HOW TO HIRE · VEHICLES & TRANSPORT · CHECKED OCTOBER 2026
How to hire a dent removal technician in the UK
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.
Paint intact or cracked decides the method. Here is how paintless dent removal works and what to ask.
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THE 60-SECOND VERSION
Hiring a dent removal technician in five steps
- Check the paintIf the paint is unbroken, paintless dent removal may be possible.
- Send photos at an angleDents show best in reflected light; include the panel edges.
- Ask how they will reach itFrom behind the panel, or with glue tabs from the front.
- Agree the price per dentAnd what happens if paint is needed after all.
- Inspect under lightLook along the panel for ripples or high spots.
BEFORE YOU BOOK
Check before you book
No register applies
No UK nation — England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland — licenses or registers dent removal technicians. The repair must be carried out with reasonable care and skill under the Consumer Rights Act 2015.
Agree the method and price per dent in writing. citizensadvice.org.uk →
Insurance
There is no compulsory insurance for a dent removal 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 dent removal technicians are not in it. Where the business is accredited, the Ombudsman can rule on a dispute about the dent removal 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
Paintless dent removal is standard-rated at 20%. Dent removal technicians whose taxable turnover passes £90,000 must register, charge VAT and show it as its own line on the quote and invoice.
Ask the dent technician for the VAT number and for the 20% under the total. gov.uk →
A good answer: An honest yes or no. Cracked paint or a sharp crease usually means paint.
A good answer: Through trims or lights, or with glue pulling from the front.
A good answer: Yes or no, and refitted with new clips if needed.
A good answer: Those are harder; the price should reflect it.
A good answer: Often yes, under cover or in good weather.
A good answer: A realistic answer: most come out fully; some leave a faint trace.
A good answer: They tell you first and price the paint repair.
Getting the quote right
- Each dent: position, size, and the method
- Trims or lights removed and refitted
- Paint work, only if needed, priced separately
- The technician's VAT number, and the total with and without VAT
- Mobile call-out and guarantee
- Who actually attends to the dents, and whether they are employed or subcontracted
Walk away if
- Filler and paint offered for a small dent with intact paint
- No look at the dent before the price
- A rippled or high finish left on the panel
- No invoice
What a dent removal technician costs: £50–£450 per dent
Dent removal is priced per dent, by size, depth and position, with paint work added only where the paint has cracked. Dent Removal 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
Dent removal technicians near you, with the badges that matter shown
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Or post the job free and let them come to you.
- InspectDent checked under a light board; access planned.
- AccessTrims or lights removed, or glue tabs prepared.
- Push or pullThe dent worked out gradually from behind or pulled from the front.
- LevelHigh spots tapped down until the panel reflects evenly.
- Check and refitPanel inspected under light; trims refitted.
- Paintless dent removal (PDR)
- Working a dent out without filler or paint.
- Glue pulling
- Pulling a dent from the front using glue tabs.
- Body line
- A crease designed into the panel; dents on it are harder.
- Light board
- A striped light used to see the dent's shape.
- High spot
- A raised area left after pushing; tapped flat.
- Crease
- A sharp fold in the metal, harder to remove than a round dent.
AFTER
When the job is done
Hiring a dent removal technician: questions people ask
No. No UK nation licenses dent removal or bodywork. Reasonable care and skill is still owed under the Consumer Rights Act 2015.
An invoice listing the dents and the guarantee; there is no certificate.
Done well, no; the paint stays original. A dent with cracked paint needs paint work as well.
£50–£450 per dent, typically around £100. The dent removal price guide explains what moves the figure; enter your postcode above for prices from dent removal technicians near you.
Not always. Sharp creases, stretched metal and dents on edges can be beyond paintless removal.
Tell the technician in writing. You can ask for the work to be redone or a price reduction under the Consumer Rights Act 2015.
MORE GUIDES
More hiring guides in vehicles & transport
Dent removal technicians near you
Sources — checked October 2026
- Citizens Advice — problems with a car repair
- The Motor Ombudsman — Garage Finder
- Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 49 — reasonable care and skill
- gov.uk — make a court claim for money: court fees
- mygov.scot — make a court claim for money
- nidirect — small claims process
- VAT rates — VAT rates for goods and services: standard rate 20% on most goods and services
- GOV.UK — Register for VAT: when to register