Evaluation Fee / Security Deposit

Repolho

I contacted a company who repair iPods through their website. I described the problem and asked sombody to contact me with an estimate to repair.

They phoned me back and told me that they couln't give a quote to repair it without doing an evaluation. She said the process was to send them the iPod, they would do an evaluation on it and let me know how much it would be to fix then I could decide whether or not to proceed.

On Sat morning I received a call from them telling me it would be €120 plus VAT to fix (said he would leave it at €140). I said that was too much. He then told me that they charge a €25 euro evaluation fee / security deposit before they will return the iPod. This was the first time that this was mentioned?

Am I liable for this fee as it was not agreed. Is this not chargeable work which they carried out without my permission or is it my own fault for not asking?

Any advice appreciated.

foggy_lad

you should not pay this as you were not informed of any charge before you sent your ipod for repair!

imo this type of evaluation charge for small items like ipods is a scam as the cost or repairing most issues with such small devices is about the same so a realistic quotation can easily be given without their evaluation! also they now have tyour ipod and will most likely refuse to return it untill you pay a bogus charge.

are they a reputable company? how old is your ipod? could it not be sent back to the store you bought in?

Sam Vimes

foggy_lad wrote: »

you should not pay this as you were not informed of any charge before you sent your ipod for repair!

imo this type of evaluation charge for small items like ipods is a scam as the cost or repairing most issues with such small devices is about the same so a realistic quotation can easily be given without their evaluation! also they now have tyour ipod and will most likely refuse to return it untill you pay a bogus charge.

are they a reputable company? how old is your ipod? could it not be sent back to the store you bought in?

Well you've gone ahead and assumed they're not a reputable company anyway. One would assume the charge is for the person's time if the customer decides not to go ahead with the repair

But except for the conspiracy theory bit foggy's right. You asked the procedure and nothing was said about the charge so I wouldn't pay it

mickoneill30

Repolho wrote: »

I contacted a company who repair iPods through their website.

What's their website address? Does it make any mention of the evaluation fee there?

bladespin

Unless they have clearly stated that there is an evaluation fee don't pay it.

If they have then you should, at €25 it hardly covers the service-person's time.

Repolho

foggy_lad wrote: »

you should not pay this as you were not informed of any charge before you sent your ipod for repair!

imo this type of evaluation charge for small items like ipods is a scam as the cost or repairing most issues with such small devices is about the same so a realistic quotation can easily be given without their evaluation! also they now have tyour ipod and will most likely refuse to return it untill you pay a bogus charge.

are they a reputable company? how old is your ipod? could it not be sent back to the store you bought in?

iPod is about 3 years old so its long out of warranty. I went to the store I got it in and they said they would could send it off to Apple but advised it would be about €240 to repair so I figured it wasn't worth it.

Googled "iPod repairs ireland". Contacted the first company that came up. The rep said it sounds like a hard drive problem but couldn't be sure. I asked for a worst case scenario and she said if its a new hard drive it would be about €70 but would not commit to a cost without an evaluation! (but never mentioned the €25 evaluation fee!).

So now they have my iPod and its either €140 to get it repaired, €25 to get it back as it or leave them have it!

Repolho

mickoneill30 wrote: »

What's their website address? Does it make any mention of the evaluation fee there?

No mention of the fee.

Can I give the address? is that within the rules?

Nody

Well a new Ipod classic from Amazon is 170 GBP; seems as a easy choice either way to me as I highly doubt you'll get it back (my guess would be that they will fix it and put it up on Ebay or similar).

pred racer

people, even if there is no evaluation fee mentioned, surely you dont expect someone to diagnose the problem on your ipod for nothing?
agreed that it should be mentioned but I would expect to have to pay for that service. just my 2c.

kippy

pred racer wrote: »

people, even if there is no evaluation fee mentioned, surely you dont expect someone to diagnose the problem on your ipod for nothing?
agreed that it should be mentioned but I would expect to have to pay for that service. just my 2c.

To be honest without being told about the price, I wouldnt be expecting to pay any fee. It's that simple really. It really is up to the shop to advise of their prices.
I know of lots of cases where a free diagnosis/consultation service occurs in order to garner more business (ie actually repair the device).
I'd personally have no issue paying the fee if it were highlighted before hand.
OP, In your position I would let them keep the Ipod, its of no use to you and 25 quid for a non working ipod is a bad deal on all levels. Let them know they should advise clients in future about all fees.
Kippy

jhegarty

pred racer wrote: »

people, even if there is no evaluation fee mentioned, surely you dont expect someone to diagnose the problem on your ipod for nothing?
agreed that it should be mentioned but I would expect to have to pay for that service. just my 2c.

Unless they said otherwise then they were just doing a quote. The cost of doing a quote is their issue , not the op's.

jor el

Repolho wrote: »

Googled "iPod repairs ireland". Contacted the first company that came up.

Was it, www.ipodrepairs.ie? Just looking at that site, and there is no mention of evaluation fee, though they do quote prices on various repairs, here. An 80GB iPod classic hard disk is 120 euro, fitted and delivered. Sounds like this is what they're saying to you.

Another thing is, if they are quoting prices to consumers (not businesses) then prices must include VAT. It doesn't say on the website whether the prices are inc or ex-VAT. You were quoted ex-VAT, which they're not supposed to do.

whippet

jor el wrote: »

Another thing is, if they are quoting prices to consumers (not businesses) then prices must include VAT. It doesn't say on the website whether the prices are inc or ex-VAT. You were quoted ex-VAT, which they're not supposed to do.

is there some sort of leglislation about this?

Many times as a consumer I have been quoted ex-vat .. from builders, tilers, tradesmen etc ....

jor el

This might help.

Tax inclusive prices

Shops have to display prices that are "complete" and "tax inclusive". This means the price on display must include all taxes and not have any extra "hidden" charges. If the price doesn't include Value Added Tax (VAT), for example, they are misleading consumers and in breach of consumer legislation.

In the case of certain invoices such as telephone and electricity bills, the VAT may be shown separately.

In general, service providers are not legally required to display their prices or charges. But when they choose to do so, they must give the final price, inclusive of taxes and charges.

There are also rules about how certain advertisements for concerts and theatre shows indicate additional charges and booking fees.

But one exception to this "tax inclusive" rule is a business selling goods intended mainly for other business customers, such as a "trade only" electrical distributor, or a cash and carry which again says that it is "trade only". These kinds of businesses are allowed to show prices that exclude the VAT element.

Repolho

jor el wrote: »

Was it, www.ipodrepairs.ie? Just looking at that site, and there is no mention of evaluation fee, though they do quote prices on various repairs,

It wasn't these. The diagnosis was that it needed a new mother board and a new display. When I sent it to them the display was not a problem. He wasn't able to give me details of the breakdown between parts and labour, all he said was its about 50:50 which sounded very dodgey to me.

I rang iPod repairs.ie they do not charge for evaluation. He also said that it would very highly unusual that the mother board would need replacing unless the unit was submersed in water. Don't know who to believe!

sxt

Repolho wrote: »

I contacted a company who repair iPods through their website. I described the problem and asked sombody to contact me with an estimate to repair.

They phoned me back and told me that they couln't give a quote to repair it without doing an evaluation. She said the process was to send them the iPod, they would do an evaluation on it and let me know how much it would be to fix then I could decide whether or not to proceed.

On Sat morning I received a call from them telling me it would be €120 plus VAT to fix (said he would leave it at €140). I said that was too much. He then told me that they charge a €25 euro evaluation fee / security deposit before they will return the iPod. This was the first time that this was mentioned?

Am I liable for this fee as it was not agreed. Is this not chargeable work which they carried out without my permission or is it my own fault for not asking?

Any advice appreciated.

Sounds like you went to that dodgy shop Gsmsolutionsltd.com trading as **** !? They come up straight away when you do a google searching for ipod repairs as you have mentioned ..and as you have ruled out the only other company it could of been.

I was charged a "25 euro service charge" by them when they kept claiming it had to be sent away for further tests. To add insult to injury,I was eventually given back a fried/dead machine by these complete cowboys :mad:

Here is my post detailing my horrors with this place
Dishonest/negligent repairs

Their website also claimed that they had a "no fix,no fee policy" which is a lie ,and if gsmsolutionsltd.com/**** are involved you should take further action, as they will keep doing this to people if they keep getting away with it