DVLA requirement

John, I don't have personal experience but I've spoken with a couple of people who have. SGS are a Swiss company who have been given the contract to make vehicle inspections in place of the Local DVLA staff now that those centres have been closed. Their task is simply one of verification - numbers etc. and to confirm that the machine appears to be what it's meant to be...

Plus point is that they come to you.

If your details have passed the scrutiny of the ever-vigilant Mr. Streather then you're unlikely to have any problems.

Now why is a British government agency using a Swiss company?

I was asked for this when registering a Victor 6 years ago, seems they take some new registrations at random for inspections, it was at the local DVLA inspection site and took 30 secs. They wanted to look at the frame and engine numbers, as soon as they had site of them that was it. I took it on a trailer but with the DVLA closing the local offices they may have closed the inspection sites too and thats why SVS are doing it.

I don't think the inspectors come from Switzerland . We have a European/global economy now and have many non uk companies providing services to the country, you cannot bar a foreign company from tendering for a gov contract, and most contracts have to be be advertisedj in the OJEU.

Yep - Dan's right. Even the Ordnance Survey farms mapping out to India! That's in the EU innit?

Previously Dan Field wrote:

I don't think the inspectors come from Switzerland . We have a European/global economy now and have many non uk companies providing services to the country, you cannot bar a foreign company from tendering for a gov contract, and most contracts have to be be advertisedj in the OJEU.

I have just had a bike inspected by SGS. They came when they said they would and took photos of the engine number and frame number, and a few of the complete bike, they want to see a nearly complete bike and under resoration. It took about 15 mins to do. no problems. The guy had 4 vehicles to do that day, and had other things to do for the rest of the week.