Who you are dealing with
Choose Independent is a UK directory of independent vehicle bodyshops. You can reach us at sales@chooseindependent.co.uk. Using this site means accepting these terms.
For drivers using the directory
What this site is
A directory. We do not repair vehicles, arrange repairs, supervise work, handle payment or act as your agent. If you contact a shop through this site, any agreement you reach is between you and that shop, and your rights over the work are against them.
What a verified badge means
It means the shop provided a document supporting that accreditation and we checked it before showing the badge. That is a real check and it is more than most directories do, but it is a check of paperwork at a point in time. It is not a warranty of the quality of any particular repair, and it is not us vouching for the business. Accreditations can be withdrawn between our checks. Satisfy yourself before handing over your car.
Choosing your own repairer
The general position in the UK is that the choice of repairer is yours. What your policy actually entitles you to, and what your insurer will pay, depends on that policy. Nothing on this site is legal or insurance advice — read your policy or speak to your insurer.
Reviews
Write about your own genuine experience. We remove reviews that are abusive, defamatory, obviously fake, or posted by someone with an interest in the shop or its competitors. We do not remove a review simply because the shop dislikes it.
For bodyshops listing with us
Applying and being verified
Anyone can apply. A listing goes live only after we have checked it, and a badge appears only once we have seen a certificate supporting it. No document, no badge — there is no exception to that, because the moment there is, none of the badges mean anything.
You confirm that the accreditations you claim are genuine, current and held by your business at the site listed, and that you are entitled to give us the documents you upload. If a claim turns out to be false or lapsed, we will remove the badge and may remove the listing.
We re-check accreditations periodically. If we ask for a current certificate and do not receive one, the badge comes down until we do.
Founding member listings
Our first 20 shops list free for 12 months, starting the day the listing goes live rather than the day you apply. No card details are taken. When the term ends we will contact you — nothing renews into a paid subscription automatically, and you will never be charged without agreeing to it first.
What we do and don’t promise
Enquiries go directly to you. We take no commission, and we do not sell the same enquiry to anyone else. We cannot promise you any particular number of enquiries, any search position, or any level of traffic. This is a new directory and we would rather say that plainly than imply otherwise.
We aim to keep the site available but do not guarantee uninterrupted service.
Suspension and removal
We may suspend or remove a listing where accreditation claims are false or expired, where the details are inaccurate, where we receive credible evidence of serious misconduct, or where the account is used abusively. Where it is not urgent we will tell you first and give you a chance to put it right. You can ask us to remove your listing at any time.
Your content
You keep ownership of the text and photographs you upload. You grant us permission to display them on your listing and to use them in reasonable promotion of the directory. Certificates are used only for verification and are never published.
General
Liability
We do not exclude liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence, for fraud, or anything else that cannot lawfully be excluded. Beyond that, we are not liable for the work any shop carries out, for any agreement between a driver and a shop, or for indirect or consequential loss. For shops, our total liability is limited to the fees you have paid us in the twelve months before the claim — which, on a free founding listing, is nil.
Changes
We may update these terms. Material changes affecting listed shops will be sent to the email on the account before they take effect.
Law
These terms are governed by the law of England and Wales, and the courts of England and Wales have jurisdiction. If you are a consumer, this does not affect your statutory rights.