Repaircare are a National appliance repair company offering fixed price repairs. This review was written only several months after they began trading. Things may, or may not, be different now.
Their fixed price appliance repairs include call out, parts, labour and VAT. Repaircare are part of Connect Distribution who are the UK’s largest distributor of appliance spares and accessories.
They supply much of the independent repair trade. Their website is easy to use and features 3 simple steps to get a quote. It’s incredibly simple and well designed.
How do they do fixed repairs? What’s the Catch?
I’m naturally pretty sceptical and not easily impressed – always looking out for a catch. It shouldn’t be possible for Repaircare to be able to include the spare parts in their repair charges but they are the UK’s largest spare parts distributor so they have access to much cheaper parts than most and they obviously think they can.
Repaircare advertised fixed price repairs, but unfortunately the truth is they did not fix every appliance for the price initially quoted. They covered themselves against the more expensive repairs with a clause in their terms and conditions allowing them to charge extra.
They did claim that most repairs should be covered by the amount advertised, but after a few months (of complaints) they were forced to change their terms and conditions to remove their right to charge extra for certain parts. Offering fixed price repairs is a big ask.
But Repaircare should have access to very cheap spare parts because of their massive buying power as part of the UK’s largest spares distributor 4Ourhouse. However, they don’t employ their own engineers.
They instead use a network of independent engineers, which appears to cause some problems at times where people have complained of poor customer service.
Complaints
Repaircare have been accused of washing their hands of some complaints when (presumably) a customer and the independent engineer have been telling them different things.
However, I don’t believe they can do this because a customer’s contract is with Repaircare, and not the engineer that Repaircare subcontracted to do the repair.
It sounds like Repaircare have been frustrated by different accounts from the engineer and customer and want them to sort it out between themselves. But if a customer can’t, then Repaircare must.
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Margins must be small and this operation probably relies on economies of scale. As it is covering all of the UK they may be able to achieve the quantities of repairs necessary to be viable. However, they need most repairs to be relatively minor to balance out the expensive repairs.
If only people suspecting they have a serious fault use them, the system just won’t work. There have been a lot of complaints in the comments of this article (and elsewhere), which is disappointing.
They may have been struggling to cope with the work load at the early stages as they had promoted themselves very heavily. It’s also fair to say that appliance repairs tend to attract a lot of dissatisfied customers due to the length of time it can sometimes take to get them repaired.
Repaircare did eventually respond pro-actively to public complaints and put in place a system to allow people to complain directly to a manager. People with complaints previously felt they had no option but to complain on the Internet because they couldn’t get past the call centre staff to complain to a manager.
If you are the type of person who takes comfort in prices being fixed and inclusive, then fixed price repairs may be attractive for you. Sadly it’s become the main way large repair companies operate now.
You can end up paying a lot more than necessary if your appliance turns out not to need any parts, or only needs inexpensive parts, (most repairs).
You can save money if it needs an expensive part but if it’s quite expensive most repair companies just tell you it’s beyond economical repair. This can make it difficult to get a “win” on these schemes.
Make sure you read and understand the terms & conditions. It will probably state that if parts are “too” expensive they can say the appliance is not worth repairing, which may still cost you a fair amount of money.
Make sure you understand how much it will cost you in that scenario.
Alternatives?
Some manufacturers also offer fixed price repairs now at rates competing with Repaircare. For example Hoover / Candy, Ariston, Indesit, Hotpoint, Creda and even the obsolete Dyson washing machine have fixed price repairs. Also, AEG, Electrolux and Zanussi have relatively low and reasonable labour charges.
Only 3 months guarantee
A mere 3 months guarantee on repairs is very poor indeed. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 (previously the Sale of Goods Act), any repair should last a reasonable time, as should any new parts fitted. 3 months (90 days) is nowhere near a reasonable time for almost any repair, especially if new parts are fitted. However, that’s all you get.
So you would have to pursue your claim in the small claims court or through a consumer help body if a repair by a company offering only 3 months guarantee failed after an unreasonable time outside 3 months.
I have to be honest and say that I personally would never use any repair company that only gave a 90 day guarantee, which I consider pretty disgraceful, and a very poor show of confidence in their own work – Is a 3 month guarantee on repairs reasonable?)
More appliance repairers
There are some appliance repair companies listed on site Book washing machine (or other appliance) repair page including companies offering a much more desirable 12 month guarantee on repairs.
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Spares
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I think you really need to question your impartiality in this matter. You quite clearly state that they shouldn’t be able to get the parts for the price in your review.
Given that they need some margin and the engineer wants to get paid this leaves around £50 of the fee for parts. Not many spares of substance under that figure I bet.
My own experience is of the engineer coming a day early, he did call, so not a complete loss. He came through on his way home from a “busy day”. Didn’t bother to bring any tools in with him. Opened the washing machine door and said it’s broken badly, they (RepairCare) won’t pay to fix that when I tell them what parts it needs.
7 minutes on site £40 thank you very much. I had the sense that I was just topping up his days income. He may have decades of experience and know what parts he will need (although I doubt it) but I was at least hoping he would have a look, if just to stop me getting suspicious.
It’s going to cost me £400 to replace this and all I have is a weary engineer’s gut instinct. I would love to see the ReapirCare statistics on how many they fix as opposed to write off. Maybe that’s hope they do it so cheap, they rarely fit any parts?
Hello Q. I don’t understand your point as I’ve tried to remain very impartial which means I try to look at things from both points of view. If I wasn’t impartial I wouldn’t even allow any critical comments and I wouldn’t acknowledge anyone’s criticisms.
I don’t recognise the words you attribute to me in my review. My review says, “Repaircare have access to very cheap parts because of their massive power as part of the UKs largest spares distributor 4Ourhouse. When calculating the cost of parts they use the trade cost of parts and not the retail cost which everyone else uses. The price difference can be substantial and this gives them quite a bit of leeway.”
The retail cost of a part can be £150 but the cost to manufacturer will be substantially lower. As a major spare distributor they may have access to such a part for £40. Also they are quoting a lot more than £90 for some makes and some products.
I said the viability of the service is theoretically possible because of their access to very cheap parts and because the majority of repairs don’t even need any parts or only need minor parts.
Is RepairCare a scam?
It gives every appearance of being one.
On 16/08/09 I booked for a repair man to to come out and fix my fridge/freezer (Job Ref: C1135924) and was given a date of 20/08/09.
He didn’t turn up and nobody contacted me. When I called repaircare I was given the excuse of a problem with the booking on the computer.
I was given another appointment date of 01/09/09. The repair man turned up. He stayed about 5 minutes undid 3 screws and removed a panel, looked at the inside and said that it needed a new PCB. He didn’t test anything at all. He said that he’d order the part and that someone would phone in a couple of days to let me know when it would be installed. By the end of the week nobody had called me so I called Repaircare to be told that the part was no longer available (FOR A FRIDGE FREEZER THAT WAS LESS THAT 5 YEARS OLD ???) and that they weren’t going to do the repair. I was also told that my refund of the original payment less £40 would be done in 7 – 10 days (strange that they can take the payment instantly but it takes them up to two weeks to refund it).
Late on Saturday night I ordered a part from Currys Partmaster (So much for Repaircare’s claim that the part was no longer available).
The part arrived promptly this morning (Tuesday). I popped the front panel off the fridge and repaced the PCB myself in 2 minutes and the fridge is working perfectly now.
I would appear that Repaircare are not interested in doing repairs when replacement parts are involved and that they are quite happy to make as much money as possible by eaning interest on refunds that they hold on too as long as the can.
John: One of your criticisms is that the engineer, “undid 3 screws and removed a panel, looked at the inside and said that it needed a new PCB. He didn’t test anything at all.” yet you later say you went and bought a new PCB, fitted it and, “the fridge is working perfectly now”.
You can’t criticise the engineer for not testing anything and appearing to arrive at a diagnosis very quickly but then go on to confirm he was 100% right in his diagnosis.
Your other complaint about being told the part is not available when it was is much more serious and not the first time I’ve heard it.
Can you email me with your details so I can get a Repaircare manager to look into this please?
Just a quick followup.
More comments about Repaircare can be found on :-
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/23611819#Comment_23611819
The links above contain duplications of some of the complaints here. As I pointed out earlier all companies will have dissatisfied customers and some of the complaints are things that would be encountered with all repair companies due to the nature of the job.
Regarding John’s issue: I’ve had the following follow up from Repaircare’s online marketing manager –
That was me, back on June 18th……..Well, after four visits, we still have a Miele washer that, after bearing replacement, still leaks about a cupful every cycle. The original repairer is coming back again tomorrow for another shot, and they get full marks for persistence, but there has been so much head-scratching over this, I’m beginning to wonder if there is any realistic chance of returning it to its former (entirely leak-tight!) state. We may find out tomorrow.
It’s that Miele again…..The original repairer eventually returned (after a long gap caused by holidays etc) and has, at last, discovered the problem – a drain pipe dislodged during the first dismantling! Everything is at last as it should be, and no further money changed hands. So – not a 100% “according to plan” job, but the required result, and strictly to Repaircare’s stated terms.
hi iv had the same big problem with my fridge/freezer i payed 100
th engineer came out when stated and said i needed a compressor to be ordered i asked how long he said shouldnt be long,2wks on not heard anything so i emailed repaircare and they said that the part would be with the engineer with in a fewdays and he will contact to arrange a day n time.waited another week still not heard so i rang him direct from the tel no.provided he said or yes and said he would call out on the friday,so i was chuffed as iv a newborn n need my fridge to store his bottles.thursday teatime i got a call from him to say that he will be calling on the tuesday weekafter i say hey i was promised friday,he said who said that to you and b4 i could say he put the blame on repaircare and i said no you said it yourself and denied it,and said they’v only just given me authorisation to order your part, i said to him but i thought you already had the part as i was told in an email and by yourself he turned the convo by repeating his self so i excepted the tuesday and by this time it was 4wks since i had payed for the service,tuesday morning came and as i was on my account coz i kept getting a funny feeling that i was gonna be cancled again but i saw dx has newborn need to be 1st job on day and up and running,so i though or so deffo coming then half hour later gets a call a lady to say that the engineer wasnt coming coz no engineer had turned up for work so i was angry then so iv put in a complaint with repaircare to ask if i would be entitled to a full refund i then got an email with in 10mins to say they was sorry that this has been on-going for 4wks and wil be getting a refund infull and should be in my account in 3-4days but now isee on my account that the engineer has re-booked for 5th sep also i noticed that they have been putting down that they visted on certain days and couldnt repair applience wich is a lie because according to them they didnt have the part still even after the dates they claim to have called so i dont kknow whats going on there i read on another site with people with the exact things said to them and same treament im just so hoping i do get this refund because iv now gone and bought 1 because i was told my refund will be in my bank in a few days so im worried now
(note change of e-mail address)
So sorry to hear of Emma’s problems, you’d think anyone with an ounce of humanity would hurry to help a young mother with a very new baby!
IMy fridge-freezer was condemned (previous postings on another thread) by my local retailer’s engineer,although less than five years old. Their manufacturers assn (AMDEA) says average life of an f/f is 16 and a half years. (That’s SIXTEEN AND A HALF)
My retailer has offered me £20 off the callout fee that I paid, PLUS an unspecified discount should I buy another f/f from them.
Have now written to ask for specific figures.
Someone has said I should take the retailer to the Small Claims Court but is that worth all the hassle?
How do we poor punters acquire “negotiating skills” ?