Skip to main content
/

Site Navigation

Your Account

Choose Language

Discussion Topic

Liability for a home repair company

So fixers, I have recently been seriously considering using this incredible website to begin to fix things in my community, of course using one of your kits. My biggest question is, however, how have you handled liability for repairs? For example, say I am repairing the dock connector in and iPhone 6 plus. This obviously involves the removal of some very delicate machinery, and I am wondering, who is liable if something goes wrong. Do I have the customer sign a waiver before I begin work? Or do I simply go into the repair with and understanding of you break it you buy it? Thanks for any help.

Answered! View the answer Subscribe to discussion

Is this a worthwhile discussion?

Score 1
Add a comment

2 Replies

Chosen Solution

Hey Zach, this is an excellent question! Thanks for asking!

Have you heard of iFixit Pro? Well, it's our community to connect folks who are actively engaged in the repair profession. We have an active discussion forum called Pro Talk where repair business owners and technicians discuss real-world issues. Your question: "what's the best way to protect your shop from liability when servicing equipment?" would be an excellent question to voice to other repair business owners.

If you haven't done so already, go ahead and create a repair business team here and then you'll immediately have access to Pro Talk.

Here's a quick preview of some of the conversations currently happening on Pro Talk:

Block Image

Block Image

Was this reply helpful?

Score 1

2 Comments:

Hey Dan, that's an excellent point. I've included a screenshot that depicts some recent conversations on Pro Talk.

by

@Eric - You might want to alter the Pro site with the tease when the person is not authorized to access it warning dialog box. How about a button with this 'Are you curious about us? Click here to learn more' Then have a page or two going over what you have on the main site, which by the way is not very easy to find if you just landed from Mars ;-} The front page needs a bit more work pulling you in. You shouldn't need to scroll down to see things unless you give them a clue to do so (none seen). How about a moving GIF arrow on the right or just have something start up within a window pane. I know Apple and others are getting into this scroll thing but they mostly lead you to it (I'm still not a fan of them - Sorry old school webpage thinker).

by

Add a comment

Think of it this way: You fix a flat tire of a persons car and as soon as they drive out the engine explodes! Would the person fixing the tire be liable? Not in this case if it went to trial.

OK, now lets use your example remember you are doing brain surgery here ;-} Sadly, you are taking the risk if something else breaks in the process. Again, think of what would happen in a court room you would be found liable? Liability isn't just what you repaired it can be the other damage you created if the repair was proven to be the cause of it lets say a fire or the death of someone. This is not to scare you but to make sure you have the needed protection and take care when repairing things.

As an example some iPhone chargers in China where shocking people (they were very good knock offs of Apples design) Apple was forced to deal with quite a few lawsuits and not only had to offer free replacements of the chargers to make sure they wouldn't have to fight still more lawsuits! Remember they didn't even make the charger or sell it! Before this they had to deal with exploding iPhone batteries from a few knockoffs that clearly weren't up to snuff.

Just because you're small doesn't mean your safe from someone suing you.

Sometimes its just best to service the customer even if you don't think your the cause. Today people have social media to either praise you or vilify you. Consider that as well, a bad rap will hurt you in the pocketbook.

Make sure you have a good trail of documentation (even pictures) of what you did and if you do have someone make a claim of poor workmanship make sure your workmanship is above reproach. If not, you need to rethink if you have the correct skills & tools or you need to improve them.

Was this reply helpful?

Score 0
Add a comment

Join the discussion

Zach Duran will be eternally grateful.