Legal Question in Business Law in California
what if you verbally told a repair shop you wanted an extra service and never signed for the the service itself? Can you get away with it? Can I get in trouble if i only pay for the service I signed for? Is there a law for this?
2 Answers from Attorneys
If you receive a service and then not pay for that service you expose yourself to a law suit for unjust enrichment. In legal terms they sue under "quantum meruit" or for services rendered. An actual written agreement, while extremely helpful, is not required as long as they can show you received the service.
If there is more to the story, you should consult a lawyer before making any decisions.
Kind regards,
Frank
www.LanternLegal.com
866-871-8655
DISCLAIMER: this is not intended to be specific legal advice and should not be relied upon as such. No attorney-client relationship is formed on the basis of this posting.
"Can you get away with it?" is the wrong question. A better question is "Does the law say you have to pay for the service?" The answer to that one is yes. The law is squarely on the repair shop's side. People "get away with" violations all the time, but that does not mean they are behaving ethically or legally. It also does not mean you can safely assume you would get away with this one.
It sounds like all you care about is whether you will be caught and not whether you obey the law or take advantage of others. I hope I'm wrong about that. But even if I'm right, there is plenty of reason for you not to cheat the people who did the work you asked them to do.
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