I took a tuner amp to a service engineer 14 months ago and I’m still waiting to get it back. He gave it to someone else after 6 months who had more specialist tuner knowledge and it has been stuck there since. I’ve asked for it back now as I have lost patience. As far as I know all the faults have been fixed bar one. I intend to send the amp elsewhere to get this last job done.
I’m wondering where I stand on whatever bill I’m presented with. Am I obliged to pay in full for the work done on an amp that is still faulty?
I hope so. That would save any awkwardness. He’s a decent chap and I have given him a lot of work in the past. This is the first time he’s really let me down.
Vintage receivers are a fucking nightmare - the perfect storm of PCBs + p2p wiring + unobtanium silicon / switches + dry joints + dirt-and-dust-and-nicotine + sheer bloody amount of stuff crammed into one chassis + no thought given to serviceability - horrifying things to work on and almost always take ages to fix.
Merely getting old school tuners working right is a dark art known to very few.
If you do get it back fully working, my opinion is you should pay for it, this is not like getting a new clutch on your Fiesta.
If it’s fully working I’d be very happy to pay in full. I’m not sure where I stand legally if it’s 3/4 fixed but I’ll see how much he wants and go from there. Part of me feels I shouldn’t pay anything if it’s not fully working but I like to be fair and if he’s fixed some things he deserves some payment. Just have to see how it goes.
Then you ought to pay for the work done as getting the last fault fixed must be cheaper than getting all the faults fixed in one go.
Did you have any agreement or understanding when you took it in? Was it a no fix no fee arrangement or do you think it fair to pay for his time?
Playing devil’s advocate what would you do if he said i have spent X amount of time on it that equals a fee of X. If you don’t pay you don’t get your tuner back?
I am sure there is some middle ground which is reasonable.
If you want to be an arse about it you can insist you sent your tuner on the understanding it would be fully repaired and as it hasn’t you won’t be making any payment and your tuner should be returned forthwith.
If you don’t want to be an arse about it you can ask for an itemised bill detailing the work and repairs completed and pay for those regardless of the tuner still being non-working.
I’d ask for an itemised bill and go from there. Be reasonable.
Smile, pay in full and then, while the old, knackered pos tuner amp thing is still on the shop counter, pour a load of swan lighter fuel all over it and lob a lit match on it and walk out shouting fuck you
There was no specific arrangement. Usually, I hand over the item, he repairs it and I pay.
With regard to your last question, it boils down to how much. If the amount he wants is a good bit more than its sell on value and I still have to get it fixed, I think I’d let him keep it.
I don’t. I’m a decent person.
Good idea to ask for an itemised bill. I’m always reasonable, never shouty or confrontational. That’s why I let it run on for 14 months.
I think that if you go and have a chat with him you will come to an agreement he will also be aware that he has failed to get it back in a working condition.
There is only one question you need to ask ‘repair man’ - Do you like salted or unsalted butter? Let the answer be your guide, pay and walk or name and flame on the internetz.
