NCT Takes over 4 weeks to get appointment for .... do I have to pay

CFC1969

A Chara,


I got a letter on April 6th, giving me a date of today (May 17th), this is 6 weeks ago, is it true if you have to wait over 4 weeks, you get the test for free ......

pah

lol, doubt it, there's nothing free

Wile E. Coyote

If the NCTS cannot offer you a test date within 28 days, you are entitled to a free test.

http://www.rsa.ie/RSA/Licensed-Drivers/About-Your-Car/NCT/

Abelloid

If you asked on the phone when booking maybe, but now? Yes, you do have to pay.

Wile E. Coyote

JustinOval wrote: »

If you asked on the phone when booking maybe, but now? Yes, you do have to pay.

Why should he have to ask when booking? If they can't provide a test date within 28 days then it's free. Regardless of if you ask for it or not.

Welease

CFC1969 wrote: »

A Chara,


I got a letter on April 6th, giving me a date of today (May 17th), this is 6 weeks ago, is it true if you have to wait over 4 weeks, you get the test for free ......

As I understand it.. if you had to wait over 4 weeks for them to give you a date its free.. not if the date is over 4 weeks away.. So unless you made intial contact on or about 6th March (and had to wait until the 6th April for the appointment to be created), then you will be paying..

Abelloid

Wile E. Coyote wrote: »

Why should he have to ask when booking? If they can't provide a test date within 28 days then it's free. Regardless of if you ask for it or not.

How else would you know they couldn't get you a date within the four weeks?

Vertakill

I don't want to be mean here but this question comes up nearly once a week...

The wording is poor but the bottom line is... If you look for a test today and the centre don't have any available and they don't give you a date (doesn't matter when the date is) for your test within 4 weeks of your first enquiry, then you're entitled to a free test.

It doesn't mean, ring today and if their next free spot is in July, you get a free test.

Abelloid

This has been going around for ages, a quick search brings up loads of conflicting advice...

We need a locked sticky.

CFC1969

Thanks for all the help Lads, I get it now !!!!!

chasm

Jeez, this one again!! I think justinoval is right, a sticky is needed!!!!

You can get a free test if they can not provide you with a test date within 28 days-- ie if they cannot TEST your car WITHIN 28 days. If you ring them and request a date and they cannot provide a test date that falls within the next 28 days mention that you should get your test for free--they will come back with a date for you fairly quickly!!!

"Any customer who contacts NCTS and requests a test should be offered a test within 28 days, unless they request a later date to suit a particular time of day for example" said Road Safety Authority communications manager, Brian Farrell.

"In some cases no appropriate slot is available on the day of request, In that case generally the request is fulfilled the following day, once the next set of unconfirmed provisional booking slots are freed up and the test can be booked within the requisite period.

If the test request cannot be fulfilled at that stage, the customer is entitled to a free test" he said.

http://www.inishowennews.com/NCTrefund.htm

Abelloid

Thank you. That's how I read it too, by piecing together all that has been posted on the matter.

Yawns

Has anyone actually gotten a test date within the 4 weeks but the test was for say 6 weeks later. Have they gotten this free?

There's always 2 answers to this one. 1 is anything over 4 weeks is free.

The other one is once they give u a testing date within 4 weeks u have to pay. The test could be next year but once they provide a date within 4 weeks u still stump up.

So can someone clarify it and sticky it plz!

Effects

CFC1969 wrote: »

A Chara,


I got a letter on April 6th, giving me a date of today (May 17th), this is 6 weeks ago, is it true if you have to wait over 4 weeks, you get the test for free ......

It's not true. All you get is a free pizza when you get to the test centre.

chasm

Yawns wrote: »

Has anyone actually gotten a test date within the 4 weeks but the test was for say 6 weeks later. Have they gotten this free?

There's always 2 answers to this one. 1 is anything over 4 weeks is free.

The other one is once they give u a testing date within 4 weeks u have to pay. The test could be next year but once they provide a date within 4 weeks u still stump up.

So can someone clarify it and sticky it plz!

My Brother phoned for a test a couple of weeks ago as there were none available online, they said they couldnt provide him with a date at present, the "free test if not tested within 4 weeks" was mentioned to them....they phoned him the next day with an appointment for the following week.

What i stated in my post above is right--
If they cannot TEST your car WITHIN 28 days you are entitled to a free test

Yawns

No ur example only proves that they would have to provide a testing date within the 4 weeks not test the car within 4 weeks. All the links I have seen of people saying the car has to be tested in 4 weeks has confusing information. They still say a testing date within 4 weeks. Not a test, a testing date.

Abelloid

If it was just the issuing of a test date referred to in the charter wouldn't they just give out dates two months or more in advance, and that would be the end of it?

I really think it only applies if they cannot test your car within four weeks of ringing for a booking.

If you call and get a test date that is six weeks away but say nothing you will be charged.
Mention the charter and they will move your test date up, but if they can't fit you in within the four week period - no fee.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but that's how I read it.

Yawns

This is what annoys me. The wording in all articles I'v read so far can lead to either of the two outcomes. I'd love if something offical was said that 1 is right.

I hope I'm wrong tho as it would lead to them doing more freebies and therefore maybe forcing them to get thru the backlog as quick as possible.

chasm

Yawns wrote: »

No ur example only proves that they would have to provide a testing date within the 4 weeks not test the car within 4 weeks. All the links I have seen of people saying the car has to be tested in 4 weeks has confusing information. They still say a testing date within 4 weeks. Not a test, a testing date.

Not according to this (which i am getting fed up with having to keep quoting)
The guy says you should be offered a TEST he does not say a test date....

"Any customer who contacts NCTS and requests a test should be offered a test within 28 days, unless they request a later date to suit a particular time of day for example" said Road Safety Authority communications manager, Brian Farrell.

Yawns

chasm wrote: »

Not according to this (which i am getting fed up with having to keep quoting)
The guy says you should be offered a TEST he does not say a test date....

If you reread it you will find it does say a test date tho

chasm

Apologies for that, unfortunately that website wont allow copy/paste so i had to type it out myself, and must have made a mistake, but if anyone read the whole article it is fairly obvious that it is the test that has to be done within 28 days.

"if a customer requests a test and is not offered a slot within 28 days, or a free test, if appropriate, they should take the matter up with the NCTS customer services manager"

If it was a case of "as long as a date is given within 28 days", i don't see why they would have to bother with a free test tbh. If people want to believe that that is the case then leave them to it i say, let them pay their money!

Yawns

It is confusing and I for one would hope it was a case of a freebie if not a test itself in 28 days as it would make them hurry their asses.