Simple mistakes could cost drivers over £200
25/10/2024
As households continue to feel financial strain, savings experts at CompareNI.com warn of the simple mistakes that could cost drivers £221.
With fluctuating fuel and repair costs, drivers are now spending considerably more money to keep their cars on the road. With this in mind, CompareNI.com are warning drivers of a number of simple mistakes they should avoid in order to help save money:
Failure to show for practical driving test – Missed practical driving tests are at an all-time high. In 2021-22, the DVA recorded over 2,110 missed practical driving test appointments, the highest on record dating back to 2008-09.*
In Northern Ireland a practical driving test must be cancelled 6 days in advance if booked for a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday and 4 days in advance if booked for a Friday or Saturday.
If the driving test is not cancelled within this time frame customers cannot get a refund and will have to pay the full price for the missed appointment and book another, which could cost anywhere from £91-£125 depending on the time and day of the appointment.
Failure to show for theory test – Missed theory tests can also leave drivers to pay a significant amount of money. During the final quarter of 2022, the DVA recorded 3,044 customers that failed to attend a booked theory test. This represents 14% of all theory tests conducted during the quarter.
If you need to cancel or reschedule a theory test you must do so three working days before the test date to get a full refund. If not, you will have to pay the full £23.00 fee for your practical test. Rebooking a test will also cost a further £23.00 meaning drivers could face paying £46.00 as a result of missing a theory test.
Booking an MOT too late – As a result of the Covid-19 pandemic and widespread problems with testing equipment, the DVA have been experiencing a massive backlog of MOT appointments, resulting in low availability and delays, with many having to travel to other test centres for an available slot.
In a survey conducted by CompareNI.com on MOT delays, 32% of people said they had to drive 20 miles or more for an MOT appointment costing on average £6.00 in petrol. A further 20% said they had driven 30 miles or more costing around £9.00.**
Booking information shows that test centres across the country still have lengthy waiting times for an available MOT appointment.
| Challenges | Money wasted |
| Failure to show for a test – practical | £45.50-£62.50 |
| Rebooking another test – practical | £45.50-£62.50 |
| Failure to show for a test – theory | £23.00 |
| Rebooking another test – theory | £23.00 |
| Petrol charge for driving over 20 miles to the next available test centre | £6.00 |
| Failure to show for MOT test | £22.00 |
| Rebook MOT test | £22.00 |
| Total | £221 |
Failure to show for MOT tests – With drivers booking so far in advance for MOT tests, it’s easy to forget the time and date of the appointment. Missed MOT tests are at an all-time high. Data shows that over 13,310 vehicles failed to attend a booked vehicle test in the third quarter of 2022, the highest on record. For the full financial year 2021-22, almost 37,900 vehicles failed to attend a booked vehicle test, the highest in the DVA series and 17% higher than pre pandemic levels of 2018-19.
An appointment notice from the DVA will tell you the last day you can cancel your appointment. You must cancel by this date to get your fee refunded. If not, you will have to pay the full £22.00 plus another £22.00 to rebook, amounting to £44.00.
Commenting on the data, Ian Wilson, Managing Director of Northern Ireland’s largest price comparison website, CompareNI.com, said: “It’s important for drivers to grab savings where they can right now as costs of fuel, repairs and parts all soar, here’s over £200 worth of spends that could be easily avoided.
“It’s also hard to believe missed appointments are at an all-time high given their availability is so hard to come by and lengthy delays are still in place. It’s important that drivers do all they can to stop missing appointments and avoid paying for both their missed appointment and the rebooking – freeing up highly sought-after slots for other drivers and saving essential cash.
“If motorists have to cancel tests, just check the individual tests cancellation policy for timings, it can be done easily online or on the phone and they won’t be charged if they’re within the timeframe.
“If drivers are facing significant delays and driving on the road past the date of an MOT test, it is important to check the policy documents or speak to the insurer. Outside of regular MOTs, it is a consistent condition of insurance that owners maintain their vehicles in a safe and roadworthy state.”
Drivers can compare breakdown cover, electric car and van insurance, at CompareNI.com which has helped over 650,000 users find savings on everyday household bills and essentials.
References:
*https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/driving-test-fees#toc-1
**https://www.gov.uk/guidance/advisory-fuel-rates
This article is intended as generic information only and is not intended to apply to anybody’s specific circumstances, demands or needs. The views expressed are not intended to provide any financial service or to give any recommendation or advice. Products and services are only mentioned for illustrative rather than promotional purposes.