NCT Retest - All Dublin Test Centres already fully booked

d15ude

Registered User
Messages
21
Hi all!

I failed my test on the 22/02/2013
and therefore need to retest (for €28) until the 24/03/2013.

Called them on 15/03/2013, but all Dublin Centres already booked out until the 25/03/2013.

By my counting, 15/03/2013 was the last day of the 21 day booking limit.
See 14. here: [broken link removed]

Call Centre told me i could check for cancellations but if no comes up,
i would need to book a full test again!

Is this correct?
Would I not have the right to be retested for €28?
Especially as I was still within their 21 day limit.

--
Not sure whether this more of a consumer rights or motors topic.
 
They must give you a date in your local area within 3 weeks from the date you requested a test or give you free test according to their website
 
I am trying to plan ahead because the Skibberine test centre is an hours drive away and I need a Friday, so I am trying to book 6 weeks ahead of my due date online but the site will not give me a time of booking for any day that I bring up, I phoned the booking office and the said they would let me know. According to the NTC site a booking can be made 3 months in advance, there's something funny going on here.
 
When I was booking a test recently there was a 7 week waiting period because they were so busy. I did wonder if the car needed a retest how I would manage their timeframe. Luckily enough it passed.

If the information about their obligation to provide a retest within a certain period is correct then you should e-mail them to ensure you have something in writing. Confirm that you have tried using their on-line system but nothing is available which their call centre have confirmed. Tell them that you understand that this is their problem and how do they intend to resolve it.

I would also check with Consumer Affairs if they can give you any advice.
 
If you phone them and insist on a free test, (you need to specify you want a free test) they will find out a test appointment very quickly.
 
I must say I found them excellent to deal with.

I tried to book online, but the dates were too far away for the Deansgrange centre I wanted.

I called them and they answered the phone immediately ( It's terrible that I am actually impressed by this!)
She took my mobile number and told me they would text me when a cancellation came through.
Just got a text this minute giving me a day and time which suits.


IIRC, the last time, I had to check in with them every few days for a cancellation and ended up having to go to a centre which was less suitable for me.

Brendan
 
It's important to note that the OP waited three weeks to even look for a re-test and then was surprised not to get a date that suited him. Why didn't he book the day he failed?
 
I tried to book online, but the dates were too far away for the Deansgrange centre I wanted.

Aare you meant to receive a reminder/notification by post ? My own car, and my wife's, are due for NCT and neither of us received a reminder.

Also, is it just me, or is the website for self-booking a bit, eh, 'not very good' ? The identification of dates available is not intuitive.
 
It's important to note that the OP waited three weeks to even look for a re-test and then was surprised not to get a date that suited him. Why didn't he book the day he failed?

Maybe the OP waited 'til the work identified had been done before looking for a re-test ?
 
Aare you meant to receive a reminder/notification by post ? My own car, and my wife's, are due for NCT and neither of us received a reminder.

Also, is it just me, or is the website for self-booking a bit, eh, 'not very good' ? The identification of dates available is not intuitive.

No. You don't get a reminder. I was driving around last time completely unaware that my NCT had run out or was about to run out.

I had forgotten it this time as well, but the tax renewal reminder, had a line "NCT expires 15 May 2013"

When I looked at the site last year, I couldn't figure it out. But it turned out that all the dates had been booked out, so I had to move forward two months to find a date.

When I went to book this time, nothing happened. I tried a few times, but got no error message. When I called, the very helpful woman told me that this was because someone else had booked it while I was thinking about it.

Brendan
 
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