MYSTERY shoppers are to visit a random selection of the 2,500 garages in Yorkshire and Humberside to check customers are getting a fair deal.

Teams of undercover Government inspectors are to carry out secret tests of car garages, following a flood of complaints from consumers.

A recent investigation found that 40 per cent of garages were thought to be providing a poor service on car repairs and servicing, forcing people to pay extra to have mistakes put right.

Now a Government-led task force has recommended a series of measures to improve car servicing and repairs.

These include new minimum standards, advice for consumers, improved customer feedback and stronger codes of practice.

Colin Rumford, head of Trading Standards at City of York Council, said: "We are welcoming the proposals.

"We have been operating a good garage scheme for a couple of years, but there is a factor persisting in deceiving customers and we need to work to stamp this out."

The undercover testing has been designed to rid the industry of what were "unacceptable standards" for consumers.

And the Government warned it may bring in new regulations unless the trade takes strong action to rebuild consumer confidence.

The report, published yesterday, highlighted stories where unscrupulous garages had ripped off unsuspecting customers.

One York man told the Evening Press how a garage tried to charge him for work which did not need doing.

Graham Winnell, of Clifton, said he was told by a garage that he urgently needed new brake discs at a cost of £160.

But a friend who worked as a car mechanic insisted the brakes had another 15,000 miles of wear on them.

Mr Winnell, 33, said: "I went to the first garage because it was part of an established chain and I recognised the name.

"Garages try to take advantage of customers who trust them and don't know any better."

The car repair industry is being asked to look at the new recommendations.

Updated: 12:32 Thursday, September 20, 2001