Repair shop is not returning my computer and phone. Both used to run my business. They contain sensitive data. Owner does not respond to calls.

[alejgia]

In September I took my expensive ASUS laptop for a screen replacement to a local computer shop. I run my business from it, and it contains sensitive data. When I took it for repair the computer worked but had lost the touch function because of a crack on the screen. After several failed attempts at replacing the screen, in December they allegedly sent it out to ASUS for further repair, WITHOUT asking for my permission. In the mean time I have had to buy another computer. It is February and I still do not have the computer. Last week the owner stopped answering my calls/messages. He said that they do not know when ASUS will finish the work and that I simply have to wait.

At the same time I had brought to them my phone for a screen replacement. It is my business phone, unlocked for international use. It has a dual sim as I need a US number as well as a EU number. They tried fixing it, but after a month the screen stopped working. They said it needed to be glued back. Now it does not work and they still have it. They gave me an inexpensive replacement phone, but I am not able to get the work related EU calls. Besides the data and replacement costs this has caused me loss of work.
state?

 

[justalayman]

So demand your phone be returned and take it elsewhere to be repaired.

Ask for the direct contact for ASUS and contact them regarding your computer.

 

[alejgia]

So demand your phone be returned and take it elsewhere to be repaired.

Ask for the direct contact for ASUS and contact them regarding your computer.

I was not able to get that information on the ASUS, and now the owner does not respond, while the workers claim that the owner is the only one that knows.

The phone they supposedly received a bad part and they are waiting for a new one to come in on Monday, but again the person that is following that does not respond and those at the shop claim not to know much more.

 

[justalayman]

A personal visit often results in a better response

 

[justalayman]

Here are some phone numbers for ASUS. Start calling and explain the issue. Maybe they will be able to direct you to the correct phone number/department
https://www.asus.com/us/support/callus

 

[Zigner]

How much data could you have lost? I'm sure that reinstalled everything from your backups on to your new laptop, right?

 

[alejgia]

I have been at the shop many, many, many times. The owner or the person that is following my case is never there. I finally got the owner to meet me after a threatened to sue. He came and met admitted that this is taking long and insisted that he wants to resolve it indicating that all I have to do is wait for ASUS to fix it. But this is taking way too long. When I asked for a receipt from ASUS he showed me a screen with a work order, the only reference to a product was a serial number but I have no idea what is the serial number for my computer.

 

[justalayman]

How much data could you have lost? I'm sure that reinstalled everything from your backups on to your new laptop, right?

A very good point. Since the computer was functional other than the touch screen, there was no reason the op couldn’t download all data to storage. Then it would be available to be accessed using some other computer which the op surely has, unless he just wasn’t working since he took the computer in for repair.

It also sounds like op needs to have a back up plan in place for when his phone doesn’t work. Any phone could stop working at any moment so he should have the data backed up regularly and he should have a contingency plan in place regarding the EU phone number.


Op stated:

Besides the data and replacement costs this has lost me work

Given the explanations, I don’t see any liability on the repair shop for the op failing to mitigate his damages.

 

[TheGeekess]

User could have also plugged an external monitor into his 'expensive Asus laptop' and continued to use it to work with/backup files/whatever else needed to be done. It also serves as a handy diagnosis tool; if the external screen works, it is the laptop's monitor. If the external screen does not work (and this is applying all the appropriate switches, etc), then it's the motherboard, which is a little harder.

And OP did not answer which US state the problem is occurring in, so, OP might very well be out of our knowledge range.

Most places will refuse to deal with a problem once attorneys are mentioned.

 

[alejgia]

This i s in TN. I sent it in for a simple screen replacement which the shop estimated to be a 1h job. They took it in and once the screen was replaced it would not work. Before I could do anything they sent it out to ASUS, without my permission. I have data there that is private and sensitive (not embarrassing, but it is my property). I do not want it to go around the states. One prepares for a 1h job, but they sent it out before I could do anything else.
Regarding the phone I have had to get another unlocked phone to receive EU calls. Again this was supposed to be a 1h job according to their estimate. They are not returning my property nor are they giving me receipts from ASUS, nor estimate. I suspect that while replacing the screen they caused damage.

 

[Zigner]

If the data was truly "private and sensitive", then you should not have allowed it to remain on the computer whilst in the hands of the repair shop. Really.

 

[alejgia]

I am asking the help of an attorney if possible. I would like to know what I can do to get the computer repair shop to offer a settlement. Do I have any grounds for law suit? What I can do to get my property back. It is of no use to me to go over repeatedly on how stupid it was not to delete some data that was on the computer when I left it for a one hour job. Or how stupid it was to believe that a business would not take my property a ship it around without my permission (assuming that that was what happened as they do not give me receipts of that). Also my telephone has messages that are saved on the phone that I am not able to see and that I kind of need.
So is there anybody here that can give me legal advise on what options I have? Thanks.

 

[quincy]

I am asking the help of an attorney if possible. I would like to know what I can do to get the computer repair shop to offer a settlement. Do I have any grounds for law suit? What I can do to get my property back. It is of no use to me to go over repeatedly on how stupid it was not to delete some data that was on the computer when I left it for a one hour job. Or how stupid it was to believe that a business would not take my property a ship it around without my permission (assuming that that was what happened as they do not give me receipts of that). Also my telephone has messages that are saved on the phone that I am not able to see and that I kind of need.
So is there anybody here that can give me legal advise on what options I have? Thanks.

To find an attorney in your jurisdiction who can assist you, you can go to the Tennessee Bar Association (https://www.tba.org) or Attorney Pages (https://attorneypages.com).

Good luck.

 

[alejgia]

To find an attorney in your jurisdiction who can assist you, you can go to the Tennessee Bar Association (https://www.tba.org) or Attorney Pages (https://attorneypages.com).

Good luck.

Thanks. I idid, and I am also writing in several forums like this one.

 

[Zigner]

Thanks. I idid, and I am also writing in several forums like this one.

You're talking at most $1,500 - good luck on finding an attorney to do more than write a demand letter for a couple hundred bucks (that you won't get back).