invoices before naming and shaming but that'll be his last chance. Joker!

Why is it so hard to find a reliable bike mechanic

(We've got the tools and tried doing the work ourselves in the past, but I HATE it and we don't have a garage anyway!)

I would have thought your local Trading Standards office would be interested in this. CAB can offer advice but I think Trading Standards has more teeth.

thanks for all the replies and suggestions guys, I have tried to get in touch with the CAB but unfortunately they've been extremely busy. My OH actually managed to get in touch with him on the phone yesterday and his excuse was that his business partner had lost interest in the business and all invoices are now with the accountant? But this apparently happened in late july which was still 3 months after my bikes were serviced and I'd already requested invoices a few times by that point so whether its true or not its irrelevant. So he said he'd get the invoices to me once he gets stuff back from the accountant, in about a month?

Dunno, but that sounds like a classic delaying tactic to me . I'd suggest to continue with the CAB at the same time as waiting out the month.

thanks for all the replies and suggestions guys, I have tried to get in touch with the CAB but unfortunately they've been extremely busy. My OH actually managed to get in touch with him on the phone yesterday and his excuse was that his business partner had lost interest in the business and all invoices are now with the accountant? But this apparently happened in late july which was still 3 months after my bikes were serviced and I'd already requested invoices a few times by that point so whether its true or not its irrelevant. So he said he'd get the invoices to me once he gets stuff back from the accountant, in about a month?

I'll hang on in the hope of getting the invoices before naming and shaming but that'll be his last chance. Joker!

Why is it so hard to find a reliable bike mechanic

(We've got the tools and tried doing the work ourselves in the past, but I HATE it and we don't have a garage anyway!)

Sounds like absolute crap to me too.

Trading Standards and a call to the tax bods. If you can't trust them to run a clean business then you can't trust them with your machine. And name &a shame to all local folks so they don't get stiffed.

thanks for all the replies and suggestions guys, I have tried to get in touch with the CAB but unfortunately they've been extremely busy. My OH actually managed to get in touch with him on the phone yesterday and his excuse was that his business partner had lost interest in the business and all invoices are now with the accountant? But this apparently happened in late july which was still 3 months after my bikes were serviced and I'd already requested invoices a few times by that point so whether its true or not its irrelevant. So he said he'd get the invoices to me once he gets stuff back from the accountant, in about a month?

Dunno, but that sounds like a classic delaying tactic to me . I'd suggest to continue with the CAB at the same time as waiting out the month.

Good idea, I'll do that

he can get copies of the invoices he needs in a phone call to the accountant so back with him in 4 days in the post and with you within 7 days so i would be telling him he has got 7 days as he has had since april 7 days is more than fair and then you go to trading standards cab and everyone else dont let him keep putting you off gayle as others have said he is just hoping you will go away so get tough with him

Why is it so hard to find a reliable bike mechanic

Tell me about it! Had enough bad experiences that even now I think I've found a good one, I find myself expecting to be f**ked over every time I leave something with them! Shame that so many bad eggs ruin it for the decent ones like the place I'm using these days (touch wood), seriously not cool!

Why is it so hard to find a reliable bike mechanic

Tell me about it! Had enough bad experiences that even now I think I've found a good one, I find myself expecting to be f**ked over every time I leave something with them! Shame that so many bad eggs ruin it for the decent ones like the place I'm using these days (touch wood), seriously not cool!

Who do you use Rant? Or what I really should ask is who have you stopped using? I'm a bit clueless when it comes this kind of stuff.

Why is it so hard to find a reliable bike mechanic

Tell me about it! Had enough bad experiences that even now I think I've found a good one, I find myself expecting to be f**ked over every time I leave something with them! Shame that so many bad eggs ruin it for the decent ones like the place I'm using these days (touch wood), seriously not cool!

Who do you use Rant? Or what I really should ask is who have you stopped using? I'm a bit clueless when it comes this kind of stuff.

Well there was a place in Bedford that I bought my first bike from, they were utter turds...

Used Cambridge motorcycles and was not impressed. Very friendly, but not impressed by the work they did, especially considering they claim to have a trained BMW specialist... misdiagnosed a collapsed bell crank bearing, mucked up my Scotoiler when replacing the inlet manifold, and when I got them to re-thread my sump plug because the previous owner had knackered the thread... they over torqued the plug when they put it back in. Like, the torque value for the F650GS sump was about 25nm and I couldn't get it off even with my 300nm torque wrench. Had to get them to come and collect the bike in order to remove it for me (clutch was playing up at the time so couldn't ride it there), and they still charged me for the pleasure. And mangled the plug in the process, so I had to buy a new one. And the service was almost always really slow with few/no progress updates, had to chase them constantly. Lots of promises of calls, but the calls never actually happened. Also lots of excuses about parts availability causing delays, which I found funny as I never had a problem with parts when fixing that bike up - and I used the same supplier, Motorworks.

These days I'm using Motoworks on Histon Road, down the little side street opposite the petrol station and Aldi/Iceland. Not had anything too heavy done by them yet, but so far the prices have always been good and the service ultra fast. Had to get them to bail me out when a fork rebuild went awry, and they did way more work than originally requested while staying within the quoted price - absolute life saver as I was due to move house the next day and would've been hard pushed to finish the job myself. All younger lads and they seem pretty passionate about what they do, which I take as a good sign.

Buy some tools and the service manual for your bike, watch some YouTube vids and teach Yourself. Bikes are not too complicated tbh And you will KNOW the jobs been done right.

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Well there was a place in Bedford that I bought my first bike from, they were utter turds...

Used Cambridge motorcycles and was not impressed. Very friendly, but not impressed by the work they did, especially considering they claim to have a trained BMW specialist... misdiagnosed a collapsed bell crank bearing, mucked up my Scotoiler when replacing the inlet manifold, and when I got them to re-thread my sump plug because the previous owner had knackered the thread... they over torqued the plug when they put it back in. Like, the torque value for the F650GS sump was about 25nm and I couldn't get it off even with my 300nm torque wrench. Had to get them to come and collect the bike in order to remove it for me (clutch was playing up at the time so couldn't ride it there), and they still charged me for the pleasure. And mangled the plug in the process, so I had to buy a new one. And the service was almost always really slow with few/no progress updates, had to chase them constantly. Lots of promises of calls, but the calls never actually happened. Also lots of excuses about parts availability causing delays, which I found funny as I never had a problem with parts when fixing that bike up - and I used the same supplier, Motorworks.

These days I'm using Motoworks on Histon Road, down the little side street opposite the petrol station and Aldi/Iceland. Not had anything too heavy done by them yet, but so far the prices have always been good and the service ultra fast. Had to get them to bail me out when a fork rebuild went awry, and they did way more work than originally requested while staying within the quoted price - absolute life saver as I was due to move house the next day and would've been hard pushed to finish the job myself. All younger lads and they seem pretty passionate about what they do, which I take as a good sign.

Ta. I used to take my old CB500 to Cambridge Motorcycles, and yes, they're very friendly and yes it could be a bit rough if they needed to get parts, although Phil has lent me his Fazer 1000 while mine was laid up in the shop waiting for them to come in. I've never had anything go wrong with the work they've done. Mainly I've stopped going there because it awkward to get to from where I work now.

I've also used M&M in Waterbeach for MOTs and tyres. Also friendly and it's worth going there just for the rook that lives in the shop. Never had them do any real work so I can't say what they're like. Funny: they've recommended Motoworks too.

sorry

two months later and guess what.

Still no invoice, still no parts.

That is horrible, I suspect you may have to write them off and go elsewhere. I did use a guy in Kirkintilloch for a while till he disappeared. Then I used a place in Paisley till he chucked it. Then the place in Renfrew has changed hands, but has been fine with both owners. I think the problem is so many motorcycle garages come and go.

I sent the guy a message asking what the deal was, he's still blaming the accountant and the business partner he's buying out.... says it'll now be the new year before he can get the invoice?!?!

Although he then said to tell him how much I paid him and he'll make me a new invoice.

I questioned this and he said he can remember what work was done on the bikes. If he can remember then why does he need me to tell him how much it was to re do the invoice?

At this point I was too raging to continue with the conversation.

He's just expanded the business so I don't think he'll be disappearing any time soon.

if he has a facebook page then post up on there about it making it very public indeed it normally triggers a faster reaction to sort out the problem

just tell him that you will contact HMR and that you paid cash.

if this doesn't put the shit up him then inform the HMR they will go through his account like a dose of salt.

and any discrepancy in his account then he's in big trouble believe me.

he'll most likely not declared the money off you and how many others hes not declared.

if can't prove all his income the taxman will guesstimate and they come up with a high no he has no choice but to pay.

if he contest it he'll end up paying more..

Would be good for the rest of us to know where so none of us get stung. Although to be honest I normally do my own work, it gets more attention that way. It's nice to have a reliable place when you're short of time or need a specific tool though.

This was Street Evolution Motorcycles in Fife. Much further than we'd usually travel but he came highly recommended and we've really struggled to find anyone reliable locally. I've not heard any other complaints about him so maybe its just us. Regardless, we certainly won't use him again or recommend him.

Where are you located?