Bringing order to ‘chaotic’ car repairs sector

AUTHORITIES are coming down hard on car mechanics citing a list of qualifications and checks that will come with the new licences to be issued from Monday.
Qualifications for mechanics have not been updated for 14 years.
Under the new system there are 12 categories under which a licence can be granted but mechanics are free to take on more than one of the listed qualifications.
These include car mechanic, motorbike mechanic, car electrician, tyre technician, paint technician and air conditioning technician among others.
“Every mechanic will have to have certification that he can perform repairs and maintenance in a technically correct and up to date way. This is what this legislation is about,” said Communications and Works Minister Nicos Nicolaides at a news conference launching the initiative yesterday.
To date, 3 996 applications for the new licenses have been received by the Ministry, and approximately 1,000 garages have been reviewed to make sure they are in line with the new legislative changes.
Mechanics and technicians who qualify will be required to display their qualification in their place of work.
“Finally, after over 20 years, some order is being introduced to an area where there existed some lack of organisation regarding specialisations and technicalities,” said Nicolaides, adding: “Above all, this protects the consumer”.
The new legislation also requires mechanics to keep up to date with the technological developments relevant to the make of cars and models which he is repairing or maintaining. It requires that mechanics keep in stock, or maintain access to, the spare parts and accessories required for the maintenance of the models they deal with.
It also has provisions for good mechanics’ practice, such that persons qualified within the scheme undertake the responsibility to ensure that the degree to which a vehicle contributes to environmental pollution is as low as possible, while also making sure that the car is as safe on the road as technically possible.
“The matter of road safety is a multi-faceted, complex and difficult question and will not be solved solely by this measure but by a holistic and catholic approach of which the fitting into place of this legislation is a part,” said Nicolaides.

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