to feel like not paying the bill!

[OrmIrian]

DD's netbook stopped working a few months back. It just got slower and slower and even when I deleted stuff off it and defragged, it was almost useless. So took it to an idependent computer shop in town about 10 days ago. When he opened it he noticed that the screen was cracked. Not sure when that happened but it was still usable. He said he'd take everything off the hard-drive and reload windows - cost about £35. And he's look into a second-hand screen for it but (I thought) I had made it clear that I didn't want the screen changed unless he could get a second-hand screen which I suspected he wouldn't be able to. I must have because he even told me that TBH with the cost of a new screen it wouldn't be worth fixing it as it wasn't that expensive to start with.

Gave him two numbers to contact me.

He did contact me. Today. Just to make sure there was nothing that needed saving on the hard-drive before he cleared it. And also that he's replaced the screen With a new one. Cost £60. So the entire bill is going to nearly a hundred. And I haven't really got £100 to spare.

Bugger!

I think he should have called you tbh.

But he did fix it, so I think you have to pay to get the netbook back.

If you haven't got £100, why not ask if you can pay it in 2 / 3 installments as it's near xmas and you didn't expect it to cost more than £35, as he told you it would be that much.

What a cheeky swine! Tell him that you were clear from the start that you didn't want the screen done, and so therefore you will not be paying for a service you didn't want!

If you wanted your windows replaced, told the bloke to leave the doors alone, then came back to find that every single window and door in the whole house had been replaced, you wouldn't pay for it!

What a bugger!

I think you should pay for the repair to the hard drive, but make it clear that you had told him you didn't want a new screen fitting and therefore you are not prepared to pay for it.

Oh lord! Will you all come with me to the shop and tell him then

I am such a wuss. To be honest he has form so it's my own fault for going there but he is usually very quick and they do know what they are doing. Not to mention the only one in town now.

I wouldn't pay for the new screen, and if he kicks off, tell him to replace it with the old one. He should still have it to give back to you, because broken or not, it is still your property.

If you are feeling particularly wuss-ish, offer to pay half for the screen, but say that as you told him you didn't want a new one, you are not prepared to pay for a new one.

Just remember this mantra.

"No is a complete sentence"

And if you like, you can take it from this script, as I've had this done to me in the past.

"No. I will not be paying you an extra £60 because I made it specifically clear to you that I did not want the screen replaced. The screen was fine, it was a minor flaw that we could have worked around, and I resent you scamming me out of £60 for work I explicitly told you not to do. You can either give me back the laptop or I'll see you in the small-claims court."

No, it's not your own fault, it's his fault for doing work that you didn't authorise. It is not unreasonable to expect somebody to follow your specific instructions NOT to do something. Keep telling yourself 'it's not my fault' and be firm and refuse to pay.

OrmIrian What did you say when he told you? Can you go with a tinkly laugh and an "oh no I was pretty clear that I didn't want the screen replaced unless it was secondhand - you were going to phone and check - did I miss your voicemail message/call?but no worries, pop the old broken screen back in so I can sort it out when I can afford it and I will just pay for the hard drive as agreed when I collect it - how long will it take you to return the old screen?"

I bet he won't be able to pop the old screen back in. He has done work he wasn't authorised to do so he took the risk he would be able to blackmail you into paying. I think it's very cheeky and not at all helpful but if you're bright and breezy and ask when he called as agreed (check no one else in the family has taken a call) and watch him mumble away about not calling.

I think I said: 'I thought you were going to look for a second-hand screen' . He told me that you couldn't get second hand screens but this new one was a bargain - only £60 instead of 100 - which I know is not true because he replaced my son's screen for £75 a few months back.

I know I sounded pissed off and am wondering if he will do the hard-drive for nothing.

problem is I am doubting what I said in the first place now....

I think if you are certain you said you only wanted a second hand screen, and he kicks up a stink or refuses to return your laptop, I would contact your local Trading Standards and see if they can give you any advice, particularly as he 'has form'.

Don't doubt yourself, doubt him. You said what you said, and if he didn't hear you or misunderstood then it's his own bloody problem.

I'm airlifting you a pair of my specially-made-for-Mumsnet-problems 100% steel balls. They are the size of beachballs, and will serve you well :o

Maybe he should have just told you the screen was second hand and you would not have known any better and paid, he has done you a favour getting a new one cheap at possibly the same price of a second hand one plus you should get a guarantee with it, I don't see a problem, pay up!

But I didn't really want the new screen! Certainly not £60 worth.

And it isn't that cheap.

Manathome

You walk into a shop. Tesco, ASDA, whatever.
Someone in a uniform asks "Would you like £60 worth of aubergines?"
You politely decline, and then do your shop that amounts to £35.
You get to the till and discover that the bill is £95 - £60 more than what you originally wanted.
When you query it, the woman behind the till tells you that you are getting £60 worth of Aubergines and they've just put them all into your boot.

Do you
A) Argue that you didn't want them and they had no right to give them to you and then expect you to pay.
B) Pay the bill and say "Actually, this was exactly what I needed! Thank you!"

Manathome Or the garage - you take the car in to get the tracking done, and the mechanic notices the stereo is a bit dodgy, so you say 'oh yes, if you can get a second hand cassette player cheaply then replace it'

Then you get a call to say 'I've done the tracking, and I've replaced the stereo with one of these as I couldn't get a second hand one"

Its up to you whether or not to pay-personally I wouldnt but I would send dh! Tbh I would be more pissed off with your dcs who seem to be quite lax when it comes to looking expensive items.

DH would be worse than me.

pink - I am sure you are right about the DC but that isn't the issue

I think you're being reasonable.

'Look, I told you what I could afford and I told you I did not want a brand new screen. If you fitted it as a gift that is very kind but I am not going to pay for work I specifically asked you not to do.'

(Btw, I wouldn't be convinced it's your DD being 'lax' either - those screens can be quite fragile and I do think it could have happened with an adult as well.)

Thanks lrd. I think the screens must be fairly fragile. It wasn't an expensive model TBH hence not wanting to pay for a new screen. I could accept that DS1 is careless - altough in fact it was his friend who broke it as I found out on facebook later after telling him off roundly for being careless . But DD is always pretty careful with her possessions

I do think it's a real problem, because they're made to break fast so you buy another one. But if this guy is an independent, I'd guess a lot of his business comes from fixing broken stuff so he shouldn't be playing innocent about the costs like that.