TRADING standards officers are looking into the activities of a garage which allegedly overcharges customers and makes them pay for work not carried out.

Officers from Brighton and Hove Council are looking into the activities of Starley's Garage in Brighton

following an investigation by Granada Television.

Garages from Hell II, which is being screened this evening, also investigated

a branch of Apples Car Clinics in

Worthing.

Pauline Starley, who helps run the garage in Hythe Road, was secretly filmed charging an undercover reporter £280 for work done to a Volkswagen Polo.

But examination showed it had not been carried out. The price was described as "grossly overcharging" by a mechanic for the Automobile Buyers Service who checked the car.

Three previous customers who were unhappy with the service they received are also featured on the programme.

They include Sussex University student Francesca Haig, who claimed she was told it would cost around £500 to put her E-reg Fiat Panda through its MOT. Instead she says she ended up paying £1,161.27.

Derek Taft claimed he was told by the garage it would cost £80-£316 to fit a new clutch into his J-reg Citroen but said the garage charged him £775.

A Nissan Micra taken to Apples Car Clinic in Broadwater Street West was first given the

once- over by an RAC mechanic who said it had a "few defects".

A brake caliper bolt was loosened, along with a pin in the wheel. Granada claims neither fault was discovered by the Apples mechanic who instead gave the wrong diagnosis and said it would cost £183.58 plus VAT to repair.

The mechanic will be shown telling the undercover reporter: "It's a very good job you come in. If you had actually gone much further you would have probably pressed the pedal and the seals would have burst altogether. I wouldn't suggest it's safe to drive."

Mrs Starley said she had not seen the programme and was not prepared to comment.

A spokesman for Apples car clinics said: "We accept Granada's researchers found instances where the service did not meet the standards either we or our customers expect.

"We would point out, however, that the instance referred to took place in September.

"Since then, unconnected to the Granada inquiries, we have undertaken a total overhaul of every aspect of the managing of our businesses."

Brighton and Hove

Council said its trading standards department had received a number of complaints about Starley's and was working with the garage to reduce the figure.

West Sussex County Council was not aware of the Granada investigation.

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