NCT, Applus and waiting times

Nugawn

I am a little surprised not to be able to find a live thread on the approach taken by Applus to providing the State required NCT, so perhaps the RSA are right in saying that the general public are happy with the NCT.

here beginneth the Rant.

I called NCT a couple of weeks back to book a test only to be told that I could not get a test until October. Needless to say I was "gobsmacked". And said so. Then, and only then, I was told if I wanted I could go on a priority waiting list as "we'll be releasing a few slots in a couple of weeks". Now maybe it is me, but if I were to call Ryanair in the hope of getting a flight in a couple of weeks, only to be told there are none available until October I might accept it and go to Aer Lingus. But if Ryanair is the only provider and when I express surprise about the lack of flights I get told, well there might be a flight in a couple of weeks but I don't know when but I can call you when I know I might think there was something odd going on.

Anyway I wrote to Applus and asked what the story was and got a cock-a-mamie story back and a clear determination on their part to identify (and presumably bawl out) the poor little person doing the front line job plus an offer to arrange a test at my convenience. even aside from the morality of that I find it weird that I cannot book a test online or by phone at my convenience but because I complain I can be accommodated.

I wrote back and pointed out the flaws in their argument and questioning their business approach - a business approach accommodated by their having a State monopoly on the service provision - and got an even more cringeworthy response and another promise to fix things for me - wink wink.

I finally got a more rational response from the RSA on this and have been told that Applus are in full compliance with their contract, that most people don't wait more than 21 days for a test and effectively that my complaint is groundless. nevertheless I still cannot get a test until the end of October.

I would be interested to know others' experience of getting appointments or if I just got unlucky.

rex-x

I NCT'd my 3 cars this month, had no issues getting a test within 3 days for each one, without evening having to ring, just from the website

emeldc

I'm with you there OP. I live in KK and tried to NCT my car in March only to be told that the earliest date was July.
As I was going to be in Dublin the following Sunday, I checked with Greenhills and they accommodated me no problem.
My only other option was to drive to Carlow which is a good 45mins from me. They would have seen me there in 3 weeks but it's a 100km round trip.

bookworms

Went to book mine on 26th May as my NCT was due up on 7th July. Plenty of time I thought. Earliest I could get was 27th August. What a joke of a system. Obviously testing 10 year old cars annually is adding to the backlog!:mad:

corktina

Nugawn wrote: »

I am a little surprised not to be able to find a live thread on the approach taken by Applus to providing the State required NCT, so perhaps the RSA are right in saying that the general public are happy with the NCT.

here beginneth the Rant.

I called NCT a couple of weeks back to book a test only to be told that I could not get a test until October. Needless to say I was "gobsmacked". And said so. Then, and only then, I was told if I wanted I could go on a priority waiting list as "we'll be releasing a few slots in a couple of weeks". Now maybe it is me, but if I were to call Ryanair in the hope of getting a flight in a couple of weeks, only to be told there are none available until October I might accept it and go to Aer Lingus. But if Ryanair is the only provider and when I express surprise about the lack of flights I get told, well there might be a flight in a couple of weeks but I don't know when but I can call you when I know I might think there was something odd going on.

Anyway I wrote to Applus and asked what the story was and got a cock-a-mamie story back and a clear determination on their part to identify (and presumably bawl out) the poor little person doing the front line job plus an offer to arrange a test at my convenience. even aside from the morality of that I find it weird that I cannot book a test online or by phone at my convenience but because I complain I can be accommodated.

I wrote back and pointed out the flaws in their argument and questioning their business approach - a business approach accommodated by their having a State monopoly on the service provision - and got an even more cringeworthy response and another promise to fix things for me - wink wink.

I finally got a more rational response from the RSA on this and have been told that Applus are in full compliance with their contract, that most people don't wait more than 21 days for a test and effectively that my complaint is groundless. nevertheless I still cannot get a test until the end of October.

I would be interested to know others' experience of getting appointments or if I just got unlucky.

you didn't look far, this forum is lousy with questions like yours and each time we tell them, phone and you'll get an appointment within days.

quadrifoglio verde

I went to book online for the test, told me no test available for next three months in the areas I was looking in. Rang them up and two weeks later I had my test.

I don't know where the flaw is in the system but it seems if you book online then you have to do as the computer says where as if you ring them up a human can over ride the Machine.

Also there isn't anywhere near enough test centres in the large urban areas, this can lead to the lack of available slots.

Nugawn

@Corktina
I did look and could not find anything recent about waiting times, plenty about failed tests; and I did call, most recently today, and they say nothing doing until October but we will text you when something is doing. Still waiting for that text. And I don't think I should be chasing them.

corktina

tell them they must give you a free test if they can't give you ne within 30 days

mgbgt1978

You don't have to chase them. Just phone them once, request a test within 28 days, wait a couple of days for a text with an apppointment.
If the appointment doesn't suit you, contct them and ask for another date (you can do this twice but if you refuse the third offer you will not be eligible for a free test.....not that you were going to get this anyway).

The main issue appears to lie in the notification process. While their contract (they can call it a customer charter, but it's really part of their contract with our fine government) stipulates that they must test your car within 28 days of you contacting them, there is no mention of the delay between you asking for a test and them coming back to you with a date.

.....@Corkie, not life or death I know, but it's 4 weeks (28 days) rather than 30 days.

Nugawn

Thanks folks for the suggestions

Thing is I have done all that and still no budging - it may just be my test centre. For a variety of reasons I am really only able to it in one place and therein may be the problem. If I am prepared to take the car on a 150KM round trip I might get it faster but I can't. And still the issue is the mismatch between website and phone system.

bladebrew

I had the same problem, I normally get my car tested fairly early but I wasn't driving it for half the year,when I went to get it tested the dates online stretched into late October, I kept checking every night for 3 nights I think, then one night just after 11:30pm I looked and there was a slot in under 2 weeks so I booked it straight away,
it might not work for everyone but it is worth a try,

Edit: I didn't believe the 11:30 thing until I tried it and it worked!

visual

NCT expired booking online in early july at Fonthill Dublin 22. earliest date was 3rd week in September

booked the only remaining slot on the saturday.

On previous years booking where in weeks not months.

emeldc

corktina wrote: »

tell them they must give you a free test if they can't give you ne within 30 days

Correct. But they will offer you a test at some other centre within the 30 days which for me was 40 miles away.

visual

Bottom line is they have reached peak capacity long ago and RSA keep feeding them more work.

Test all cars over 10 years annually
Allow owners book up to 180 days in advance
test from reg date to reg date instead of a logical sensible set period from date of test.

RSA need to be taking some flack for the flawed system they have put in place.

Kamili

I'm having the exact same issues as the OP, having rang them and been given nothing. Mentioned the free test and pretty much got told I will be put on the priority list and hung up on by the person on the phone. No date given and nothing since.

For some reason I've been blocked from the online system on top of that.

Shambles of a system.

Yarisbob

I rang them and told them that I wanted a weekend evening - Got a text within 2 days and got done and dusted in 2 weeks.

I take it somebody might have rescheduled or cancelled in fairness

Nugawn

So a date on 6 October appears to have opened up but I discovered this morning that if you go on the priority list your previous appointment is cancelled and then you have to take whatever they offer! that is not mentioned anywhere on the website. And there is nothing on offer at the moment.

mgbgt1978

emeldc wrote: »

Correct. But they will offer you a test at some other centre within the 30 days which for me was 40 miles away.

The customer chooses the Test Centre....not the NCT. You phone them, request a test at a particular centre within 28 days.
Then you wait a few days for them to do the work, rather than the customer checking for slots every hour.
If they are unable to offer a slot at the centre you have chosen (within 28 days) then the test is free.....Never gonna happen though

Kamili

mgbgt1978 wrote: »

The customer chooses the Test Centre....not the NCT. You phone them, request a test at a particular centre within 28 days.
Then you wait a few days for them to do the work, rather than the customer checking for slots every hour.
If they are unable to offer a slot at the centre you have chosen (within 28 days) then the test is free.....Never gonna happen though

I'm four days waiting for a response after attempting the above...

JohnBoy26

mgbgt1978 wrote: »

The customer chooses the Test Centre....not the NCT. You phone them, request a test at a particular centre within 28 days.
Then you wait a few days for them to do the work, rather than the customer checking for slots every hour.
If they are unable to offer a slot at the centre you have chosen (within 28 days) then the test is free.....Never gonna happen though

some people have got free tests in the past due to this. I don't know if its a very common occurrence though.

mgbgt1978

People you personally know, or just a story about a friend of a friend ?

Nobody has ever come on here with a report of a free test due to the 28 day rule.

bazz26

People generally have a tendency to only post in these type threads to complain about some aspect of the NCT.

JohnBoy26

mgbgt1978 wrote: »

People you personally know, or just a story about a friend of a friend ?

Nobody has ever come on here with a report of a free test due to the 28 day rule.

I personally know of one, they got a free test last year.

emeldc

The cynic in me says you have less chance of passing a free test:rolleyes:

mgbgt1978

JohnBoy26 wrote: »

I personally know of one, they got a free test last year.

Copy of receipt......(with a few zero's at the bottom)

Rega

bladebrew wrote: »

I had the same problem, I normally get my car tested fairly early but I wasn't driving it for half the year,when I went to get it tested the dates online stretched into late October, I kept checking every night for 3 nights I think, then one night just after 11:30pm I looked and there was a slot in under 2 weeks so I booked it straight away,
it might not work for everyone but it is worth a try,

Edit: I didn't believe the 11:30 thing until I tried it and it worked!

Thanks for the heads up! Checking the last few days for my car which is up at the end of the month. Couldn't get an appointment until the end of October online. Just checked at 11:30 and got one for next week!