“Another garage said it should have passed.”
It is a sentence most WOF inspectors will hear eventually….
Maybe the customer disagrees with a tyre rejection. Maybe their mechanic has told them the suspension play is acceptable. Or perhaps they simply believe the vehicle should have passed because “it passed last time”.
Whatever the reason, a disagreement over a WOF can quickly turn into a complaint.
For WOF inspecting organisations, the important thing is not to get drawn into an argument. It is to have a clear process, keep good records, and be able to show why the inspection decision was made.
NZTA requires inspecting organisations to have an effective complaints management process as part of their Quality Management System (QMS). That includes recording verbal as well as written complaints and meeting specific timeframes for responding to written complaints.
Here is what WOF garages need to know.
First: Don’t Treat a WOF Complaint as a Personal Attack
Your inspector has failed a vehicle.
The customer disagrees.
That does not necessarily mean either person is being unreasonable.
A customer may have been given different advice elsewhere, misunderstood what the inspector told them, or simply be frustrated about an unexpected repair bill.
The best starting point is to bring the conversation back to the inspection itself.
What was rejected? Why was it rejected? What does the VIRM say?
Rather than telling the customer, “I’ve been doing WOFs for 20 years”, show them the reason for rejection and explain it in plain English.
A calm, factual explanation can resolve many disagreements before they become bigger issues.
Go Back to the Evidence
When an inspection decision is questioned, good records become extremely valuable.
Look at the original WOF checksheet and the reason for rejection entered by the inspector.
Where relevant, review measurements, inspection notes, photographs or other information that supports the decision.
Then check the applicable section of the current VIRM.
This is one of the reasons clear WOF checksheets matter. A note that simply says “worn” may not be nearly as useful several weeks later as a clear description of what the inspector actually found.
Good documentation is not about writing an essay for every failed item. It is about leaving enough information to understand and support the inspection decision later.
itsallauto eWOF can help inspectors support their decisions at the time of inspection. After selecting or entering a reason for rejection, the VI can run a VIRM search directly from eWOF, and can also take photos of the reason for rejection during the WOF to create a clearer record of what was found.
That can help with customer complaints, internal reviews and NZTA audits.
Verbal Complaints Still Need to Be Recorded
One easy mistake is thinking the complaints process only applies when somebody sends an angry email or formal letter.
It doesn’t.
NZTA’s current in-service certification VIRM requires inspecting organisations to keep a record of both verbal and written complaints in accordance with their QMS requirements.
So if a customer makes a genuine complaint at reception or over the phone, don’t rely on somebody remembering the conversation three months later.
Record it.
That record also protects the workshop.
If the customer later says they complained and nothing was done, you have a clear record showing what was raised, what was investigated and what happened next.
Written WOF Complaints Have Important Timeframes
There are also specific NZTA requirements for written complaints.
A written complaint must be acknowledged in writing within three working days.
The complaint must then be investigated and a resolution proposed to the complainant within 20 working days of the complaint being made.
That does not mean you should wait until day 20.
Many straightforward WOF complaints can be investigated much sooner.
The important part is having a system that makes it difficult for a complaint to be received, put aside during a busy day and then forgotten.
What Should Your WOF Complaints Process Cover?
NZTA says an inspecting organisation’s complaint management process must include several things.
It should recognise the positive value of complaints, explain clearly how customers can make a complaint, explain the expected standard for resolving complaints and advise customers of their right to appeal to NZTA if they are unhappy with the proposed resolution.
Complaint investigations also need to be documented in accordance with the organisation’s QMS requirements so the details can be readily checked.
And, importantly, all complaints — verbal and written — need to be recorded.
The goal is not to create paperwork for the sake of paperwork.
It is to create a clear trail showing:
Complaint received → issue investigated → decision made → customer advised → outcome recorded.
If NZTA later needs to understand what happened, the information should be easy to follow.
Investigate the Complaint, Not the Customer
When looking into a disputed WOF failure, keep the investigation focused on the inspection decision.
For example, ask:
Was the correct VIRM requirement applied?
Was the defect described accurately?
Is there enough information on the checksheet to understand the decision?
Does the inspector remember anything relevant about the vehicle?
Are there photographs, measurements or other records available?
Has the VIRM changed since the inspector last dealt with a similar defect?
Could there genuinely have been a difference in interpretation?
This last question is important.
Good inspectors can make mistakes. Equally, a customer being unhappy about a failure does not mean the inspector made the wrong decision.
The purpose of investigating the complaint is to establish what happened, not to defend the original decision at all costs.
What If Your Inspector Was Right?
Then explain why.
Where possible, show the customer the relevant reason for rejection and explain what was found on their vehicle.
Avoid unnecessary technical language.
A customer is far more likely to understand:
“There is excessive movement in this joint, and this is the movement we found during the inspection.”
than:
“That’s what the VIRM says, mate.”
The inspection decision may not change, but the customer’s understanding of it often can.
Record the investigation and the proposed resolution through your normal complaints process.
What If Your Inspector Was Wrong?
Deal with it properly.
A complaint can sometimes identify a training issue, an incorrect interpretation of the VIRM or an inconsistency between inspectors.
That is useful information for a WOF inspecting organisation.
Rather than hiding the mistake, identify what happened and what needs to change so it does not happen again.
That might mean discussing the relevant VIRM section with the inspector, carrying out refresher training, reviewing similar inspection decisions or discussing the issue with the rest of the WOF team.
Complaints can therefore become part of improving inspection consistency — which is one reason NZTA requires the complaints process to recognise their positive value.
What If the Customer Still Disagrees?
Sometimes you can investigate thoroughly, explain the inspection decision clearly and the customer will still disagree.
Your complaint process needs to explain the customer’s right to appeal to NZTA if they are dissatisfied with the proposed resolution.
The current in-service VIRM directs customers wishing to make a complaint or appeal an inspecting organisation’s decision to the NZTA Helpdesk on 0800 699 000.
That should not be treated as a threat.
It is simply part of the proper complaints process.
If your inspection was completed correctly and your records clearly support the decision, you should be in a much better position to explain what happened if the matter is reviewed.
Common WOF Complaint Mistakes
Many complaint problems are caused less by the original inspection and more by what happens afterwards.
Common examples include getting defensive with the customer, failing to record a verbal complaint, leaving vague reasons for rejection on the checksheet, having complaint information spread across emails and notebooks, forgetting to respond within the required timeframe, or having no clear record showing how the complaint was investigated and resolved.
A five-minute disagreement at reception can become much more difficult six months later if nobody recorded what happened.
A simple, consistent process makes a big difference.
Make WOF Complaints Part of Your Normal QMS Process
Complaints should not require someone to hunt through an old QMS folder trying to remember which form they are supposed to complete.
The easier the process is to follow during a normal busy workshop day, the more likely it is to actually be followed.
This is one of the areas we have built into itsallauto eQMS™.
The complaints process sits within the electronic QMS, helping the workshop keep its complaint records and process together rather than relying on separate pieces of paper, emails or someone’s memory.
It also means complaints become part of the same QMS system used throughout the year, rather than something that only gets looked at when an NZTA review is approaching.
The idea is simple: make doing the right thing easier while the information is still fresh.
A Complaint Doesn’t Have to Become a Drama
Nobody enjoys receiving a complaint, particularly when an inspector believes they made the correct decision.
But complaints are part of running a WOF inspecting organisation.
Having good checksheet records, referring back to the VIRM, investigating objectively and keeping a proper record of the outcome can turn an uncomfortable conversation into a straightforward process.
And if NZTA ever asks what happened, you want to be able to show them — not try to remember it.
Want an easier way to manage your WOF QMS?
itsallauto eQMS™ helps WOF inspecting organisations keep important QMS records and processes together digitally, including a built-in complaints process.
Compliance note: This article was reviewed against the NZTA In-service certification (WoF and CoF) VIRM complaints requirements current as at 2 September 2026. Always refer to the latest VIRM for current requirements.
