Customers PC marked their carpet who's liable?

[edscdk]

I put a customers PC on their carpet it was 15 years old and the plastic feet had dissolved and it left a 5cm by 10cm thick black mark on their carpet.. (i only agreed to move it because they were disabled and could not carry anyrhing)

Their carpet must be 15 years old and not on great condition anyway..

They are chasing me to replace their carpet!

What would you do? Who is legally and morally at fault?

 

[edscdk]

Pop back and clean it?

It not comming off I tried, it's like oil

 

[edscdk]

Are you sure it wasn't already there?

It was 100% the old pc and he spotted it

 

[edscdk]

Why were you there ? Are you a repair guy or something ? If its a professional capacity surely you should be putting them in touch with your PII insurers.

I'm leaning towards agreeing with the "chancers" comments above though in the absence of more context.

Is your back in any pain from moving such a heavy object

I sell some pcs on the side, I sold him a new pc I was setting it up for him

 

[edscdk]

How much was the repair? I'm assuming not much?

The carpet? Nothing has been done yet

 

[edscdk]

Sounds like you're going to lose out regardless as even if you win at small claims (if they take it that far) you can be sure there will be bad reviews left all over the place. I think they're taking the wee though as they asked you to move the old PC and the feet were rotten. I take it you don't have PII.

Lesson for next time is take a drop cloth for working on.

No PII the cost would only be a few 100s which is nothing though obviously I'd rather not be down a few 100£.. Really annoying if it had been a printer I don't put them on carpet and I tell people not to as ink can leak..

 

[edscdk]

You've probably got a choice, get someone in to try and clean the carpet (if it's that old it will be minging anyway) or get a new carpet. What price do you put on good reviews?

The guy is not capable of leaving reviews so that's not an issue

 

[edscdk]

Are you a shop?

Nope work full time fix some pcs on the side have done for nearly 2 decades never seen pc feet mark carpet before!

 

[edscdk]

I’m a bit confused by the string of events. Can you explain in detail exactly what has happened

Did you move their old pc and the stains were there? did you put the old pc somewhere else which then got marked?

I lifted the old pc of a desk and put it on the carpet

 

[edscdk]

Replacement is not reasonable in any way. Offer to have it spot cleaned and if not say "see you in court".

Never though of the spot clean, posted on fb to get some recommendations thanks.. Considering the filthy delipaded state of the house ill feel bad asking someone to go there..

 

[edscdk]

How was this mark caused? What on the bottom of the PC caused it?

Anyway, PCs generally do not mark carpets, you have not acted unreasonably. I don't see how they can hold you accountable, it's their equipment that is at fault, not you.

If it can't be cleaned then I would consider obtaining a patch to put over the stain, but if they want a new carpet, they'll have to buy one. I think they are taking the mickey.

The plastic feet have disolved and have the consistency of thick oil, I've handled probably 1000s of pc's and not seen that before.

 

[edscdk]

When did the PC originally go onto their carpet?

It was on a desk I put in on the floor as I installed a new one for him and he asked me to take the old one away. He is disabled and cannot lift anything (i don't usually take them away as I cannot legally dispose of them, it's commercial waste if I take it to the dump)

 

[edscdk]

Just tell them straight, carpet's gross, no chance. Try clean or scissor it if they agree, and if you feel they are genuinely not scummy, then give them near cost price on computer. If they are scummy, just walk, you're wasting your time hoping for a good outcome.

I already did the pc / screen at cost to help him out as he is poor / had a stroke plus I have done probably 5 free visits over the years to help him with various computer issues!

 

[edscdk]

Don't do this.

Writing this you've as good as admitted fault.

Still OP, you didn't say in reply to my last question, how long has the PC been sat on the carpet?

It was on his desk for 15 year I stood it on the floor for 5 mins..

 

[edscdk]

Why is thread even still going? Apart from the comedy value of someone suggesting criminal damage the op has the answers he needs.

Tell them to do one.

Probably the wrong thing to do buy I refunded the pc and sent him £50 on top.. I also realised I spend too much time helping people for no or little financial reward so I'll be telling various people I don't work any more and be more selective of people I'll help (this is a hobby not my main job) . I'll also move to a strict if I'm not there to fix it I'm not touching it (literally not touching it) policy..

One incident in 100s (if not 1000s) of jobs over nearly 2 decades but also made me realise I wasted so much time just helping people for littlr or no money (this one job was probably no profit for 2 visits / 2 hours of my time just because I felt sorry for him as he is disabled / poor)

 

[edscdk]

So you did the work for free, and paid him a goodwill payment of £50?

Tell him to ******* do one.

In any case - in the absolute insanely unlikely event that he takes you to the small claims court, there's just no way he's getting anything.

Gave him a used 24" screen and pc probably cost me £200 but old ish stock I wanted to get shot of.. And took his old pc / screen / printer to the dump for him!