Motor inspection firm seeks to restrain salvage business from preventing access to vehicles

High Court Reporters

A company which provides motor inspections and salvage management services for insurers claims a firm which provides storage for salvaged vehicles is preventing it from accessing vehicles to do the inspections, the High Court has heard.

Motor Assess Ireland (MAI) Ltd, which has a national network of more than 40 engineers, is seeking orders against SDSI Ltd, which, until March 2025, provided MAI with salvage and storage services at its licensed "end-of-life vehicle" facilities spread across the country.

Ballincollig, Co Cork-based MAI seeks to restrain the defendant from preventing access to vehicles it needs to inspect on behalf of insurer clients.

The court heard there is a dispute between the parties over what the defendant says is money owed to it by MAI. That claim is denied.

On Friday, Justice Brian Cregan granted Ian Boyle Harper BL, for MAI, permission for short service of the proceedings on the defendant.

The application was with only the MAI side represented, and the case was put back to next week.

Aisling Deasy, MAI's chief operating officer, said in an affidavit that since March 2025, MAI had moved to a new salvage sub-contractor following a dispute between the parties over increases in salvage management fees.

The defendant was not satisfied with what MAI said were improved conditions, which had been negotiated with two big insurers and in December 2024 indicated it intended to withdraw its services, she said.

The contract continued, on increased terms, until March 2025, when MAI engaged a new sub-contractor. In April 2025, Allianz Insurance replaced MAI with the defendant directly for salvage management.

In December 2025, the defendant threatened winding up proceedings against MAI over the disputed debt, and since then, MAI engineers have been denied access to vehicles in a number of SDSI facilities, Ms Deasy said.

These actions constitute unlawful interference with the business and contractual relations of MAI, she said.