Do I have to pay for mechanic workthat Ididn’t authorize?
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Do I have to pay for mechanic workthat Ididn’t authorize?
I brought my car in for a clutch repair. When the mechanic called me, he told me he also went ahead and replaced the stabalizer rods because they had rotted off. I did not authorize that work. When I went to pick up my car however, after haggling with him and getting him to drop the price on the clutch itself, I signed the bill. Is it too late now for me to do anything? Would I have had a right to do anything before?
Asked on March 7, 2012 under General Practice, Massachusetts
Answers:
MD, Member, California Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 12 years ago | Contributor
It is absolutely too late to do anything at ths point about unauthorized repair. What you did by negotiating the final price on the entire work done could be considered and is probably considered to be an accord and satisfaction of the original debt owed or what you believed was not the original debt owed. If the stabilizer rods were something that could cause the car to get into an accident (for you to lose control) then it may very well could have been within his authority to do the work but he should have at least contacted you first.
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