Seat Belt Fail

The MOT Station and mot tester you went to probably has been on here and read all the recent posts about this subject! Some testers are really nit picky seeing the slightest problem and the world has ended. As far as I'm concerned your seat belt is at most a pass and advise, it is slightly frayed, and there is a advisory text from government for that very defect you have. 

It’s a bit of a lottery as testers don’t agree the interpretation of this on this defect. I’d fail it too.

Oh, they’ve gone as far as the dangerous defect, that is a far more questionable decision. I’m not sure you’ll find many here that agree it’s a dangerous.

You should not drive a vehicle with a dangerous defect recorded, about 10% of customers pay any attention to that advise.

You’re in a bit of predicament, options as I see them.-

You could ask them for an appeal form, I’m 99.9% sure it’d be downgraded to a Major defect. That’d at least allow for you to drive it to another MOT station or place of repair. It also may make the current MOT station be a bit more diligent. Particularly if there is another tester there to give another opinion.

You could ignore the advice not to drive the car and take it elsewhere for either new test or repair. Risky, as you could end up arguing the toss with the law, but the dangerous is questionable anyway….

Ask them for a VT17 appeal form.
I would have thought that it would have been a pass and advise.

Thanks again everyone for your replies. I'd love to appeal it but I need the car so don't really have time to wait out the process, especially if the outcome is uncertain. I've called a few garages and quotes are all similar. Seems the belt from VW is £450 and nobody recommends using 2nd hand. The labour seems to be 1.5 - 2 hours so not much in it. I guess I'll have to bite the bullet. Would it be possible to somehow show the belt to someone as DVSA after just to see their answer? I assume not, it will be appeals process or nothing...

when you go back, ask them for a form VT17 anyway, it might get them worried and be looking out the window thinking they'll be getting a visit?

Why don’t you email the picture to csccomplaints@dvsa.gov.uk asking for initial advice, nothing to lose.

🤔 I sent some photos in 14th November. Got an acknowledgement 17th....Still waiting for advice....🙄

I do, but I wanted a written, validated reply in case the testers decision (which I fully agreed with) went to appeal.