Frequently asked questions

No fix, no fee. If a device is genuinely beyond economical repair, there is no charge for the work — you only cover the return postage. If I can repair it but you decline my quote, an assessment fee applies (£25 for hidden faults, £45 for microsoldering investigations), credited in full to the repair if you change your mind and proceed. Visible faults (cracked screen, dead battery) are always quoted free from photos before you post.

Most repairs are back in the post within 5–10 working days of arriving at the workshop. Some jobs are faster, some are slower — vintage gear, rare parts and complex PCB-level work can all extend the timeline. You'll get a realistic estimate with your quote, and we'll contact you if anything changes.

After. You pay once the work is complete and has passed our bench testing, and before we dispatch the item back to you. This gives you confidence that the repair has actually worked and we're not taking money for an unfinished job.

We never carry out work beyond the agreed quote without asking you first. If we open something up and find a secondary fault, we'll stop, contact you with a revised quote and a clear explanation, and only proceed once you're happy to go ahead.

Pricing is split into labour (tiered £25 / £45 / £65 / £85 by job complexity) plus parts at supplier cost + 10% sourcing fee. You get a firm written quote before any work begins, and I never proceed without your approval. Full breakdown on the repair pricing page.

It depends on the fault. Visible faults (cracked screen, dead battery, broken hinge, snapped charging port) are quoted free from photos before you post. Hidden faults (won’t power on, liquid damage, intermittent) carry a £25 fee, and microsoldering investigations (board-level diagnosis under microscope) carry £45. Both are credited in full to the cost of the repair if you proceed — you only pay the fee if I can repair it but you decline the quote. If a device is genuinely beyond repair, no fee applies (no fix, no fee).

Bank transfer is preferred — account details are printed on every invoice. We can also take card payments on request.

For electronics, double-boxing is best: original packaging (or anti-static bags for exposed boards) inside a larger cardboard box, with 3–5 cm of foam or bubble wrap on all sides. Use a tracked and insured courier service. When you contact us we'll send a short packing checklist tailored to the item.

You cover the postage to send the item to us, and the return postage when it's dispatched back. Both should be sent tracked and insured for the cost of the item. We'll handle the return shipping arrangements at cost — we don't mark up postage.

Please insure your item for the cost of replacement when you post it. If it arrives with visible external damage, we'll photograph it before opening the box any further and contact you immediately so you can raise a claim with the courier. We'll document the condition throughout.

The specific repair we carried out, and any parts we replaced. If the same fault recurs within 90 days of return, we'll put it right at no further labour charge — you only pay the return postage in both directions. The warranty does not cover new, unrelated faults or damage caused after return.

We only access what's strictly needed to test the repair. We don't open personal files, browse emails or examine documents. For data-sensitive devices we can work without booting the operating system at all — just mention it when you contact us. We don't wipe data unless you specifically ask us to.

Yes — vintage audio, older computers, test equipment and unusual industrial kit are very much what we enjoy. We're patient with component sourcing and sympathetic to original condition. Tell us what you have and we'll let you know what's realistic.

Fair question, and the most important one to ask any mail-in service. You get a written quote before any work begins, no-fix-no-fee on all repairs, a 90-day warranty on our work, and tracked-and-insured shipping both ways. Every item is photographed on arrival to document its condition, and the same person handles it from unpacking to re-packing — no passing between technicians. Independent feedback from previous customers is on our eBay seller profile, and we're happy to answer any specific concerns by email before you post anything in.

Your item is covered by our public liability insurance while it is in our care. Full details of the cover are listed in the footer of every page. If anything goes wrong on the bench, we'll tell you immediately, document what happened and work out a fair resolution — repair, replacement or refund depending on the item. The photo record taken on arrival means there is no ambiguity about the condition it came in.

All personal data is handled in accordance with UK GDPR — collected only when needed to quote and complete your repair, kept only as long as required, and never sold or shared. See the privacy policy for specifics on what is collected, why, and retention periods.

We're a mail-in only service — there's no walk-in. Keeping overheads low lets us focus on the bench and pass the saving on in our prices. All items are received, worked on and returned via post.

Just email repairs@harktech.co.uk or use the contact form. We aim to reply within one business day.