The owner of a car body repair company has been fined for failing to comply with two improvement notices.

Christopher Hutton, trading as Auto Bodyworks and Wheel Clinic of Storforth Lane Trading Estate, Hasland, Chesterfield, was prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Chesterfield Magistrates’ Court heard an inspection was carried out by HSE on 30 April 2014, and following that information was requested by HSE to determine that legal duties had been complied with.

Our driver was returning a customer’s car after we had repaired it. He was pulled over at a check point along with other road users and the police officer told him that the vehicle did not have an MOT and started to write up a ticket to our driver. Our driver then realised the vehicle was less than three years old, and pointed this out to the police officer who acknowledged his mistake and apologised and let him carry on his journey.

The question I have is “who is actually responsible for the MOT being in date” and is it correct the driver will be responsible for any fines or points issued.

Also if we get the our customer to sign a document to say it is MOT’d would that then exonerate my driver?

When reading a possible work provider contract one of the terms says essentially that I will comply with the Financial Conduct Authority, ‘FCA’, Principles for Business. What are they? And why are they in the work provider contract?

In answer to your first question ‘What are they?’

We have received what looks like an official looking letter saying that we need to be registered because we process data. The letter confirms that there is a charge of £185 to register.

Do we need to be registered?  And should we pay the requested amount?