Winter is on the way and many consumers will soon be looking to winterize their vehicles. As a service and repair business, it’s important for you to know your obligations when it comes to repair estimates and authorizations, as outlined in Sections 31.6, 31.7 and 31.8 of the Automotive Business Regulation (ABR).
For instance, if a vehicle requires a service or repair, the business must obtain authorization for the service or repair from the consumer in writing as per Section 31.7(1) of the ABR. What if you can’t get the authorization in writing? You can then record the authorization information required under Section 31.7(3) of the ABR which includes the time the authorization was given and how the consumer gave authorization (via email, phone, etc.). Similarly, if an estimate for work can’t be provided because diagnostic work must be done first, then the estimate must state the estimated maximum cost of the diagnostic work under Section 31.6 (3), ABR.
AMVIC has created a service and repair estimate and authorization checklist to help businesses understand their responsibilities regarding estimates and written or verbal authorization of work. Additionally, AMVIC offers an optional Service and Repair Course for $40 that covers the provincial laws applicable to the service and repair industry.
Visit amvic.org for more resources that may be helpful to service and repair businesses.