How to Avoid Appliance Repair Scams
If you don’t want to end up scammed for your appliance repairs, you have to be aware of some of the scams out there.
14/03/2020
When one of your appliances needs repair you need to decide if it is serious enough to warrant a repairman to come to your house in Ontario. Once you contact an appliance repair center, you expect them to be knowledgeable about their craft. However, not all appliance repair centers are the same. Some siphon money out of unsuspecting homeowners. If you don’t want to end up scammed, you have to be aware of some of the scams out there, including:
Advanced Payment
It is common for repair centers to first take a look at your appliance to assess the damage. In some cases, they can give a rough estimate of the repair cost and they will warn you that they may uncover more issues as the repair proceeds. Rarely will they ask for an upfront payment before they attempt to repair your appliance. So, if the appliance center asks for an advanced payment, it should raise a red flag. Don’t fall for their ploy of needing the money to order a specific part. If it is necessary, only shoulder the cost of the materials and make sure that you saw it used for your appliance. It would also be best to ensure that you are only paying for the work carried out.
Underestimating Work Cost
As much as possible, ask for an estimate of the extent of the work that needs to be done. Some technicians may deliberately give you a lower cost during the initial check-up to make sure that you will proceed with the repair. Once they’ve broken down your appliances to pieces, that’s the time they will try to bill you for more issues. A reliable appliance repair London ON should be able to give you an estimate and possible issues they may face as they go along as they have extensive experience with such repairs.
Licensing Scam
It is easy to trust a claim when it says “factory-authorized” center. In reality, that label means nothing. To make sure that they are indeed authorized by the manufacturer, call the manufacturer directly and ask for their list of authorized repair centers. Some technicians can also claim that specific repairs do not require a special license because they do not have that license. It would be wise to check your local regulations.
Complicated Repair
There are appliance repair crews who would take advantage of your ignorance about appliance repairs. In this repair scam, they can easily pass off an overly simple repair to be a complicated one so that you shell out more money in order to have your appliance repaired. You would pay for more parts and services than needed, when, in reality, they did just a little tinkering to make it work again. Without your knowledge, you were ripped off.
If you believe that you are getting a higher than necessary estimate, don’t hesitate to get a second opinion. Get a copy of the estimate and compare it with other service centers. Sure, it will require more effort but it could help you save money and find the best repair team for the job.
The Bottom Line
Forewarned is forearmed. Once you know what you have to aware of about these scams, it would be easier for you to spot the repair scam and prevent it early on. If it’s only a simple repair, don’t be afraid to do a DIY repair, but if it’s something really complicated, you would do better by hiring an appliance repair center that has a good track record of successfully carrying out repairs. Knowledge is the most effective practice to stay away from these appliance repair scams.