HOW TO HIRE · VEHICLES & TRANSPORT

How to hire a scratch repair technician in the UK
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.

The depth of the scratch decides the method and the price. Here is what to ask and how to check the finish.

  • Search and compare — no account needed
  • Nearest to you first
  • One score from Google, Trustpilot and Locufy reviews

THE 60-SECOND VERSION

Hiring a scratch repair technician in five steps

  1. Check the depthRun a fingernail across it: if it catches, it is through the clear coat.
  2. Send clear photosClose and wide, in daylight, with the panel and colour.
  3. Ask for the methodPolish, touch-in, smart repair or panel paint — and why.
  4. Agree the price in writingPer repair, with paint, lacquer and any blending.
  5. Check in daylightNo visible line, no colour difference, no overspray.

BEFORE YOU BOOK

Check before you book

No register applies

The law sets no licence and no register for scratch repair technicians, in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland alike. The repair must be done with reasonable care and skill under the Consumer Rights Act 2015.

Agree the method and price in writing after the scratch has been seen. citizensadvice.org.uk →

Insurance

There is no compulsory insurance for a scratch repair technician. A professional carries cover for customers' cars and public liability, and will name the insurer if asked.

Ask to see the insurance certificate before the first booking.

The Motor Ombudsman accreditation

Membership of The Motor Ombudsman's codes is voluntary, so plenty of capable scratch repair technicians are not in it. Where the business is accredited, the Ombudsman can rule on a dispute about the scratch repair technician once the business has had eight weeks to answer, and a final decision you accept binds it.

Look the business up on The Motor Ombudsman's Garage Finder before you book. businesses.themotorombudsman.org →

VAT

Scratch repair, mobile or in a workshop, is standard-rated at 20%. Scratch repair technicians with more than £90,000 of taxable turnover must register for VAT, charge it, and itemise it on every quote and invoice.

Ask the repairer for the VAT number and whether the price includes the 20%. gov.uk →

“How deep is the scratch, and what repair method will you use?”

A good answer: A clear judgement — clear coat, colour or metal — and a matching method.

“Can it be polished out, or does the scratch need paint?”

A good answer: An honest answer; polishing is cheaper but cannot fix a deep scratch.

“Will the scratch repair be visible afterwards?”

A good answer: A realistic answer; a smart repair is usually invisible from normal distance.

“How will you match the paint?”

A good answer: From the paint code, blended into the panel.

“Can you do the repair at my home?”

A good answer: Many scratch repairs can be done on the drive, weather permitting.

“Is there bare metal showing, and will you treat it?”

A good answer: Yes, before painting, so rust does not start under the repair.

“What guarantee do you give on the scratch repair?”

A good answer: In writing.

Getting the quote right

  • The scratch described: length, depth and panel
  • Method: polish, smart repair or panel refinish
  • Paint, lacquer and blending
  • The repairer's VAT number, with VAT shown under the repair
  • Mobile call-out and the guarantee
  • Who actually attends to the scratch: a mobile repairer or workshop staff, employed or subcontracted

Walk away if

  • A deep scratch "polished out" that reappears after a wash
  • Paint applied over bare metal without treatment
  • Overspray on trims or glass
  • No guarantee
LOW
£50
TYPICAL
£150
HIGH
£500

What a scratch repair technician costs: £50–£500 per repair

Scratch repair is priced per repair, by depth and size — a polish, a smart repair or a panel refinish — often by a mobile technician. Car Scratch Repair price guide →

Guide prices compiled by the Locufy team from published Irish and UK provider price lists and 2026/27 cost guides. Updated 2026.

KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR? NOW FIND ONE

Scratch repair technicians near you, with the badges that matter shown

ID checked, trader status and one score from every review — on the card, before you message anyone. Nearest first. No account needed to look.

Or post the job free and let them come to you.

  1. AssessThe depth and extent of the scratch checked under good light.
  2. PrepareArea cleaned, sanded and masked; bare metal treated.
  3. PaintColour applied in thin coats and blended.
  4. LacquerClear coat applied and cured.
  5. PolishFlatted and polished to match the surrounding paint.

Clear coat
The transparent top layer; light scratches sit in it.
Base coat
The colour layer under the clear coat.
Smart repair
A small local paint repair, without painting the whole panel.
Touch-in
Filling a small chip or scratch with paint by brush.
Compounding
Machine polishing with an abrasive to remove fine scratches.
Bare metal
Steel showing through, which will rust if left.

AFTER

When the job is done

Check in sunlightLook along the panel from an angle for lines or haze.
Wait before waxingAsk how long the fresh lacquer needs before polishing or pressure washing.
Keep the invoiceRepair, method and guarantee in writing.
Write the reviewSomething wrong? Use make-it-right first and give the technician a fair chance to sort it before you review.

STEP 1Tell the technician, in writingDescribe what is wrong with the scratch repair, with photos, and what you want. The Consumer Rights Act 2015 sets the bar: reasonable care and skill in doing the job.
STEP 2Let Locufy follow it upRate the scratch repair technician under four stars and Locufy asks if you want the technician to have the chance to fix it before the review is published; we follow it through.
STEP 3The Motor Ombudsman or Trading StandardsIf the technician is accredited to The Motor Ombudsman, it can decide the dispute once the business has had eight weeks to reply. If not, take the scratch repair technician complaint to the consumer helpline, which can pass it to Trading Standards: Citizens Advice on 0808 223 1133 in England and Wales, Advice Direct Scotland on 0808 800 9060, and Consumerline on 0300 123 6262 in Northern Ireland.
STEP 4Money still in disputeA claim over a scratch repair technician can go to the small claims track in the county court up to £10,000 in England and Wales, to simple procedure in the sheriff court up to £5,000 in Scotland, or to the small claims court up to £5,000 in Northern Ireland — no solicitor needed.

Hiring a scratch repair technician: questions people ask

No. No UK nation licenses scratch repair or bodywork. The Consumer Rights Act 2015 requires the work to be done with reasonable care and skill.

An invoice describing the repair and the guarantee; there is no certificate.

Most light and medium scratches can be smart-repaired; long, deep scratches across a panel may need the panel painted.

Usually £50–£500 per repair, with £150 as a typical figure. See the car scratch repair price guide for what pushes a price up or down, and search above for scratch repair technicians in your area.

A good smart repair should be invisible from normal distance; close up in strong sun, a trained eye may see it.

Tell the technician in writing with photos. You can require the repair to be redone under the Consumer Rights Act 2015.

MORE GUIDES

More hiring guides in vehicles & transport

How to hire: Dent RemovalHow to hire: Car Bodywork RepairHow to hire: Car ResprayHow to hire: Alloy Wheel RefurbishmentHow to hire: Car DetailingHow to hire: Ceramic CoatingHow to hire: Car WrappingHow to hire: Car ValetingAll 701 hiring guides →

Scratch repair technicians near you

Scratch repair technicians in LondonScratch repair technicians in ManchesterScratch repair technicians in BirminghamScratch repair technicians in GlasgowScratch repair technicians in BelfastAll scratch repair technicians on Locufy →Do it yourself: repairing car paint scratches and chips →

Sources — checked October 2026

  1. Citizens Advice — problems with a car repair
  2. The Motor Ombudsman — Garage Finder
  3. Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 49 — reasonable care and skill
  4. gov.uk — make a court claim for money: court fees
  5. mygov.scot — make a court claim for money
  6. nidirect — small claims process
  7. VAT rates — VAT rates for goods and services: standard rate 20% on most goods and services
  8. GOV.UK — Register for VAT: when to register