Rights of a repair technician

simplemind_2

Dear Forum members,
Sorry if I posted in the wrong forum. I am a computer technician and have been fixing computers, laptops & monitors for about 10 years now. I am a Microsoft Certified Professional. Yesterday a customer brought in an LCD monitor for repair. The picture on the screen was going off seconds after turning it on, typical symptom of inverter or backlight failure. I told her I would have to take it apart to pinpoint the fault but she would lose the warranty and she told me that it was a few years old and out of warranty and to go ahead. As I tried to take it apart I found out that the manufacturer didn’t use any screws for the chassis and it felt all glued up. I tried to prise it open with a screw driver and failed and left a few scratch marks. This morning when the customer came back I told her that I couldn’t open it and I didn’t want to apply to much pressure on the chassis because it might break. She said OK, don’t worry about it and took back the monitor.
After about 20 minutes she called me on the phone and said that the monitor was totally broken now and you would have replace it or she would get it repaired somewhere and I’d have to pay for it. I know that the monitor had the same fault when she took it back because I tested it and only thing different was it had a few scratch marks.
Could any one please tell me where I stand and what my rights are?
Thank you for taking the time.
Abu

dmg24

What do your terms and conditions say? I trust you do issue these when you agree to undertake work for a customer?

If I took an electrical item to be repaired, I would expect it to come back to me in the state it was when I handed it over. You need to at least accept responsibility for cosmetically damaging the item.

pendulum

She's obviously trying it on.

Forget about you trying to prise it open, or causing cosmetic damage. Let her prove that. Don't volunteer that info to anyone again.

The monitor came in faulty - you had a look at it - you couldn't even open the case, there was nothing you could do, so you gave it back in the same condition. And then the faulty, dying monitor actually died - it's not your fault the fault got worse.

I wouldn't entertain her at all, tell her your not responsible and won't be paying a penny to replace her faulty monitor.

advent1122

Lets try it this way.

I took my monitor into a computer techincian so that he would repair it. I knew it was out of warranty so I told him to go ahead and take the back off to see what the fault is.
Today I went to collect the monitor and he told me he couldn't fix it, not only that but he has damaged the casing by trying to force it off with a screwdriver.
It is also in much worse condition now than when I took it to him, previously it would swicth on for a few seconds, now it is completely dead.
I went back to see him and he told me it is not his responsiblity and he won't do anything.
Where do I stand?

simplemind_2

dmg24 wrote: »

What do your terms and conditions say? I trust you do issue these when you agree to undertake work for a customer?

Thank you for your reply.

Unfortunately, I don't issue those. I've had the shop for about 10 years and this is the first time this has happened. By the way is that a legal requirement?

dmg24 wrote: »

If I took an electrical item to be repaired, I would expect it to come back to me in the state it was when I handed it over. You need to at least accept responsibility for cosmetically damaging the item.

If you have ever opened or tried to open an LCD monitor or laptop screen which mostly have plastic casings you'd know that some times it is impossible to open them without leaving scratch marks.

By the way, when she rang I told her that she should bring it into the shop and I'd show her that the monitor had the same fault and I agreed that there were some scratch marks. But she refused to bring it in.

stebiz

pendulum wrote: »

She's obviously trying it on.

Forget about you trying to prise it open, or causing cosmetic damage. Let her prove that. Don't volunteer that info to anyone again.

The monitor came in faulty - you had a look at it - you couldn't even open the case, there was nothing you could do, so you gave it back in the same condition. And then the faulty, dying monitor actually died - it's not your fault the fault got worse.

I wouldn't entertain her at all, tell her your not responsible and won't be paying a penny to replace her faulty monitor.

Yep, I think this is the way I'd go too.

simplemind_2

Hi Thanks for the reply

advent1122 wrote: »

Lets try it this way.

I took my monitor into a computer techincian so that he would repair it. I knew it was out of warranty so I told him to go ahead and take the back off to see what the fault is.
Today I went to collect the monitor and he told me he couldn't fix it, not only that but he has damaged the casing by trying to force it off with a screwdriver.

But the casing wasn't damaged, well if you consider a few scratch marks along the line where the front and back parts of the casing join, damaged. I didn't want to force open it and that's why couldn't fix it.

advent1122 wrote: »

It is also in much worse condition now than when I took it to him, previously it would swicth on for a few seconds, now it is completely dead.
I went back to see him and he told me it is not his responsiblity and he won't do anything.
Where do I stand?

Apart from the scratch marks the fault remained the same.

simplemind_2

Hi pendulum and stebiz, thaks for your reply.

I was just being honest and showed her the scratch marks myself. I believe honesty still is the best policy and I try my utmost to satisfy my customers and I think that's why I'm still in business after 10 years when lots of ther computer repair shops have opened and closed down in my town.

MUMMYTO2BOYS

If I was you I'd try and source a very cheap second hand monitor similar to what the customer brought in, offer it her at the price you paid for it but make her believe she's getting a bargain.

This way your reputation isn't damaged.

Quite refreshing to read a thread from the sellers point of view!

dmg24

simplemind wrote: »

Thank you for your reply.

Unfortunately, I don't issue those. I've had the shop for about 10 years and this is the first time this has happened. By the way is that a legal requirement?



If you have ever opened or tried to open an LCD monitor or laptop screen which mostly have plastic casings you'd know that some times it is impossible to open them without leaving scratch marks.

By the way, when she rang I told her that she should bring it into the shop and I'd show her that the monitor had the same fault and I agreed that there were some scratch marks. But she refused to bring it in.

Terms and conditions are not a legal requirement, however in their absence, a small claims judge would be likely to give more benefit to the claimant than yourself as a business.

You should have advised the customer of the possibility of scratching before you attempted to open the case. Whilst it may not affect the working of the item, you did cause cosmetic damage to the item.

The fact that the customer will not bring the item back in will not be to her advantage if she wishes to take the matter further.

You need to find out what she intends to next. It is difficult to advise further without knowing this.

scullster

Her word against yours (unless you've written to her or issued a receipt of any kind) and based on how you've presented the case, I'd side with you and agree with the majority of the posters that she is trying it on.

You've offered to look at it again and she's refused - leave it at that.


(I'm not anti retailer or anti service provider, I'm anti !!!!!!!!!!s)

(!!!!!!!!!!s = free + loader) MSE - when I last checked free loader wasn't derogatory