Nationwide Accident Repairs Services has paid a £30,000 settlement for copyright infringement after the company was unable to produce licences for computer software it was using.

According to the Business Software Alliance, a body set up to defend software developers’ intellectual rights, Nationwide was in the final stages of an audit when the discovery was made, following an anonymous tip-off at the BSA’s website.

The watchdog says Nationwide was quick to realise its responsibility and cooperated fully with the investigation.

Nationwide’s chief executive Michael Wilmshurst says the audit took place two years ago, but the company has not been able to find the licences, so decided to settle by way of payment.

Siobhan Carroll, regional manager of Northern Europe for the BSA, urges businesses to check they are operating within copyright laws. “If a company is struggling to ensure software compliance we would strongly advise them to come to the BSA for help.”