Wragge & Co LLP projects and commercial teams have advised Motor Codes Ltd on the implementation of The Motor Industry Code of Practice for Service and Repair. The new consumer code aims to deliver the benefits of self-regulation to garages and their customers.

The Motor Industry Code of Practice for Service and Repair commits garages to an open, fair and responsible way of doing business and establishes a tough enforcement regime to deal with any instances of non-compliance. The code will help consumers identify reputable garages and encourage improvement in standards of customer service across the service and repair sector. It has successfully completed the first stage of the Office of Fair Trading's Consumer Codes Approval Scheme.

Wragge & Co Commercial partner David Lowe led the team, supported by associate Jessica Jones. They advised on project structuring, outsourcing agreements with the key service providers and the e-commerce aspects of the project. Director Claire Hughes provided employment advice. The team worked closely with Seftton Samuels, company secretary and head of legal services at the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

David Lowe said: "Motor Codes Ltd dared to have an ambitious vision – we were pleased they chose us to work with them on this project. They have developed a solution to the long-standing issues of consumer protection in the service and repair sector and we hope to see the motor industry transformed by this initiative."

Seftton Samuels at SMMT said: "We have a strong partnership with Wragge & Co and have worked with them on a number of key projects. They have a deep understanding of the automotive industry and, by providing advice and delivering innovative legal solutions throughout, they made an invaluable contribution to the success of this project."

Wragge & Co has a strong reputation in the automotive sector. With clients including Johnson Controls, GKN, Peugeot, Prodrive and TRW, its cross-firm team brings together technical excellence on corporate, employment, finance, dispute resolution, commercial and antitrust. Its 11 partner-strong projects and commercial teams combine sector focus with technical expertise. The firm is ranked sixth in the Chambers' list of commercial advisers to the FTSE 250.

Headline commercial deals include advising on matters as varied as the Host City contract for the 2012 Olympics, the supply of fuel by BP to Moto Service Stations, the procurement by the Ministry of Defence of two aircraft carriers and the outsourcing to CB Richard Ellis of the property management of HSBC's national estate. Its private sector clients include Birds Eye, HJ Heinz, CB Richard Ellis, GlaxoSmithKline, Teva, Cookson Group, BP and National Grid.

Notes to editors

1. Motors Codes Ltd (Motor Codes) is the company which has been nominated to administrate the code on behalf of the UK automotive industry.
2. Motor Codes has the backing of the SMMT and the Retail Motor Industry Federation (RMIF). SMMT and the RMIF together represent car manufacturers, franchised dealers and independent garages in the UK.
3. Motors Codes has successfully completed the first stage of the Office of Fair Trading's code approval scheme after demonstrating that the code promotes and safeguards consumer interests beyond the minimum requirements of consumer law.
4. On 29 August Motor Codes Ltd launched the code to consumers with around 4,000 garages already signed up to the code as pre-paid subscribers.
5. Any UK garage can subscribe to the code. Subscribers will set out and define practice in relation to advertising, the booking process, carrying out work, billing, staff, complaints handling and dispute resolution and disciplinary action.

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For further information about this press release, contact Kathryn Hobbs on +44 (0)121 685 2785, Rebecca Davies on +44 (0)121 685 3819, Gayle Redding on +44 (0)121 685 2708 or Rebecca Lum on +44 (0)121 260 9973

This press release may contain information of general interest about current legal issues, but does not give legal advice.