Manipulating instead of repairing? The Berlin consumer advice center warns against the practices of dubious repair services.

If large electrical appliances such as washing machines are defective, many consumers decide to have them repaired rather than disposed of. However, it is advisable to be fully aware of the practices of dubious repair services and to protect yourself against them. The consumer advice center warns:

Repair costs are often excessive

When consumers notice a defect in their washing machine, they usually hire a company to repair it instead of replacing the device immediately.

“It often happens that the local repair service asks you to take the washing machine with you in order to repair it in their premises,”

Josephine Frindte, legal expert at the Berlin Consumer Center, describes her experiences from consulting practice. The repair often takes weeks and the return of the machine is linked to the condition that you pay in cash directly at the doorstep. In many cases, the cost of repairs is significantly higher than the purchase price of a new washing machine.

Obligation to pay only after successful acceptance

In principle, consumers are only obliged to pay after successful acceptance. In the case of the washing machine repair described, acceptance means inspecting the device and carrying out a test wash.

[mk_ad]

Attention: However, agreements in the general terms and conditions may require consumers to pay in advance - even in cash. You should therefore read the order carefully before signing.

Repair on site if possible

Consumers put themselves in a worse position if they voluntarily hand over the device. This allows the company to exert strong pressure because they rely on the device.

“We therefore advise having the device repaired at home if possible. Always check carefully what you sign,”

warns legal expert Josephine Frindte.

Related to the topic: Beware of fraudulent Microsoft calls!

Source: Berlin Consumer Center
Article image: Shutterstock / By Evgeny Atamanenko


If you enjoyed this post and value the importance of well-founded information, become part of the exclusive Mimikama Club! Support our work and help us promote awareness and combat misinformation. As a club member you receive:

📬 Special Weekly Newsletter: Get exclusive content straight to your inbox.
🎥 Exclusive video* “Fact Checker Basic Course”: Learn from Andre Wolf how to recognize and combat misinformation.
📅 Early access to in-depth articles and fact checks: always be one step ahead.
📄 Bonus articles, just for you: Discover content you won't find anywhere else.
📝 Participation in webinars and workshops : Join us live or watch the recordings.
✔️ Quality exchange: Discuss safely in our comment function without trolls and bots.

Join us and become part of a community that stands for truth and clarity. Together we can make the world a little better!

* In this special course, Andre Wolf will teach you how to recognize and effectively combat misinformation. After completing the video, you have the opportunity to join our research team and actively participate in the education - an opportunity that is exclusively reserved for our club members!


Notes:
1) This content reflects the current state of affairs at the time of publication. The reproduction of individual images, screenshots, embeds or video sequences serves to discuss the topic. 2) Individual contributions were created through the use of machine assistance and were carefully checked by the Mimikama editorial team before publication. ( Reason )