Servicing and repairs for PCO and chauffeur drivers

Who is this page for?

Private hire drivers licensed by TfL, chauffeurs licensed by other councils, and chauffeur firms that run executive saloons and people carriers. Whether you drive for Uber, Bolt, Wheely or Blacklane, or for a private chauffeur company, the car is how you earn, so every day it spends off the road matters.

Reverie Autocare is an independent service centre at 57 Great North Road, Welwyn Garden City. We are not part of TfL’s licensing system and we do not carry out the TfL licensing inspection. Our job is to keep the car in the condition the work demands: serviced, repaired and checked before it goes for inspection.

What do you do for private hire and chauffeur cars?

• Servicing to the car’s service indicator and the manufacturer’s schedule, using oil that meets the specification for the engine.
• MOT tests in our own Class 4 bay. A PCO MOT is a standard MOT; what is different is the timing TfL sets.
• Repairs and diagnosis, from warning lights to suspension faults and leaks. We test to prove the cause before any part is replaced.
• A pre-inspection check before your TfL licensing inspection.
• Tyres and brakes, quoted for your car.
• Air conditioning regas, leak checks and repairs.
• Bodywork for minor dents and scratches.
• Valeting, inside and out.

Why does MOT timing matter for a PCO car?

TfL requires private hire vehicles more than 12 months from their date of manufacture to pass two MOT tests as a condition of continued annual licensing. The first MOT certificate must be issued no more than 14 days before the licensing inspection, counting the inspection date as day one. The second MOT is due six months from the date the licence is granted.

TfL’s inspection manual also warns that a minor defect or advisory notice that does not fail the MOT could still be treated as a licensing inspection failure. Our PCO pre-inspection check page sets out the rule, with a link to TfL’s manual, and explains what the check looks at.

Can you plan the work around my licensing dates?

Yes. When you send an enquiry, tell us your MOT due date and your TfL inspection date, and we will plan the visit around them. If we find something that needs doing, we show you the evidence and send a written price before any work starts, so you can decide in good time.

We open on Saturday mornings as well as weekdays: Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm, and Saturday 8am to 1pm. We are closed on Sundays.

Is there somewhere to work or pray while I wait?

Yes. If you stay while the work is done, there is a co-working space if you need to get on with work, and a multi-faith prayer room and a quiet room if you need to pray or rest.

Which models do you cover?

We work on the executive saloons and people carriers most often used for private hire and chauffeur work:

• Mercedes-Benz V-Class
• Mercedes-Benz E-Class and S-Class
• Mercedes-Benz Vito Tourer
• BMW 5 Series and 7 Series

We also service and repair the electric Mercedes-Benz EQE, EQS and EQV, and the electric BMW i5 and i7. That work is carried out by technicians qualified to work on electric and hybrid vehicles.

Will the work help with platform requirements?

Each platform sets its own rules on which cars it accepts, and those rules change. We do not promise that any work will make a car eligible for a platform. Check the current requirements with the platform itself before you rely on them.

What about safety recalls?

TfL refuses a vehicle with an outstanding DVSA safety recall. Recall work is done by the manufacturer’s network, not by us. Check your vehicle on gov.uk before your inspection and arrange any open recall in good time.

How do I book?

Use the enquiry form on this page. Give us your registration, what the car needs and your licensing dates, and we will reply during opening hours.