Hi looking for clarity on service dates for trailers, if the service sticker states service due 1/8/15 must the trailer be serviced by the first of August or is there any grace period ie the end of the week or within 3 days? I’ve tried DVSA site but to no avail. Any help appreciated thanks in advance.
Company policy only, which in this case will be that the trailer requires a (service &) safety inspection by the end of the week ending Sat 1st August. In theory and normally practice this means that the trailer will not be made available to the traffic office after that date if the work has not been done.
Vosa will not be over concerned about the odd slip up.
At companies where this system is in use it would be normal for a driver’s walk-around check to include ticking the box to confirm that the trailer is ‘in service date’. If it is not then the trailer should be defected before leaving the yard. What happens next is usually an argument between the workshop and the traffic office.
At RDCs which trunk trailers to other depots the system should ensure that trailers do not ‘leave home’ in the final week without special arrangements being made for their prompt return.
Of interest is that London buses are on a 28 day inspection schedule. TfL diktat is that no bus will be allowed to be in revenue service after 31 days. Failure to comply or exhibit a service date sticker will result in action against the operator by TfL if reported by one of their inspectors.
Thanks very much that’s cleared things up 
The DVSA Guide To Maintaining Roadworthiness states the PMI’s must be carried out by the end of the week in which they are due.
When/how often a PMI is due is down to the undertakings and conditions set on the operator licence. Most trailers seem to be 8 weekly.
DVSA will be concerned if PMI’s are late unless there is documented evidence that vehicle/trailer was VOR but that would be between them and the operator - not the drivers concern.
^^
Very true, this is what they want to see and it is why some companies with large numbers of trailers operate such a system. Equally though one needs to take into account what is happening in practice, if a trailer is inspected (say) the Tuesday following its week ending date and that inspection is not picking up defects which would be of concern, then I don’t see any major issue. However if it goes over time by three or four weeks, or has serious defects found, or the over-run is regular, or it is a significant proportion of trailers operated then that is an entirely different matter.