Motorists in the UK are being encouraged to find out if their garage is approved by a set of industry-standard codes to make sure they are getting value for money.

The call comes after the Government accepted a number of proposals made by industry experts to help drive up standards.

The Motorists Forum has set out a raft of recommendations aimed at making sure motorists have the best possible consumer experience when having their vehicles serviced or repaired in a report released last week.

These will promote the wider adoption of self-regulation (OFT-TSI) codes of practice by garages and encourage greater publication of information regarding services they offer.

According to an AA survey , 78% of people always use the same garage meaning that only a minority of motorists shop around.

Road Safety Minister Stephen Hammond said: “I welcome the work carried out by the Motorists Forum and believe the recommendations will help build on existing best practice in the industry without the burden of extra legislation.

“It is important that consumers feel confident in the quality and the value for money of the services they are receiving from garages. The Forum’s report has offered some useful proposals for how this can be achieved more consistently.

“I would urge motorists to find out if their local garage has been approved by the codes to ensure they are getting a fair service and value for money.”

The Department for Transport and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills will now use their strong relationships with the industry and stakeholders to promote the adopted recommendations.