The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders has been forced to amend a forthcoming code of practice that discriminated against businesses.
The code sets new minimum standards and a complaint procedure for the repair and maintenance sector, but focused exclusively on retail customers to the detriment of business customers who were excluded from the code.
That changed following intervention and pressure from fleet body the BVRLA.
Heralding the SMMT’s change of heart as a “great victory for common sense”, BVRLA leader John Lewis said the SMMT’s decision to stop company car users having the same rights as retail customers was “nonsense since it denied many drivers the protection of the code merely because the companies paid the bill”.