problem getting tv's back from repairman

[Mattk]

Heres my problem......

8 months ago(yes 8!) I gave 2 of my tv's to a repairman after a lightning storm.he tells me that he has been unable to obtain spare parts and I have asked numerous times for him to return them.I have now contacted my insurance co. to claim on the tv's and they want to see them for proof but I do not have them,of course.

where do i stand legally ? can i involve the police ? what steps should I take first ?

thanks for help & advice.

[jon1968]

You're not anywhere near Birmingham are you...........?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/watchdog/reports/consumer/consumer_ 20060207.shtml

[Mattk]

no but thats kinda what im thinking anyhow !

hes either ******** them up and doesnt want to admit to it or he's fixed and sold them or loaned them out as repair sets !

[WendyS]

I suggest you contact the Trading Standards department at your local borough council offices. There may be others who are suffering a similar problem.

Alternatively, you can give him an ultimatum to return the sets to you within x days or you will contact the police. It seems that this guy didn't give you any kind of receipt for the TV's which is always a sensible thing to obtain when handing something over to a repairer, just in case this kind of problem occurs. Hope you get it sorted.

[Dollie]

This happened to me with a computer last year - I let a repair man take it away and didn't see it again for 10 weeks. The only thing that made him bring it back (uprepaired) was a letter I wrote to him telling him that he had a certain length of time (48 hrs) in which to return the computer or I would tell the police and they would treat it as stolen property. I had checked first with my policeman friend who confirmed that they would treat it as such and would likely do a search of his property. My guess is that he wouldn't want the police snooping round his property and seeing the other items he had there, so it was duly returned within the 48 hours stated.

[pappasmurf]

Follow him around with a megaphone shoutting " This man stole two of my tellies "

Tell him you will only stop when he hands them back to you.

[Mattk]

thanks all ! sorted now.....it appears me ringing him up the same time every night for a w eek finally sunk into his head.he now wants �20 for his work.......hmmmmmmmm now let me think!