Repairing an Electronic or Home Appliance

When you deal with a repairer of certain home or electronic appliances, the law says that you must be given a written estimate for repairs of $50 or more. 

The repairer must respect the estimate

In the estimate, the repairer provides you with a complete estimate of the total repair costs for your appliance.

Once you’ve accepted an estimate, the repairer cannot ask for more than the amountof the estimate.

You have the right to receive the estimate before the repairer carries out the repairs. The repairer can charge you for preparing this estimate, as long as they have informed you of these costs in advance.

Which appliances are covered by the law?

You have the right to receive an estimate before the following appliances are repaired:

• household appliances (stove, refrigerator, freezer, dishwasher, microwave, washer and dryer, air conditioner, dehumidifier, heat pump, etc.),
• audio devices (stereo system, speakers, etc.),
• audio-video devices (television, DVD player, projector, etc.),
• computer and accessories (screen, mouse, printer, etc.).

Other home and electronic appliances like vacuums, garburators and food processors are not on the Consumer Protection Act’s list of appliances. For these appliances, the repairer does not have to give you an estimate before doing the repairs.

What must be in a repair estimate?

The written estimate must include the following information:

• the nature of the repair,
• the total price of the repair,
• your name and address,
• the repairer’s name and address,  
• a description of the appliance to be repaired,
• the date of the estimate and the time period for which it is valid.

Your repairs come with a warranty

The law provides that the repairer must guarantee the repairs for a three-month period. The guarantee includes parts and labour.

The three-month period begins when the repairer hands you back the repaired appliance. If you notice a problem with the repaired appliance before the guarantee period is over, the repairer must fix your appliance for free.

The repairer’s refusal to return the repaired appliance

If you haven’t paid for repairs, the repairer can keep your appliance until you pay. However, the repairer can’t keep your appliance in these situations:

• the repairer did not provide you with an estimate before repairing the appliance, or
• you have paid the maximum amount indicated in the estimate (plus any other amounts that you later agreed to pay).

Solutions in Case of Disagreement

You have rights as a consumer if the repair is poorly done or more expensive than anticipated. You still have rights even if you paid the repairer because you wanted to get your appliance back.

Here are the steps to follow if your rights weren’t respected:

1. Try to fix the problem directly with the repairer. The Office de la protection du consommateur (OPC or consumer protection office) recommends a process for negotiating with a repairer (merchant). The OPC also offers an online platform to negotiate.
2. Pay the bill if you cannot reach an agreement with the repairer. This will protect your credit record. The OPC recommends writing “under protest” on your payment proofs (for example, on your check, in the “Messages” section of an Interac transfer, on your invoice, or on your receipt). Writing “under protest” shows the repairer that you want to contest the amount you are paying.
3. You can file a complaint against the repairer with the OPC.
4. You can send a demand letter to the repairer and take them to Small Claims Court to recover an amount of $15,000 or less.