Office of Fair Trading inspections

The NSW Motor Traders Association has been informed that the NSW Office of Fair Trading (OFT) will be conducting inspections in the motor industry in 2010.

According to the MTA, the inspections will look at areas such as business licence, repair licences (including looking at the work carried out by non-licensed employees and tradespersons) and signage.

Key to the inspection issues is that any staff members that carry out repairs must be licensed.

The definition of repairs is: "Repair work includes examining, detecting faults in, adjusting, carrying out maintenance on, overhauling, replacing, altering and painting vehicles". (Source: NSW MOTOR VEHICLE REPAIRS ACT 1980, Section 4).

If staff carry out any of these functions they need to be certificated or a trainee or an apprentice.

Signage will also be a focus.

All repair workshops must display a licensed repairer sign and there are size and wording requirements for these signs. Compliant signs are available through the MTA Stationery Department at lesser rates for members.

For more information and assistance, contact the MTA on (02) 9213 4202.