Manitoba.ca

Working with consumers and businesses to ensure a fair marketplace for all Manitobans.

Buying or maintaining a vehicle Maintenance & repair

Are you frustrated with the repairs that were done to your vehicle?

In Manitoba, there is legislation in place to protect you.

If you've driven a car for very long, you've probably run in to a situation where you're having some work done on your vehicle, but you're not feeling very comfortable about it. Maybe your repair shop told you your car needs new brakes, but they haven't given you a written estimate. Maybe you're worried that they're going to do expensive work without your permission; work that you can't afford. Though most repair shops treat their customers fairly and with integrity, these are reasonable concerns.

Buying or maintaining a vehicle | Maintenance & Repair - Consumer Protection Office

To protect you and the service provider, there are rules in place that repair shops must follow. Here are a few of those rules:

  • Repair shops must offer to provide written estimates for any repairs over $100 and ensure the final charges are within 10 per cent of the estimate.
  • The estimate must include a detailed description of the work being done, a list itemizing the parts to be installed and an estimated total charge for labour.
  • The repair shop must provide a written invoice itemizing costs for parts and labour, and include information about warranties and consumer rights.
  • The repair shop must obtain and record the customer's authorization for repairs before starting the work.
For more information or if you have questions you can visit the Manitoba Consumer Protection Office website at manitoba.ca/cca/cpo or see the contact us page for additional contact information.
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