Man charged with issuing 16 fraudulent MOT certificates as ‘Ghost MOTs’ are on the rise

Are the new DVSA rules around photographic proof going to be enough to curb this epidemic, let us know your thoughts

Man charged with issuing 16 fraudulent MOT certificates as ‘Ghost MOTs’ are on the rise

As we’ve been reporting on, the increasing number of fraudulent MOT certificates being issued, often ‘ghost MOTs,’ is becoming a threat to road safety across the UK.

The practice, which involves issuing a legal certificate without actually performing the mandated roadworthiness test, sometimes not even seeing the vehicle, fundamentally undermines the system designed to keep vehicles, and us, safe.

The most recent case highlights the severity of the issue, with Jamie Birch, of Widnes, appearing in court charged with 16 counts of fraud by false representation. It was alleged that the 42-year-old committed the offences at Tyre Hub, on Widnes Road, between December last year and January this year, by “issuing MOT certificates without performing the MOT test,” intending to gain for himself or another.

At Warrington Magistrates’ Court last Wednesday, Birch indicated guilty pleas to all charges. The case has been adjourned until December for sentencing, pending a pre-sentence report.

Sadly, this incident is not isolated. The motivation behind ‘ghost MOTs’ is purely financial, allowing drivers to avoid the cost of essential repairs needed to pass the annual safety check. But, the consequences are far-reaching. Being a legal requirement for vehicles over three years old, it ensures that critical components are checked regularly – such as brakes, lights, emissions and seatbelts to ensure they meet road safety and environmental standards.

While the DVSA have introduced methods to combat this, the number of ‘ghost MOTs’ we’re seeing is undoubtedly on the rise, meaing potentially dangerous defects are go unaddressed time and again.

This practice not only defrauds the system but puts all of us road users at risk from unsafe vehicles. As these cases become more frequent, the industry, DVSA and law enforcement must increase scrutiny to ensure the integrity of vehicle safety standards is maintained.

Let us know your thoughts below, how can the industry better combat ‘ghost MOTs’, and are the punishments too lenient?

11 Comments

  1. This has been happening for many many years only now technology makes it easier to see.

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  2. What about all the 40 year old cars driving around with NO MOT at all is’nt that dangerous also ?

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  3. the truth of the matter is the mot scheme is outdated and the public in a lot of cases avoid it
    the last few years as a testing station has become very hard and not cost effective
    a lot of us in the trade are getting older and fed up of our voices being ignored
    the whole thing needs updating and priced at a sustainable level for garages to operate at
    graham ernigrip motors limited

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  4. The mot log should be checked every morning by the AE this would highlight immediately an issue with fraudulent testing

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  5. The test fee needs to move with inflation to around £80-£90 & should be set so it cant be lowered by the garages that charge £25 then fail the vehicle to make up the shortfall in profits

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    • Totally agree

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    • Totally agree with this

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  6. bang on gareth the scheme needs looked at bring it up to date we have muppets up here doing mots for £30 fixed price and a increase in price dvsa did go on strike to get there pay rise what about us forgotten again

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  7. many times I suggested a fixed price mot must be implemented, but was constantly told it is illegal due to Consumer Rights Act, although the fast fit centres are the most guilty people who use the mot test fee as a loss leader to inflate huge bills that where just not neccessary, people in power have money shares invested in these companys which is why this issue is constantly ignored and accepted, motorists are used as cash cows simple as that, but independants small business owners who run their businesses to the book and struggle have to work stupid long hours just to survive barely paying their overheads and not even drawing their wages, these small independants are persecuted and targeted to find excuses to get them shut down, no competition means prices can be raised as the customer has no choice, who wants to work 15 hour days to try and make your business profitable and be able to be in a position eventually where you can work less and enjoy your life, but when you are constantly controlled by an establishment that hates hard workers and tax payers that have the right mentality mindset and decent morals things will never change , middle class citizens will not excists just crushed and not allowed to become independant and free from a controlled society , you will just be a slave with nothing or just rich and in bed with the corporations it is not a coincidence why our bills keep rising wages does not keep up so we naturally loose it all

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  8. There absolutely has to be a mandatory test fee, one price across the board.
    We all know times are hard and small independents like us have been struggling for years to try and make a living in an environment when only main dealers are able to charge full price for MOT’s.
    The minute I put the price of an MOT up to the full rate would be the minute I have no customers and should shut the doors. You could have a customer whose car you have looked after for years, built up a good relationship with and if the garage down the road did tests £5 cheaper, you’d never see them again.
    Motorists do not view the MOT as anything other than something else they have to pay, so if Joe Blogs will do it cheaper, they’ll go there regardless if that means they’ll come out with a fail list a mile long.
    If I had £1 for every time I’ve heard “I took my car to so and so and they’ve failed it on everything, will you have a look?” I wouldn’t need to worry about whether the price was standardised!
    If the price was mandatory, you wouldn’t have some garages offering £20 MOT’s and making their money through made up fails, that’s fraud in my view and it harms our industry’s reputation, making it all the more difficult for the rest of us who do the job properly and try to educate customers that an MOT test is the minimum safety level their vehicle needs to be at and that keeping on top of servicing and maintenance is actually cheaper in the long run.

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  9. Totally agree the mot fee should reflect my current labour rate especially with the added costs of calibration and maintenance of the test equipment

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