NCT. We'll tell you when to come

Wildly Boaring

Car due in February. Heard there was a long wait so went on just now to book in.

Next available date in my local, Drogheda, 15th of July. Suggested, Kells, start of June.

So now I fill in a little online form and they'll come back to me with when available. So I'll have to sort my day/work/child care around what best suits the NCT centre.

This service used to work properly. This is a private company with a monopoly on a mandatory cert. Time to kill that cartel due to performance. Allow a bit of competition.

Surely we're long enough after covid lockdowns to have some semblance on normality. what toothles state agency is allowing this without massive performance related fines.

I don't expect to go on and get a test next week or even this side of Christmas. But surely with a month? Too much to ask?

Larbre34

I haven't had a cert since March 2021. Car is taxed, insured and serviced to the highest standard.

I haven't been challenged by a Garda yet, but if I am, I'll politely refer them to the operators of the NCT.

I'm done with the sh1tshow that is the NCT. It should be entirely suspended until those operating it and those who have contracted them to do so, can find a way to operate it efficiently and effectively.

I'd suggest anyone else reading this do the same.

Whocare

What are people's problems phone them up and you get test within month. Got my one in cork within 3 weeks if booked on website it was like 3 months time

Whocare

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119980714#Comment_119980714

Your taking the piss I hope you be walking soon

bucketybuck

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119980714#Comment_119980714

Yes, I'm sure saying that you are "done with it" and referring them to the "NCT" is all we need to do to become exempt.

Wildly Boaring

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119981463#Comment_119981463

Well my main problem as per the OP is I'd like a service that works. You go on the website and book a slot that suits you.

Instead the website might as well not exist. Their contract with the government with the agreed service levels are not being met.

.

Because it's shite, plenty are driving around without one. Which isnt really the idea

SCOOP 64

NCT booked October due November appointment March. why not close down on line site if you get only get a earlier appointment by phone.

zg3409

You get a better result if you ring the helpline and ask on the phone for priority. The website priority is a joke. They only give out priority dates about 3 weeks ahead so if your nct is not out for a few months you won't get a date well in advance. If your nct is fully out you should get a date within a few weeks or it's supposed to be free, but if you push the free test line you just get a sooner test date. If you manage a free test it may hurt them financially.

Quote

You will be provided with a test, free of charge, where an appointment cannot be offered within a 28 day period, unless any of the following apply:

the test is overdue by more than 7 days at the time of contacting us;

an appointment was offered 7 days or more prior to the test due date;

you have made specific requests regarding suitable days, times or dates;

you have declined or rearranged two or more appointments;

you have failed to attend an appointment; or

you have previously accepted or requested an appointment outside of the 28 day period.

So – if you’re given an appointment which is at least a week before your due date – it doesn’t matter how many weeks away it is – you won’t get it for free. Also – the free test doesn’t apply if your NCT had expired by more than 7 days when you first contacted NCT.

Don’t accept a booking date online or over the phone which is more than 4 weeks away – because then you will fail the criteria for getting the free test. If that is all they offer you – then point out that it must be free according to their charter.

In 2015 NCTS had to do 81,000 tests for free because of delays – (according to the annual review by the RSA) – so don’t think it doesn’t happen.

Larbre34

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119981481#Comment_119981481

Its 'you're' and I won't be.

I'm very good at persuading District Court judges that the State is derelict in its duty.

hoodie6029

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119983197#Comment_119983197

😂😂😂

Let me know when your up in Court next. Would love to see you’re performance.

Pflano

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119982001#Comment_119982001

This is interesting - I had never heard of the free tests. This is my situation:

NCT was due last August. Checked online and earliest available date was January so rang them. Got placed on a "cancellation" list. Got a date in Sept which I had to cancel as I was away on holiday then. Then got a date for today. Test was supposed to be at 10.45 but at 8 am I got a text and an email to say my test was cancelled for "operational reasons", my test fee was being refunded and I was to re-book online. Pain in the hoop as I'd booked time off work for it and also had the car fully serviced last week (which needed to be done, in fairness).

Can you tell me if you see anything here that would make me eligible for a free test?

thanks zg3409

User1998

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119986714#Comment_119986714

The free test thing is suspended due to covid

enricoh

Think the pay is poor enough n they are losing tons of staff. Bringing in lads from the Philippines apparently to try get up to speed.

zg3409

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119986714#Comment_119986714

It says if you decided to cancel a test (which you did) you are out if luck.

I didnt know the free test was suspended due to "covid". It does seem nct can't get staff or keep staff, probably due to pay and conditions, so they can never catch up on waiting lists. Something needs to be done, but it looks like it will not happen. From an nct point if view they would probably make more money if customers could get early tests as many are not bothering at all or if they are are going 6 months after expiry, as the standard wait is so long. My other nct exempt car is looking better now!, 40 years old...so old it's "safe"

User1998

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119987290#Comment_119987290

They brought testers from Spain because its the same company that does testing over there. Its only for 3 busy centres in Dublin

golondrinas

Well the test in Spain is completely different and costs about €33 euro. Last time I did test here I had to leave the car with them for 45 minutes. In Spain I stayed with the car , took around 5 minutes to test and secured the test within a few days. Sometimes I wonder if we’re in the same EU!!

Patrick2010

Usual length test I've had was 15-20 minutes at the most, would be very worried if they were still examining after 45 minutes!

Old diesel

My recommendation is keep trying the site in various locations for a test.

Last week I was finding dates for THIS week.

On free tests - its still on their site under their charter.

Old diesel

Can be a massive difference between centres even in same area.

Tralee 9th of January.

Killarney 24th of May

Blarney (Cork) 19th April

Little Island (Cork) 11th of January

From when I looked this afternoon.

Some folk think it's worth trying at 11 or 12 at night.

DaveyDave

It's crap, but it's fairly well known at this stage that tests are 6 months out and you can call them to get a test sooner. It might not be the most ideal time (I had to leave work an hour early and my sister's test as at 9pm). Call them and you'll have a test within 4-5 weeks. I did this with two cars this year.

seagull

Last time, it took 4 weeks for them to come back to me with a date, and the test was a further 4 weeks out. That was with both cars. So 2 months from phoning them to getting the test done.

_ptashek_

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058275245/nct-well-tell-you-when-to-come

Same here. Test due mid-January, no dates anywhere within sensible driving distance (<= 50km) around Dublin before last week of June 2023!

Put on "priority waiting list", hoping to get a test before current expires.

What in the world is going on with the Applus crowd? Surely we haven't had a massive influx of testable cars all of a sudden. Not with the insane import duties on used cars from the UK for sure ;)

Maybe an exodus of testers?

SCOOP 64

All the fail rebooks don't help, seem to fail now over simplest of things, last year my back seats were down,( recent new fail for seven seaters) and wing indicator slightly loose, so rebook.

HildaOgdenx

Mine was due in October and all I could find initially were appointments well into next year.

I kept checking every so often online, and got one by the due date.

Irish Steve

it's now worse, my wife's car is due for test in February, I've been trying for days to book an appointment, and the system fails after entering the Reg, there's no centres or availability coming up, and no option I can see to get my name on the "priority list".

It's a sick joke, if they want us to drive tested vehicles, they need to be able to offer tests in an acceptable time scale, and I susepct that's why they've taken the on line booking system down.

As for the nausea of trying to get a booking via customer service, good luck with that, I used to have to do that when I was working part time in the motor trade, and it was an unmitigated disaster.

_ptashek_

I got a slot 4 days before expiry, after making the priority wait list booking. So if you're stuck with the self-service site, that's the route to take. To give credit where it's due, got my response within a couple hours.

Flinty997

The priority didn't work for me the last time. Seems to be Russian roulette. Next one is coming up in the new year. I'll spin the wheel and see what happens this time.

Wildly Boaring

I've been retrying every few days myself.

Few available today for January

Navan

Athlone

Arklow

Enniscorthy

seagull

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120015871#Comment_120015871

I found the website works in edge, but not in chrome. I didn't try firefox.

Irish Steve

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120022612#Comment_120022612

Strange, in that I tried chrome earlier, and it seems to be working with that, but there are some issues with Firefox at the moment, clearly Applus have a lot more issues on their plate than a shortage of staff, and their system sucks big time, twice now, I've been offered a slot, and it's gone before I can even get the name and address information in to the system, they clearly don't have a clue on how to get a web site programmed with any sort of user friendly options, the more I see, the clearer it becomes that they should not be allowed to continue to hold the contract.