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Questions to Ask Before Hiring a TV Repairman in Boston

As TVs become more modern with newer features, they are built to last longer and give a better viewing experience. Still, they sometimes become faulty. When such faults occur, it is usually best to hire professional repair technicians to handle the situation. DIY attempts have many risks, including electrocution hazards, warranty policy violations, and technical mistakes that may worsen the issue. With professionals, you can avoid these risks and be guaranteed a satisfactory repair.

That being the case, you should always verify the skill and competence of your prospective repair technician. Getting satisfactory answers to the following questions is a good start:

Do You Repair All Types of TVs?

TV repair services often require technical skills, some of which will depend on the TV type, manufacturers' designs, or unique features. Confirming whether your prospective TV repair technician repairs all types of TVs or at least your TV type and brand is always crucial. Unskilled technicians may not only deliver poor service, they may worsen the situation.

Besides brand styles and features, TV types are typically categorized by:

  • Screen Type: Popular screen types are flat and curved screens. Each has its peculiarities, but most people prefer flat screens because of the availability of several options, they are easier to wall-mount, and their a better wide-angle view. While curved screens are less popular, they offer an immersive view and aesthetic feel.
  • Technology Types: These include:
    • Direct View/Cathode-Ray Tube (CRT): This TV type has high energy consumption, is typically bulky, and comes in smaller screens. Nonetheless, it has a good enough refresh rate, decent receptors, and is cheaper than most TV options.
    • Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) TV: LCDs are typically flat screens with relatively thin frames and lighter weight. While this TV type has poor angle-view reviews and average refresh rates, it is energy-efficient and produces decent image quality.
    • Plasma: While this TV type is popular for its impressive frame response, large screen options, and affordability, they are short-lasting, and image quality depreciates after a while.
    • Digital Light Processing (DLP) TV: This is an upgrade from Direct View TVs with some on-par qualities with the plasma TV, including an impressive image output. However, they are currently out of production.
    • Light Emitting Diode (LED): These are currently the most energy-efficient TVs around, with high-quality image output, sleeker designs, faster refresh rates, and impressive angle views. The major drawback of LEDs is their cost, as they can be expensive. They are also available in several variants, including OLED and QLED TVs.
  • Brand/Model Specific Extras: This relates to peculiar features like internet connectivity, voice activation, projector compatibility, high dynamic range, and home integration.

Considering how different TVs can be, confirming your prospective technician's specialty is ever-important. You can ask for referrals from trusted people or credible electronic technician associations or ask that your prospective technician provide references or evidence of previous work.

Do You Deal with All the Brands of TV?

The brand of TV your repairman is most familiar with partly determines how well they can deliver your needed service. This is because TV brands typically include different technologies in their TV sets and various other features. Therefore, your repairman must know these technologies and features to handle any TV faults effectively. Always confirm this with your prospective repairman and the TV brands they are most proficient with.

Popular TV brands across the country include:

Brand Highlights Drawbacks Calling Card
Samsung TV Available smart TVs
High image quality
Available LED variants, especially OLED and QLED
Expensive OLED
Hisense TV Affordable
4k varieties
Processing problems Variety
LG TV Affordable
Impressive designs
Decent image quality
Lacks HDR+10 support OLED
Sony TV Impressive image and sound output
Eco-friendly
Expensive OLED
Vizio TV Affordable
4k options
Lags Quantum
TCL TV Large screen options
Affordable
Processing issues Value

Can You Advise if I Repair or Replace My TV?

Deciding whether to fix your TV or repair it after it develops an issue will depend on several considerations, including cost, convenience, and needs. It is usually better to repair your TV, considering rising TV costs and cheaper repair costs. This is also a better option if you have a TV warranty. Nonetheless, replacing the TV is a better choice in certain situations, especially where:

  • The TV is really old.
  • The TV is physically damaged.
  • The TV fault is a recurrent one.
  • Repair costs are expensive.
  • The issue involves the TV panel.
  • Hardware problems or OS problems for smart TVs

This is another area where hiring a professional TV technician proves important. These technicians typically give straightforward advice on when to repair or replace your TV based on their findings. This information can help you avoid splurging cash on a new TV set or spending money to fix one beyond repair.

You can also make an informed choice by doing the following:

  • Troubleshooting: Some TV manuals and online user forums have helpful information about fixing faults common to your TV type. You can browse through this manual or forums or check trusted third-party websites for available fixes.
  • Research costs: Consider the cost of fixing your TV by getting a newer or better one. Consider replacing the TV if the cost difference is not that large.
  • Miscellaneous considerations: Examples include convenience, newer technologies, home designs, preferences, and anything that may affect your choice of fixing your TV or getting a new one.

Are All Your Repair Experts Certified?

A helpful way to gauge a TV repair technician's expertise and experience is to confirm whether they are certified. To obtain a certification, technicians usually have to pass training courses and assessments and have a credible character reputation in some cases. Consequently, certified technicians are typically more professional and skilled than some of their non-certified counterparts.

Technicians may obtain their certification from industry-respected associations like the International Society of Certified Electronics Technicians (ISCET) and the Electronics Technicians Association (ETA) or from TV manufacturers that offer brand-specific training opportunities. In any case, ensure you verify certification claims your prospective technicians may make and that any such certification is relevant to your needed service. Additional ways to determine a technician's expertise is to ask for evidence of previous work or customer references.

Do You Offer Same-Day Repair Services?

TVs are essential for most households, especially since they offer real-time entertainment options and news updates. Therefore, a faulty TV easily becomes an annoying situation needing immediate attention. The good news is most TV faults can be remedied the same day, although this will depend on the fault and the availability of a technician. Some of the common TV faults include:

  • TV power is tripping off and on.
  • Poorly synced image and audio
  • Poorly fitted images
  • Static noise
  • Distracting lines on the screen
  • Dull images
  • Greyed-out screens
  • Connectivity issues

Be that as it may, you should also note that some TV faults may require in-depth technical expertise and may take more than a day to get fixed. Examples include:

  • Panel issues
  • Circuit board issues
  • Motherboard issues
  • Processor problems
  • Broken screens

In situations where your technician cannot fix your TV fault within a day, you should request a specific timeframe to look forward to. Failure or reluctance of your technician to provide this information is a red flag, as some technicians deliberately spend unnecessary time fixing a TV set just to rack up repair fees. For faults that can be fixed the same day, you can request that the technician fixes them in your home so that you can avoid TV transport fees and related inconveniences.

Do You Hold the Relevant License for TV Repair Technicians?

Generally, TV repair technicians in Boston do not need to obtain professional licenses before offering their services. However, they must register their business with the city, and failing to do so may result in the closure of the business and administrative fines.

Technicians can register their businesses by applying to the City Clerk. Applications may be in person or by mail. To make an in-person application, the technician must complete a Business Certificate Application form, notarize this form at the City Hall, pay the relevant application fees, and submit the form and evidence of application fee payment at:

Boston City Hall
City Clerk, Room 601
1 City Hall Square
Boston, MA 02201

The City Clerk receives in-person applications between 9:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Mondays through Fridays.

For mail-in applications, a technician must also complete the Business Certificate Application form, have it notarized by a notary public, and then mail the form and application fees to the same address above. The mail envelope should have "ATTN: Business Certificates" written on it.

For further assistance concerning registering a business, technicians can browse through the Starting a Business webpage maintained by the City of Boston. They can also contact the City Clerk at (617) 635-4601. Likewise, residents can contact the City Clerk through the same number to confirm that their prospective technician has complied with the registration requirement or to verify a Business Certificate.

While TV repair technicians in Boston mainly offer TV repair services, some provide other appliance-related services relevant to your entertainment and comfort. Examples and estimates of such services include:

TV mounting and installation:
$70 - $500
TV setup:
$80 - $150 per hour
Smart device setup:
$150 - $1,500
Remote repair:
$10 - $50
Phone repair:
$60 - $200
Computer repair:
$100 - $350
VCR system repair:
$100 - $300
Home projector repair:
$100 - $300
Home theater and sound bar repair:
$100 - $300
Household appliance repair:
$40 - $70 per hour

Note that these figures are estimates, and fees will vary by technician. You can compare estimates from at least three technicians for more accurate figures. Also, always confirm that your technician is skilled enough to offer any additional service you may need. Evidence of previous work and customer referrals or reviews can help determine this.

Do You Offer Genuine Spare Parts?

During TV repairs, some parts of the TV set may need replacement. The quality of such replacements largely depends on the type of spare parts used. Spare parts may be generic, which refers to parts produced by third-party manufacturers, or genuine, which are produced by the original equipment manufacturer (OEM). Of the two types, OEM parts are usually the better option. Some of the many advantages of using OEM parts include:

  • This is usually a warranty requirement, and doing so can save you from voiding your warranty.
  • OEM parts are of better quality, increasing your chances of a satisfactory repair service
  • Access to manufacturer's support team
  • Compatibility with your TV

Therefore, it is best to always confirm with your technician whether they will be using genuine spare parts to avoid TV incompatibility, spare part durability issues, and similar problems. Note that genuine spare parts are usually more expensive than generic ones. Likewise, your technician may have no choice but to use generic spare parts sometimes, such as when your TV is out of production. In such cases, the technician should keep you in the loop and clarify things.

Are Your Repair Services Covered by a Warranty?

When searching for a TV repair technician, it is best to go for those whose services are covered by warranty. A warranty guarantees that the technician's services will be to your satisfaction and that your TV will work how it is supposed to work. These warranties last for a short timeframe, typically three months, but this will depend on the technician. Some manufacturers also offer warranties, assuring that your TV set will function properly. These typically last for a year, although exact timeframes depend on the manufacturer.

Also, note that warranties cover issues that are the fault of the manufacturer or technician. Therefore, certain instances are usually excluded, and examples include:

  • Damages to the TV resulting from your negligence or failure to follow manufacturer requirements
  • Usual wear and tear
  • Natural disasters
  • Issues from DIY attempts
  • Cosmetic damages

Warranties are usually in writing, and some of them spell out more detailed situations they do not cover. This makes it crucial to always read any warranty document before signing it.

For additional coverage, some TV stores offer extended warranties. This warranty coverage typically begins to operate after your manufacturer warranty expires, although they sometimes run concurrently. The details are usually outlined in the warranty document, which is one reason to read the document before signing off on it. While they can be expensive, extended warranties give additional peace of mind. Other pros and cons include:

Pros of Extended Protection Plans Cons of Extended Protection Plans
Cost flexibility. You can tailor it to your budget Does not apply to all types of repairs
No need to supervise the repair May cost more than any actual repairs that are eventually done
Comes in handy after your manufacturer warranty expires Possible delay before you can claim the warranty

How to File a Complaint Against a Bad TV Repair Service in the Boston

Several agencies handle consumer complaints from the Boston City area at the city and state levels. These agencies include the Boston City Consumer Affairs Department and the Consumer Advocacy & Response Division of the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office. Accordingly, instances of bad or fraudulent repair services can be reported to these agencies.

While city officials in the Boston City area strive to reduce scams or poor service delivery from businesses, these issues still occur. Therefore, residents are advised to be cautious when contracting anyone for their TV repairs or related home appliance needs. Many scammers pose as legitimate technicians only to defraud unsuspecting residents. Although it may be difficult to notice these unscrupulous individuals, some of their scam techniques and red flags to take note of include:

  • Offering unsolicited bids
  • Requesting full payment for the job in advance
  • Estimate padding by adding unnecessary items
  • Billing for genuine spare parts in estimates but using third-party spare parts for the job
  • Holding on to your TV to rack up repair costs
  • Asking to be paid in only cash
  • Moving in unmarked trucks

Residents can help themselves by avoiding technicians who do any of the things considered a red flag, scam technique, or that appear improper. For your safety, you can take note of the following tips:

  • Do not agree to unsolicited bids. Ignore them
  • Verify the technician is registered to offer their services within city limits
  • Compare estimates from multiple technicians
  • Do not make cash-only payments. Use other traceable payment methods
  • Never pay for the job fully in advance
  • Ensure your preferred technician is insured and certified
  • Ask for customer references or evidence of previous works. You may also check review websites like Better Business Bureau, Google Reviews, and Yelp.
  • Confirm if your technician's service is covered by warranty
  • Ensure your agreement with the technician is in writing

Despite taking cautious steps to avoid these scammers and poor service delivery, it is possible to fall victim to their tricks. You can report the business and transaction to your preferred consumer protection agency if this happens. To report to the Boston City Consumer Affairs Department, contact the Department at (617) 635-3834.

In contrast, the Consumer Advocacy & Response Division of the Massachusetts Attorney General Office has several options with which you can file a complaint. You can do this online, by phone, by mail, or in person. The process for each option is detailed on the Division's File a Consumer Complaint Webpage. For any assistance, you can contact the Division at (617) 727-8400.