Western Australia’s economy continues to boom, including in the illegal car repair industry. This is not only taking money from the reputable licensed motor industry, but it’s putting the lives of road users at risk.
The amount of red tape and bureaucracy that a country like Australia has isn’t there just to stop people from making progress. It’s actually there to protect and prevent unscrupulous individuals from taking advantage of others. In this case, it’s something that can prevent the organised crime gangs from ripping off more naïve clients and making a fortune out of them in addition to stop putting their lives into danger.
Let’s look at an example of what happens when you’re involved in an accident. It’s most likely that your insurer will arrange for your car to be towed to a licensed panel beater. An insurance assessor will visit to decide what the next step for your car should be.
If the damage is too bad, then it will be written off, otherwise it will be repaired by the panel beater or declared as a ‘repairable write-off’.
It seems that insurance companies are getting more and more eager to write off damaged cars rather than repair them. It’s less paperwork and then they can move on with less hassle. Unfortunately it’s this attitude that causes as many as 11,000 cars to have been written off in the last year.
These cars will be sent to either Manheims or Pickles vehicle auction houses. Anybody can then buy them and sell them on. Increasingly these cars are ending up in the hands of the operators of the illegal repair industry. Even cars that have been cut in half and welded back together are then being spray painted and sold on.
The average lay person cannot tell the difference between a welded car and one that is still in one piece and safer. If a welded car were to become involved in an accident, they could just disintegrate.
Fortunately WA motor industry repairers have been asked to contribute to a review of the Motor Vehicle Repairers Act which will put heavy penalties onto those who are acting dishonestly and putting lives at risk.
We need to warn our clients to look out for illegal repairers as they exist in our windscreen industry too. For your information, remember that Windscreen Replacement Perth is a fully licensed repairer and also a member of MTAWA. We hold public liability insurance and are police cleared.
Jason Squire started Autoscreens in 2010. With over 35 years of experience gained in both the UK and Australia, the company is well established as a leading provider of windscreen replacement and autoglass repairs in Perth.
His journey to becoming a certified repairer license holder status with DMIRS (and business repair license MRB3703) began many years ago. He was born and brought up in the UK – the country where his long career in the automotive industry began. In common with many of the world’s best tradespeople it all started with an apprenticeship. For Jason, this was in vehicle bodybuilding and a specialisation in vehicle conversions.
He followed that up with several additional professional qualifications, including a Grade A Vehicle Body Building Certificate from the Road Transport Industry, a GQA level 2 in NVQ Automotive Glazing and a Level 2 qualification in Joining Materials by Welding from the UK Engineer Training Authority.
During his studies, Jason was also a part-time volunteer in the Royals signals with the Reserve Territorial Army. Between 1991 and 1995, Jason completed his Phase One Signallers Course with the Royal Armoured Corps and was awarded a Certificate of Trade Proficiency as a Territorial Army Driver Electrician Class 3. Training exercises took him all over Europe. He also represented the Signals in Rugby.
From there, he joined the armed forces on a full-time basis with the Queens Royal Lancers and continued to impress with his leadership skills and willingness to broaden his skillset, during which he lived in Germany. In 1996, he graduated from the Queens Royal Lancer Leadership Academy where he was named best recruit. His time with the Queens Royal Lancers he qualified as Tank Driver, Crew Medic and Gunner.
In 1999, Jason left the armed forces to join RAC Auto Windscreens. His skillset enabled him to fast-track his career to base supervisor and lead technician working with premiere dealerships in Crewe, Cheshire.
He also continued to volunteer in a number of different areas, including as a first responder with the West Midlands Ambulance Service and a scout leader with the Scout Association.
He relocated to Australia in 2008 with his young family and spent his first two years down under as a head technician for a national windscreen company.
However, with all his experience, extensive qualifications and his abiding passion for the automotive industry, it was inevitable that he would start his own company and make his mark as an industry leader.
He started Autoscreens in 2010 and has grown the business into the leading windscreen repair and replacement company in Perth, servicing both domestic and commercial customers. Autoscreens has a certified Motor Vehicle Repairers Licence MRB3703 issued by the Department of Energy, Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety.