Repair or Replace?
It is common that once a household appliance breaks down and is subsequently repaired, other faults soon become apparent, resulting in a lot of costs in quick succession.
Example
Repair or Replace?
Ask yourself what course of action you would take in the following situation:
A tenant’s fridge freezer stops working, so they report the problem to their letting agent. In turn, the agency speaks to the landlord, who wants a cheap resolution to the problem and therefore tries to fix the appliance.
The landlord speaks to a contractor and after assessing the problem, the contractor quotes a price for parts. After authorization, the parts are ordered and they return to finish the job.
On their return, the contractor swaps the part believed to be at fault but realizes that the appliance still does not work and calls for more parts. By this time, the tenant is understandably desperate for a new fridge freezer, so calls their agent again
This time, after being informed, the landlord decides to replace the entire appliance, fearing more inconvenience and ultimately, more expense.
Common
Director of Everything Lettings, Roy Fuller, says: “The above situation is more common than you think, as the first thought when looking for the cheapest option is to repair but it always ends up costing more in the long run.”[1]
Fuller believes: “Paying for a call out fee, parts and then having to replace the appliance anyway is not the way forward.” Instead, Fuller says that his company “recommend to replace appliances when they break down,” as “repairs to appliances rarely last more than six to 12 months.”[1]
[1] http://www.estateagenttoday.co.uk/spotlight-news/1669-repair-or-replace-that-is-always-the-dilemma