Should I Pay To Fix It?

[Praz]

At a minimum the owner has every right to expect the laptop back in the same physical condition as it was when entrusted to you. If the screen quit working while in your possession that would be a different matter. Although personally I would still feel some obligation to help with the repair as it was in my possession when it failed. If the screen no longer works because of physical damage then you are entirely responsible for repairing it. Anything less shows a complete disregard of common courtesy and the obligation to do what's right.

[Hyper Threaded]

You know in your head that if you didn't touch the laptop, the screen would still work. That means you're solely responsible to get it repaired. Pack it in and take it as a learning experience.

 

Pull out of the IT field now, before you bust more equipment.

[LoArmistead]

You still haven't told us how the LCD spontaneously cracked, and how it isn't your fault it happened?

 

Free work or not, it happened, and it was in your possession. If you aren't willing to accept that kind of responsibility, either have people sign a paper stating you aren't responsible for physical damage done to the unit while in your possession.

 

Economic principles apply to free computer work just like they apply to health care and government welfare. If they aren't "paying" anything for it, they demand more than they would if they were otherwise paying the market price for it, and you, the service provider, have just as much liability in caring for the item. The fact that you are doing it for free has absolutely no pull on whether you are liable for replacing the screen. If you were a doctor providing health care to a medicare patient at a loss (essentially giving the customer money to provide your service...), and you gave them a drug that they had an allergic reaction to and killed them, would you say you weren't responsible because you were doing the work for free?

 

You'd better be glad they're church-goin' folk and they agreed to pay for half the screen, I would've beaten the full price of it out of you .

[fire_storm]

So I have their screen out and I am just waiting for the one I ordered to get here in the mail. Once I replace that I am done with it, in the future I am going to tell people up front that I am not responsible for any accidental breaking while I have this in my possession and I am not paying for it and if they dont agree with that then I wont try and fix their system and they can take it somewhere else.

 

If you start saying things like that then very few people are going to trust you with there computers and you'll end up giving yourself a bad reputation.

 

Just image if you took your car to a repair shop and they said were not resposible for accidental dents or damage to your car while its being serviced. I doubt you'd leave your car there.

 

 

Details aside, #$%^ happens. I stopped fixing PCs for this very reason. I work on family and VERY close friends' computers, that's it. I've been bitten too many times. I used to say "No good deed goes unpunished" as a joke. Now I say it in all seriousness when people wonder why I won't fix their stuff. It's unfortunate. I like helping people and I never charge, but it's just been more grief than it's worth on too many occasions. You so much as touch someone's PC, and you're on the hook for the next 6-12 months if -anything- goes wrong, even if you know it's completely unrelated.

 

 

That's why I don't go and fix/build random people's PCs too. There's always that chance something that usually never happens happens and then your the one who ends up looking like a fool and out XXX amount of time and money. If I'm going to fix a computer that is outside of my immediate family's I always ask what the problem with the PC is and then determine the Risks of the repair and the costs and how likely I'm going to fix there problem before I say yes I'm going to fix your PC.

[Archerzz]

wow i enjoy all the snide remarks and personal attacks that people put in their comments. I once dropped a plate in my kitchen and it broke does that mean i should stop eating/cooking as well?

 

I asked if I should replace the damn screen not if I should consider a new career path. accidents happen deal with it. Im not going to stop doing something I like because of one mishap. Im splitting the screen 50/50 with the guy more than I feel I should pay and more than I want to pay but I feel I should help out a little it feels like the right thing to do but I cant afford to buy a whole new laptop lcd by myself.

 

Thank you for the actual advice.

 

and people keep comparing me to actual businesses I don't do this for a living I just fix friends computers when they need help. For free i dont charge you cant compare me to a mechanic its completely different. and as for reputation really dont want to do this for aliving so i dont really care what people think.

[Silverfox]

Jeez, I think people need to take a step back here. Holier than thou attitudes are easy to express, until it's YOU in that position.

 

Stop jumping on the guy's back. You think someone who goes to church and then posts here for advice is going to be some big evil nasty person? UNLIKELY.

 

Else I'm sure the OP would have not bothered posting

 

Archerzz, take the comments with a pinch of salt. If you asked a friend in the real (sane) world the same question, the first thing they would do is feel sympathy for you, rather than rubbing you up the wrong way. Just remember that

[Fogel]

I don't think even with a disclaimer you'd be free from responsibility - maybe Kash has read a case that can confirm/deny this.

 

Like the others said, it broke while in your hands for whatever reason. A judge would find you guilty and order you to pay for the replacement. Is it fair that you were trying to do something good for these people? No but that is the gamble you take with other people's personal possessions in your care. Like someone else said, it should be up to the other people to decide if they want believe your story and front some of the bill. Though since they are going to you for free, I'm guessing that wouldn't pop out of their mouths. Sounds like you told them you'd pay for half to calm them down. Though you'd be surprised how much humility buys you.

 

 

edit:

Last sentence isn't meant as put down (noticed you've taken some flak). I've been in similiar situations and admitting my fault, saying sorry and offering to pay was all the person wanted to hear and wouldn't take my money even when i handed it to them.

Edited November 17, 2008 by Fogel

[Fight Game]

hmm well you should. Even if this isn't your career path, people will still remember your name.

 

If you don't care what people think, then why'd you come here asking.

 

Just because mishaps happen, no you shouldn't quit. People are suggesting you quit, not because you had a mishap, but because you aren't willing to acknowledge responsibility.

[fire_storm]

wow i enjoy all the snide remarks and personal attacks that people put in their comments. I once dropped a plate in my kitchen and it broke does that mean i should stop eating/cooking as well?

 

I asked if I should replace the damn screen not if I should consider a new career path. accidents happen deal with it. Im not going to stop doing something I like because of one mishap. Im splitting the screen 50/50 with the guy more than I feel I should pay and more than I want to pay but I feel I should help out a little it feels like the right thing to do but I cant afford to buy a whole new laptop lcd by myself.

 

Thank you for the actual advice.

 

and people keep comparing me to actual businesses I don't do this for a living I just fix friends computers when they need help. For free i dont charge you cant compare me to a mechanic its completely different. and as for reputation really dont want to do this for aliving so i dont really care what people think.

 

You shouldn't change your career path. Like you said mistakes happen and you learn from them and it makes you more Knowledgeable. I think all of us have broken something by accident weather we were just borrowing it from a friend/someone or trying to fix it for them and made it worse. The feeling sucks that you have to use your hard earned money to pay for it. But doing so is the right thing to do.

 

Like said 3 times before to prevent problems like this only fix problems that have little time/cost risks to them.

[capthowdy575]

ok this has become a nice little hate thread. i have some question first he never said that the screen was cracked did he so why are you saying that, and second who ever said he was in this job for a living. he does it for free so im pretty sure unless this kid is living under a bridge this is not is life long job. people need to start reading the whole post not just want you want to read then go about posting what you think when you only read half of the post or skip a page. if you broke it then pay for it problem solved.

[Fight Game]

He said it was broke during the time he had it. Never used the term cracked, but whats the difference, broken = broken.

Even if he himself isn't the one who broke it. The people gave it to him, and it was busted while in his possesion, therefore he is responsible. Doesn't matter if he did it, or his dog, his kid brother, or if someone broke into the house and accidently stepped on it. Can't believe anyone would argue this..

[capthowdy575]

You still haven't told us how the LCD spontaneously cracked, and how it isn't your fault it happened?

READ the post.