I would like some feedback on whether I was right or wrong.

I was requested to quote on a valve 1960s Kriesler radiogram. The power cord was the rubber coated 3 core with the cord wires exposed at the plug and shorting. It also had all its original capacitors . One output transformer was high resistance and the other not as high. Checked them with a ring meter and conventional ohms meter. So the customer didn't want to ahead with repairs at this time . I decided to cut off the dangerous cord and explain to him why when he picked it up . All good he takes it away.

A few days later I get a phone call abusing me why I cut the cord and didn't connect up the turntable . I stated for safety and when it was going to be repaired it would be all connected up . I mentioned it was not safe to power up. He stated it was all working before he brought it in. At this point I was accused of being a crook and there was nothing wrong with the transformers . I was asked how I checked the transformers and was told I didn't know what I was doing , as the only way to check transformers is to touch them if they are getting hot.

At this point I lost my cool and a heated argument arose. Was I correct in cutting the cord or should have I let it go as was?

I was quite disturbed by having my integrity and honesty questioned and being told I was an arsehole and crook. Do I just let it go as I surely don't want a bad name about the place. I text saying sorry for the heated argument . I told him to bring it in and in front of him I would show him the readings on the transformers and hook up a new power cord , as long as he signed a disclaimer if it had problems. No he has not replied. Still quite distressed about the whole deal.

Regards
Vic

Hi Vic,

For my part, you did the absolutely right thing. For starters his argument that it was working before it was brought in is a bit of a joke. If it was working why did it need fixing? Also such an expert on testing transformers would have no trouble reconnecting a power cord one would have thought as well.

That particular customer sounds to me like someone trying to get a free repair. At least you can sleep well knowing that your lack of action did not put anyone at risk, even if he was an objectionable prick and probably deserved electrocution.

I don't repair radios but some of my job involves repairs and warranty claims. It is remarkable how some people try to pass off an ancient unit as new and under warranty when in some cases they are nearly 10 years old. (Our products have electronic time stamps on installation.) It is the crooked attitude of the customer that is the problem in those as well as your case, not any lack of integrity on your part. Unfortunately just part of the service industry landscape. Just best to move on to the next customer who will hopefully be appreciative of your good service.

Just my two cents worth.

Regards, Frank.

P.S. Don't attach a new power cord. No matter what paper he signs you can still be held responsible if the thing catches fire and burns the house down.

That's the main reason that I don't do repairs for others, except on a personal favour basis and then only rarely. I can understand your feeling distressed.

As far as I'm concerned, you did the right thing by removing that lethal power cord. How in hell could it have been working with a shorted mains cord?

And don't you just love it when someone not in the trade tells you how to test things! With all of his 'knowledge', we have to wonder why that genius brought it to you in the first place.

Personally, I'd tell him to take a flying leap, but in your situation maybe attach a new cord and then tell him to find somebody else.

Your reputation shouldn't be harmed by one such incident. Your previous record should stand you in good stead.

A footnote: Maybe in future if a customer brings in gear with an unsafe mains cord, tell them that's coming off for starters, and if they don't agree then show them the door.

Vic,

You did the right thing. This same person would be the first to sue a proprietor/serviceman for not warning them that bare conductors were a hazard. So you've probably saved yourself a day in court. Don't fret too much about this. Similar episodes have happened before, including with me, on Ebay.

Members who have been on this site for a long time will remember this discussion between myself and another Ebay user over some radios I was selling at the time. Mind you, this argument was over radios that I still owned at the time so the other person had quite a hide.

To this day, I still cut cords off any radio I sell that has not been serviced. If the buyer attaches a cord and does themselves a mischief then the event is down to them. They can't hold me liable. If I leave the cord on and they plug it in they can come after me for not warning them that the radio could have faults, etc. That's just how it is these days - there's a lot of people out there that would sue their own mothers, let alone other people they have dealings with.

Bottom line is, you haven't damaged his property, you have saved his life.

Thank you for your reassuring replies guys.

In the heat of arguing you forget you know are right . In this case the customer is definitely not right and for the life of me can't comprehend what he was actually saying . The total disbelief still has me shaking my head. I really don't handle this sort of thing too well as I am getting older and hopefully wiser. Tolerance of "lets call it stupidity " is pretty low.

Cheers
Vic

Members who have been on this site for a long time will remember this discussion between myself and another Ebay user

I hadn't seen that one before. Good grief, what a clown! Claims he has an engineering degree but everything he writes demolishes the claim to any sort of education.

You cannot fix stupid...............................

A common scam in the old days. They say you broke it, then pressure you into fixing it for free to preserve your reputation.

You did the right thing by sending him on his way.

The only thing you could have done at the time was to take photos of the unit and its problems before you cut the plug off, and post those photos on social media or something.

Robbert is correct.

There are people out there who will not accept (or pay) anything. Ever!

You are best advised to dump this parasite: severe all ties immediately, and forget it. he cannot harm you or your reputation. Don't be bluffed.

When he finds out you were correct and he cannot have it repaired 'for nicks', he will most likely try and negotiate with you for cheaper repairs.

There are two alternatives here:

a) Make it clear he has lost all integrity in your eyes, refuse to do the work. This is the best option.

or,

b) Do what I used to do when dealing which such maggots. Explain that the price has now tripled, full amount(cash) in advance.
You will never hear from him again.

I was requested to quote...

One grey area though is about the plug. The customer asked for a quote, not a repair. In my mind this does not give you the right to damage the equipment (cut the cord) and steal the plug. However I would have attached a tag to the cord stating that the appliance has not been tested for safety and should not be plugged in. Queensland has these tags, don't know about other states.

I know most of you would disagree with me and jump right in unasked, but to me you are putting yourself at legal risk. If you were engaged to repair the appliance, well of course replace the power cord and plug.

A quote is just that, a quote. You look it over and name a price for repair. You don't modify anything.

I suppose if you wanted to go halfway, you could separate the plug from the cord by undoing the screws, then give the plug back to the customer and tell him it was in such bad condition that it just fell off.

If you didn't cut that cord then he could have sued you if something happened ie when he was feeling the transformer. The person you protected was yourself b

I think it is a bit rough to allege the plug or cord was stolen. As for the cord, one cannot damage what is already damaged. If the client made a complaint to the police about the issue surrounding the cord being removed, at worst, it'd go to court and be thrown out on the basis that the serviceman was exercising a duty of care. Applying a danger tag is indeed an accepted practice but if that option was taken up there is nothing stopping the client removing it and plugging the appliance in and this removes any evidence that one was ever applied in the first place. Cutting off the cord removes this doubt.

A difficult circumstance and agree cutting off the power cord was the best thing to do.

The set with such an old cord with exposed wires and all original electro's would be a death trap for which the repairman could be held liable if returned in such a condition.

As others have remarked the customer would be the sort of person to take you through the courts if he plugged it in and there was an accident or injury.

I would not lose any sleep over the matter, best to get rid of the fellow as you did.

Such is the reason why I do not do any repairs for anyone except those whom I have known for a long time.

Edit: Think it's a good thing to take photo's of everything just in case the customer does get nasty and tries something in the courts.

Then you have a bit of evidence to substantiate your actions.

Hi Vic, having worked for 2 very large companies in a technical design and help desk capacity and run my own business as well I have met them all. At best your customer was just a sad and confused person at worst a spiv. Forget him and get on with it.
Just a couple of things I have learnt having been through ombudsmen and ;legal courts in the capacity of either defendant or expert witness.
I'm not sure how much you document things but, according to being admissible, things like duplicate books, diaries and notes are king.
There is nothing better than a day to day diary and invoices ect to provide an opinion or a proof about a matter.
With "Quotations" I found that the English word is crucial, when you are in court its not a matter of common sense or right, its how what you have done lines up with the Law as she is writ.
Now you know why commercial organisations have an A4 page of Terms and Conditions!
Back to fixing radios, briefly you can Consult, Estimate and even Quote and each of those is vastly different.
To consult is to give an opinion and that can be verbal "Mate that's going to cost heaps".
When you give an Estimate it can still be verbal "I'm gonna have to replace the transformer and valve and that's gonna cost about $300 unless I find more stuff to fix in which case its going to be more."
When you give a QUOTE you are quantifying and recording in a formal way the work and costs you are charging for and this implys you have carried out certain testing to come to this conclusion. You will note that some repairers charge a sum at this point "$30 to get in the game" so its not a total loss if they go no further and that is the sum you charge for the work you do. So long as the customer is aware of this being the set of rules you are playing under then all is well. You tell them this and if they don't like it they can go away.
Make sure they know the rules and smile at them.
Regarding the cutting off of the cord you cannot alter, modify, damage ( without permission) and so on the item in your care at that point of estimating or quoting and any level of danger implied by the condition of the device should be documented in the duplicate bit of paper you hand the guy. You only open your self to liability if you do alter etc. At that point documenting the danger is the way to go and that is why I ran a carbon duplicate set of books when I used to fix stuff for guys. If I found something dangerous or dodgy it went onto the document in big letters..."This thing is DANGEROUS DO NOT POWER IT UP!" and if they throw the paper away it is documented in your diary, duplicate book with the customers name and address and SIGNED by the guy. When you get to court 15 months later on summons you just provide the diary entry or work book entry and the point is resolved.
Document, photograph, and get a signature.
I am not a lawyer or know any thing about the law this is not legal advice, is just my experience having been summonsed a few times and am I so glad I was a diary freak and ran duplicate books in the early days and computer based programs for invoicing later on.
Its a huge area to cover and just about everything the other guys have said is correct.
Onto the next repair or project!
Cheers, Fred.

I think the logical answer here if you are doing a quote is to have it in duplicate. I have had radios come in where it beggars belief that they lived, unplugging it.

I rarely do written quotes but if I see a non compliant cable, I will bring it to the attention of the owner immediately. I did that this week with a Fender Amp as it was showing wires at the plug. It actually left with a new cable & mains SW as they were what killed it.

I think I would have just noted the issue on the quote & tagged it as unsafe & perhaps taken a photo. In the last couple of incidents as said I have sprung these cables as they came in the door. It only takes a few seconds to look at them & the real bad ones are normally obvious.