If Fixing Your Car this Summer, Repair Shops Must Get Your Permission to Fix Things
Tuesday, May 28th, 2019 -- 7:47 AM
(WRN) -If you're taking your car in to fix some pothole damage this summer, remember that a repair shop has to get your permission to fix things.If you're taking your car in to fix some pothole damage this summer, remember that a repair shop has to get your permission to fix things. State consumer protection spokesman Jerad Albracht says that means estimates up front for initial repairs, and signatures along the way.
"When they're looking for additional authorization for additional repairs, they have to let you know both what it's going to cost to do the new repairs, and what the new total cost will be."
Albracht says repair shops and dealerships are required to both give you an estimate and get your permission to start repairs.
"These protections that are available under Wisconsin law basically give consumers a chance to know up front what kinds of fees they're going to be facing so they can make the proper decision about what they want to do with their vehicle."
Albracht says state law requires dealerships and repair shops to clearly state what's wrong with your car, and to stick to their repair plan.
"A shop can hold on your vehicle until you pay for the authorized repairs that have been done that you've, again, authorized. But once you've paid for those repairs the shop can't hold on to your vehicle because you refused to pay for unauthorized repairs."
Albracht says these are vital protections to help prevent crooked repair shops from trying to get more of your money at a vulnerable time.
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