Phone or Laptop Repair Shop Lost or Damaged Your Device? Your Rights (UK)

You hand over a cracked phone or a slow laptop and get back something more broken — or nothing at all. Repair shops owe you a proper service and a duty of care over your device. Here is how to claim when they fail.

The standard a repairer must meet

Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, a repair is a service that must be carried out with reasonable care and skill. The repairer is also responsible for looking after your device while it is in their possession. If they damage it further, lose it, or do a poor repair, they are liable.

Common problems

• New damage caused during the repair (cracked screen, dented case, water damage).
• Non-genuine or faulty parts fitted, or a repair that fails quickly.
• Lost data where they did not warn you to back up, or were careless.
• The device lost or "gone missing" from the shop.

Watch for unfair disclaimers

Many shops display "we accept no liability for damage or data loss". A blanket exclusion like that is often an unfair term and unenforceable — a business cannot simply contract out of its duty to take reasonable care.

How to claim

1. Document the device's condition before and after (photos, the repair ticket).
2. Raise it immediately in writing, describing the new damage or loss and what you want — a proper repair, replacement, or compensation for the device's value.
3. If they refuse and you paid by card, consider a chargeback or Section 75; for clear sums, the small claims court.

A complaint letter template

Dear [Repair shop],

Re: Repair of [device] booked on [date]

You returned my device [more damaged / not working / and you have lost it]. Under
the Consumer Rights Act 2015 you must carry out repairs with reasonable care and
skill and take care of my property. I require [a proper repair / replacement /
£[amount] compensation].

Any term excluding liability for your own carelessness is not, in my view,
enforceable. Please respond within 14 days.

Yours faithfully,
[Your name and contact details]

Photograph the device at drop-off, keep the ticket, and challenge "no liability" signs — they rarely hold up. A repairer who damages or loses your device owes you a remedy.