Terms and Conditions

1 Refusal to Carry Out Repair

All repairs are subject to assessment. At the engineer's discretion, we may refuse to carry out a repair for reasons including, but not limited to:

• Unauthorised Interference: If the appliance has been altered, dismantled, or otherwise interfered with by someone we believe is not qualified to do so.
• Risk of Water Damage: If the engineer believes that a large quantity of water would be released in an uncontrolled manner during a repair, potentially causing damage (e.g., a washing machine full of water due to a blocked hose).
• Health and Safety Risks:
  • If the appliance is deemed a potential health risk.
  • If the appliance or installation poses a safety risk to our engineer.
  • If an insect infestation is or has been present.
• Accessibility of Appliance:
  • The appliance must be on the ground and not placed on a raised platform, plinth, or stacked on or under another appliance.
  • The surrounding area must be clear of obstructions, including furniture, debris, or any other objects that may impede access.
  • There must be nothing on top of or underneath the appliance that would prevent the engineer from safely carrying out the repair.
  • If the appliance is located on a plinth or raised off the ground, it must be removed and placed on the ground, while still being connected to necessary points such as plumbing or electrical sockets, before we can attempt a repair.
  • If an appliance is integrated within cabinetry, customers must ensure that it is accessible for servicing.
• Abusive Behaviour: If a customer is or has been abusive, threatening, made baseless allegations, or has been deceptive towards our staff.
• Uneconomical Repairs: If the engineer determines the repair is not economical or the chance of appliance failure after repair is disproportionately high (e.g., compressor repair on an old appliance).
• Lack of Communication: If we cannot get a response after multiple contact attempts before visiting, we reserve the right to cancel the repair visit.
• Destructive Repair Requirements: If the engineer determines that controlled destructive methods are necessary to attempt the repair and the customer refuses to consent to such methods, or the customer refuses to absolve us of liability for any damage caused, excluding negligence. These methods may include breaking or cutting stuck parts to facilitate removal, drilling out seized screws or fixings, removing components that cannot be salvaged, or using force to separate fused or corroded parts.
• Excessive Part Costs or High-End Appliances:
  • If the required parts cost more than eight times the labour charge or exceed £700 (whichever is greater).
  • If the appliance is valued at over £2,500 and is not from a manufacturer for whom we carry out service work. Our services are not designed for such appliances and we recommend contacting the manufacturer directly.
• Absence of Responsible Adult: If a responsible adult is not present at the property, unless previously agreed otherwise.
• Payment Concerns: If we believe there may be an issue obtaining payment on-site or if the customer advises they cannot pay the engineer on-site.

Charges for Failed Visits: If an engineer is dispatched to your property and any of the above conditions prevent us from proceeding with the repair, a diagnosis charge (or a failed visit charge, if applicable) will still be payable. This applies even if the engineer determines on-site that we cannot proceed with the repair. If a revised repair charge is required due to incorrect details provided during booking and you choose not to proceed, the original diagnosis charge will still apply as a failed visit charge. Additionally, any parts that have been ordered specifically for the repair will remain non-refundable once ordered, except where required by law, regardless of whether the repair proceeds or is abandoned.

Manufacturer Referral: In some cases, our engineer may decide that the best course of action is to refer you back to the manufacturer rather than proceed with a repair through us. Unless advised otherwise in advance, we would normally waive any diagnosis charges in this scenario. However, this does not apply if we inform you that we can complete the repair but that it might be cheaper through the manufacturer, or if we are unable to proceed due to the need for a manufacturer agent (e.g., to programme a PCB). In these cases, a diagnosis charge would still be payable.

2 Diagnosis

Our diagnosis service is intended to identify faults and, where appropriate, allow us to quote for repair. The diagnosis charge covers the identification of the issue and quotation for necessary parts. You are not paying for a detailed diagnostic report or specific part details (e.g., part names or numbers).

• Reports and Details: If you require a full report or detailed breakdown, you must mention this when booking the job; it cannot be requested after the engineer has arrived on-site. A labour charge will be payable for the report/breakdown, and any further repair would start as a new job with fresh charges.

If no fault is identified during our visit, the diagnosis service is still deemed to have been provided in full and the diagnosis charge remains payable.

3 VAT

• Inclusive Pricing: For non-commercial customers, all our prices include VAT unless specifically stated otherwise.
• VAT Registration: Our VAT registration number is GB289231771.

4 No Access Visits

If our engineer visits the property and is unable to gain access, a diagnosis charge will be payable.

Customer Guidance: To avoid no-access charges, please confirm appointments and ensure someone is present during the agreed time.

5 Zero Tolerance Policy

We expect our staff to operate in a safe and secure environment at all times. We have a strict zero-tolerance policy regarding abuse of our staff and will use the full extent of the law against anyone displaying threatening or abusive behaviour.

• Recording Policy: Our staff may use recording equipment in your property if they feel at risk. You will be informed of any recording in accordance with data protection regulations. By proceeding with our services, you acknowledge and agree that such recordings may be used for purposes including, but not limited to, being passed to the police, the manufacturer, or used in a court of law. Further information on how recordings and personal data are handled is available in our Privacy Policy.

6 Dual Fuel/Gas Appliances

Our service is limited to electrical appliance repairs. While we can arrange a visit to a dual fuel appliance, we can only repair the electric side (excluding the ignition circuit).

• Gas Repairs: If our engineer determines that the repair requires a gas engineer for any reason, we would be unable to proceed. In such cases, a diagnosis charge would be payable if we have visited the property to determine this.

7 Pricing Structure

Standard Pricing

Unless quoted otherwise, our standard pricing includes:

• Diagnosis/Labour Charge: A one-off charge covering the initial inspection of your appliance and the time required to carry out most repairs. This is not an hourly charge.

Important Notes:

• If the engineer is unable to replicate the reported issue during their visit, the appliance is beyond repair, or you choose not to proceed with an expensive repair, a diagnosis charge will be payable.
• In all other cases, the labour charge will be payable.
• You are paying for our professional labour and expertise in attempting to return the appliance to working condition, regardless of what or how long that takes, even if it's not a fault with the appliance itself.
• This pricing structure ensures that you know in advance how much will be charged for labour if the appliance is fixed on the first visit.
• We are not able to give discounts for quick repairs, nor do we charge more for repairs that take a few hours.
• We do not charge extra labour costs for returning with parts required to complete the initial repair if we need to order them.

Additional Charges

• Multiple Faults: If two or more faults are reported or a secondary issue is identified during the repair, further charges may apply:
  • Initial Inspection: Secondary issues detected during the initial inspection visit are normally charged at 1/3 of the labour charge or £30, whichever is greater.
  • Subsequent Visits: Secondary faults identified on later visits will be handled at our discretion and may require a new inspection. If added to the current job, either a full labour charge or a secondary fault charge will apply.
  • All additional charges will be clearly explained in advance.
  • Customer Options: You may refuse the repair of any secondary issue; however, standard charges for the primary issue will still apply.
  • If a secondary issue is neither investigated, repaired, nor included in the quote, no charge for that issue will be incurred.
  • Note: If a quote for multiple faults is provided and the customer subsequently requests the removal of any fault(s) from the quote, the secondary fault charge may in some cases remain in effect.
• Time-Consuming Repairs: The fixed labour or diagnostic charge does not cover very time-consuming repairs, including but not limited to:
  • Carcass changes
  • Bearings (except Samsung appliances)
  • Tub/drum replacement or strip down (except Samsung appliances)
  • Compressors
  • Re-gassing
  • Repairs requiring multiple engineers
  • Repairs requiring more than three hours
• For Samsung appliances, repairs such as bearings and tub/drum replacements are covered under our standard labour charge. For other brands, these repairs are considered time-consuming and are not covered by the fixed labour charge.
• In these instances, you will be quoted a total price, and you will have the choice of whether to proceed. If you choose not to proceed, a diagnosis charge will be payable.

Payment Methods

• Quotes (Bank Transfer Only): Quotes provided by our office must be paid via Bank Transfer only. Alternative payment methods such as cash or credit card are not accepted for quoted repairs unless explicitly agreed otherwise in writing.
• Payment Reference: When paying by Bank Transfer, to prevent delays, ensure your unique quotation reference is provided exactly as shown.
• On-site Payments (Card or Cash): Payments made directly to the engineer on-site can be made by card or cash only.
• Email Receipts Only: Receipts are provided exclusively via email. We do not issue paper receipts under any circumstances.
• Scheduling Policy: We reserve the right to delay scheduling or completion of your repair until payment has cleared in full.

Refund Allocation and Method

Where a customer has made multiple payments to us — whether for a single job or across multiple jobs, and whether by card, bank transfer, or any other combination — we reserve the right to determine how any refund is allocated.

Quote Validity and Charges

Quotes provided are valid for 14 days from the date of issue. During this period, any diagnosis charge already paid will be carried over and deducted from the quoted amount, if appropriate.

After the quote has expired, a full labour charge will become payable should you wish to proceed with the repair or if additional diagnosis is required.

8 Customer Supplied Parts

If you supply the parts required for a repair and request us to fit them:

• Charges: The quoted rates will be payable for the initial visit and again on any subsequent visits you request if:
  • The parts were not on-site during the initial visit.
  • The parts supplied do not complete the repair.
  • The parts supplied are not compatible with the machine.
  • The parts are damaged, preventing us from fitting them.
• No Guarantee on Customer-Supplied Parts: We cannot provide any guarantee on customer-supplied parts themselves.
• Labour Rate for Time-Consuming Repairs: Our standard labour rate does not apply to time-consuming repairs where you supply the parts.
• Recommendation: We advise allowing our engineer to visit and quote for any parts required rather than purchasing them yourself.

9 Refrigeration System Work

If our engineer determines that system work (such as re-gassing, compressor, diverter valve, or pipework repair) is required on any refrigeration system, we would be unable to proceed with the repair.

• Reason: These repairs require specialist engineers, and due to the complexity and regulations involved, this is not a service that we offer.
• Charges: The diagnosis charge would be payable for the initial inspection in this case.
• Customer Options: If you choose to proceed with the diagnosed repair through another company, you are responsible for obtaining a second opinion to ensure our diagnosis is correct.

10 Customer's Responsibility

Preparation for Engineer's Visit

• Fridge/Freezer Repairs: Ensure your appliance is switched on for 12 hours prior to our engineer's visit unless instructed otherwise.

Post-Visit Inspection

• Your Responsibility: After our engineer's visit, it is your responsibility to check the appliance thoroughly, including testing all functions and inspecting for any damage.
• Prompt Reporting: Any issues or concerns should be reported to us within 72 hours of the visit.

Maintenance and Recommendations

• Any recommendations provided by the engineer are not mandatory. Any actions taken based on such advice are at your discretion and financial responsibility.
• If a fault is due to poor maintenance, we may advise what maintenance is required by you to correct the problem. A labour charge will still apply in this case.

Access and Installation

Accessibility: You are responsible for making the appliance fully accessible for repair.

Returning the Appliance to Position: Our engineer will make all reasonable efforts to return the appliance to its original position where possible. However, you are responsible for any levelling or fine-tuning required after the repair.

Damage to Property: We will take all reasonable care to avoid damage when carrying out repairs.

Limitation of Liability: We are not responsible for any damage to your property unless it was caused by negligence or wilful misconduct of our staff.

Losses and Damages

• We are not liable for:
  • Loss of revenue or earnings due to a broken appliance.
  • Loss of food or other perishables.
  • Any other costs incurred due to a repair being carried out or us being unable to carry out a repair.

Reporting Damage

• If damage is noticed after an engineer's visit, this must be reported to us within 72 hours of the visit.

11 Cancellation

• Right to Cancel (Consumers Only): You may request cancellation at any time before the service has been carried out.
• Distance Contracts (Online/Phone Bookings): If you book online, by phone, or by email, your booking is a distance contract. You normally have a legal right to cancel within 14 days of the booking being made.
• Request to Start the Service Within 14 Days: By selecting an appointment date within 14 days of booking, you request that we start providing the service during the cooling-off period. You acknowledge that once the diagnosis service has been fully performed, the statutory right to cancel is lost.
• Diagnosis as a Completed Service (No Fault Found): The initial visit we provide is a diagnosis service. This service is considered fully performed once our engineer attends your property and carries out the inspection, regardless of whether a fault is identified, the appliance is deemed to be operating correctly, or you choose not to proceed with any repair. Where the diagnosis service has been fully performed, the diagnosis charge becomes payable.
• How to Cancel:
  • By submitting a repair enquiry via our website.
  • By calling our office directly on 0131 516 2080.
  • By using the cancellation or management link provided in your appointment confirmation.
• Charges:
  • If you cancel before the engineer is en route, no diagnosis charge will apply.
  • If you cancel after we notify you that the engineer is en route, a diagnosis charge may be payable.
  • If you cancel after the engineer has arrived on-site, a diagnosis charge is payable.
  • You cannot cancel a repair once the engineer has commenced fitting parts.
  • You cannot cancel or receive a refund for any special-order parts once they have been ordered.

Business customers do not have a statutory right to cancel once a booking has been confirmed.

12 Repair Guarantee

Please view our Repair Guarantee Timeline to see how we will handle your repair guarantee based on the time elapsed since our repair.

Guarantee Period

• Duration: We offer a guarantee period of 90 days, starting from the date the go-ahead was given to the quote, or if no quote was provided, the date of repair.

Coverage

• What Is Covered: We will, where possible, correct a failed repair if it is caused by the exact same part failing due to a manufacturing defect.
• Guarantee Cost: This guarantee is provided free of charge, covered by a markup added to any parts quoted.

Exclusions

We will refuse a repair under guarantee without recompense under the following conditions:

• Customer Non-Compliance: Failure to report the issue within 7 days or allow access within 5 working days.
• Payment Issues: No guarantee is provided where only a diagnosis charge was paid.
• Unauthorised Interference: If anyone else has repaired or dismantled the machine after our initial visit.
• Negligence or Misuse: If the repair fails due to lack of maintenance, normal wear and tear, or commercial use.
• Excluded Repairs: Blockages, resets, temporary fixes, environmental issues, or installation issues.
• Consumable Parts: No guarantee is offered for bulbs, filters, drum paddles, or door seals.
• Glass Components: No guarantee unless there is clear evidence of a defect.

Limitations

• Non-Transferable: The guarantee applies only to the specific appliance in the property where it was repaired.
• No Cash Refund Alternative: This is a repair-only guarantee.

Statutory Rights: This guarantee does not affect your statutory rights under consumer law.

13 Missed Appointments

We strive to keep all agreed appointment times, but unforeseen issues may occur (e.g., traffic delays, vehicle breakdowns, employee sickness).

• Communication: Where possible, we will contact you as soon as we know the engineer is unlikely to arrive during the agreed time.
• Rescheduling: We will provide a new estimated time and allow you the choice of accepting or rescheduling.
• Limitation of Liability: We cannot be held liable for any loss of earnings or other costs due to us not meeting the arranged appointment time.

14 Workshop Repairs

If an appliance has been picked up for repair by us or dropped off at our workshop:

• Approval Period: We will allow 14 days after notifying you of the cost for you to decide whether to proceed.
• Unclaimed Appliances: After 30 days from our last contact attempt, we will assume the appliance has been abandoned and will dispose of it without further notice.
• Liability: We are not responsible for any loss incurred due to disposal where you have failed to arrange return.

15 Complaints Procedure

We always endeavour to provide the best service for our customers. However, if you are not completely satisfied, please let us know so we can rectify any issues promptly.

How to Contact Us

• By Phone: Call us on 0131 516 2080.
• By Post:
  Lothian Domestics Ltd
  Axwell House
  2 Westerton Road
  East Mains Industrial Estate
  Broxburn
  West Lothian
  EH52 5AU
• By Email: Use our Enquiry Form.

Response Time

• We aim to respond within 10 business days of receiving your complaint.

16 Limitations of Fault Diagnosis and Part Replacement

While we use our best efforts and professional expertise to diagnose faults, certain limitations apply:

Complex Faults

Certain repairs may require a staged process where parts may need to be replaced as part of identifying the root cause.

Parts Fitted for Diagnosis

• Non-Refundable Policy: Any parts ordered specifically for your repair are non-refundable once ordered, except where required by law.
• Approval Requirement: By approving a quote, you acknowledge that once a part has been fitted, it will not be removed or refunded.

Customer-Requested Part Fitting

• If we are unable to replicate the fault and you request parts be fitted regardless, these parts will also be non-refundable once ordered, except where required by law.

Limitation of Liability

We will not be held liable for costs associated with additional repairs or parts if the initial part fitted does not resolve the fault.

17 Parts

Van Stock and Ordering

• Our engineers carry extensive van stock, allowing them to complete many repairs on the first visit.
• If parts need to be ordered, we aim for a turnaround of 2 working days for in-stock parts but advise allowing up to 5 working days.

Sourcing Parts

• We use a network of distributors and manufacturers to source parts.
• If we are unable to source parts, you may choose to source them yourself, understanding that warranties may be affected.

Backorders

• Special Orders: Items ordered as a "special order" are non-refundable once ordered, except where required by law.
• If a part is on backorder for more than 3 months, we would normally cancel the item and provide a refund unless otherwise agreed.

Ordered Parts Not Booked for Fitting

• Customer Responsibility to Book: Where parts are ordered specifically for your appliance following a diagnosis or quotation, it is your responsibility to book a fitting visit with us.
• Holding Period: We will hold ordered parts for a period of six months from the date the part is received by us.
• Contact Attempts: We may send booking reminders or attempt to contact you using the contact details provided. However, responsibility for booking the fitting visit remains with you. Failing to respond, ignoring messages, or disabling notifications does not extend the holding period.
• Disposal and No Refund: If no fitting visit is booked within the six-month holding period, the part will be disposed of or written off. No refund will be due in these circumstances.
• Guarantee Period: Approval of a quote starts the repair guarantee period, which is limited to 90 days. If a fitting visit is not booked promptly, the guarantee may expire before the part is fitted. No extension of the guarantee will be granted.
• Returns: Parts ordered specifically for a customer cannot be returned to a supplier once ordered.

Pre-Ordering Parts

• If you request parts before a visit or diagnosis, you accept full responsibility for the purchase.
• Recommendation: We advise allowing our engineer to inspect your appliance before any parts are ordered.

18 Limitation of Liability

Except where liability cannot be excluded by law, the total aggregate liability of Lothian Domestics Ltd shall not exceed the total fees paid by the Customer for the specific services from which the claim arises.

Damage Waiver and Incidental Damage

Where our engineer determines that moving an appliance carries a risk of incidental damage, our standard practice is to request that you digitally sign a Damage Waiver before any work commences.

The Damage Waiver must be signed before work commences. If it is declined at that time, it cannot be offered later.

If a Damage Waiver is not obtained before work is carried out, you acknowledge that:

• The risk of incidental damage remains.
• Our limited liability terms still apply.
• Diagnostic charges still apply regardless of whether damage occurs.

19 Severability

If any provision of these Terms and Conditions is held to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable, such invalidity shall not affect any other provision, and the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect.

20 Updates to Terms and Conditions

These Terms and Conditions may be updated at any time to reflect changes in our services, policies, or legal requirements. However, customers will be covered by the specific Terms and Conditions that were displayed and agreed upon at the time of booking.

If you have any questions regarding the applicability of these terms, please do not hesitate to contact us for clarification.