Understanding Appliance Services

When an appliance goes out, you need it fixed in home and almost immediately. Lugging a major appliance to a store for repair is nearly impossible many times, and have to do without the appliance is equally bad. For this reason, at home appliance repair is a large industry. Unfortunately for those who are not handy, it can be easy to fall for appliance repair scams. Here are some tips on avoiding the scams.

Don't pay upfront for parts

One of the most popular scams for appliance repair is taking money for the initial down payment on the service or requesting money for the parts needed to do the work. Do not agree to any type of payment until the individual has assessed the repairs necessary and performs the job to completion. If parts must be purchased and your handyman insists that you pay for them prior to the job, request the order number and part information. This way you can secure the parts yourself from the manufacturer. Many scammers will run if you do not provide upfront money, therefore, you can easily spot a scammer if refusing to part with cash before the work is done.

Collect and copy identification

In order to insure that your job is done properly and everyone is protected, you should insist on have a contract with your worker. The contract should include the person's name and the registered name of the company they work for. However, if the worker signs with a fake name you may not be able to find them. Before contracts are signed, ask to see identification. Make sure the identification matches up with the name the person gave you. Make a copy of the identification in case any issues come up. If the person refuses to show you identification or it does not match the name the person stated previously, refuse them entry.

Go with secured pay

One of the best ways to pay a repair company or person is through checks. Checks may only be cashed by the person they were written out to, meaning the repair person must give you a real name. If the person refuses to take a check, make it clear that you will only pay upon satisfaction of the appliance repair. With a check, you can put a stop payment through you bank if it turns out that the appliance was not repaired. Be sure to check that the appliance stays powered on, that no wires or other attachments are loose, and that the appliance will heat, cool, or perform its job for a number of minutes before the service person leaves your home. Only pay upon a satisfactory job, otherwise you are chancing that the repair personnel may not complete the job, but run off with the cash.

To learn more, contact an appliance repair service company like Lewis Appliance Service LLC.