Tips to Avoid Shady San Francisco Appliance Repair Companies
We rely on our appliances every day, and when something goes wrong with your washer or dryer, refrigerator, dishwasher, freezer, or anything else, fixing it becomes top priority. Unfortunately, there are people out there who are eager to take advantage of those of us in that desperate situation. Time is critical when the food will spoil soon or washing clothes in the bathtub threatens, and you’ll need the help of an appliance repair expert to get things working again.
You don’t want to settle for just any appliance repair company in San Francisco, though. There are many excellent companies throughout the Marin County area that are fair, honest, and truly want the best for their customers. However, there are also a few that represent the opposite, and you need to know how to avoid becoming the victim of any scam.
Here are some things to keep in mind to protect yourself from these companies:
- Always make sure your money is going to a company – and not an individual person. Whether it’s a credit card payment, personal check, or automatic debit, you owe the company for which the technician works for – not the technician him/herself. On a similar note, never ever pay cash for services! Always make sure you pay with traceable means to protect yourself.
- When a technician arrives, before he or she enters your home, insist that you are shown an official tag or badge that validates their identity and their relationship with the repair company they claim to represent. You shouldn’t have to ask for this, either – they should offer this validation right away to you.
- You shouldn’t ever have to prepay for appliance repair in San Francisco. Unfortunately, a popular tactic with shady companies or personnel is to claim that they need the money upfront to pay for a part they need for the repair job. This is not a sound business practice, and if you pay for anything before work is done, you may never see that tech or your money again.
- Don’t let the tech leave without you being satisfied that your appliance is in good working order once again. Don’t be afraid to keep them there while you test your appliance out. You know best how your appliance is supposed to behave, so if the tech claims they are finished, but something still seems off to you, state so. You are paying money for a service that promises to restore your machine – make sure you get what you pay for.
- Be suspicious of the whole “I got that fixed, but now this is broken” scheme. Sadly, bad repair companies or techs may break one part of an appliance as they “fix” the original broken part, then tell you it will cost you more if you want the newly broken part fixed.
Appliance repair is not free, and the only thing worse than paying for repairs is being conned by a person or company you trusted on top of the cost of repairs. Be aware, be insistent, and be sure you go with a reputable company about which you don’t have to worry. Contact Absolute Appliances Repair the next time you need help with your appliances and rest easy while we work for you. We serve customers in San Francisco, Larkspur, Novato, San Rafael, Mill Valley, and areas in Marin County.