Legal Question in Consumer Law in Connecticut

I have a sutuation that I'm in and was wondering if you can tell me if this is a criminal or a civil matter...

Someone who I was friends with brought her broken laptop to me... cracked screen, and in a non funtioning mode. I told her a replacement screen will cost $99. So i began to work on her laptop, and then realized that there were other parts that needed to be paid for... I told her that she needed new hinges, and a face mount. Her boyfriend paid for the replacement screen for the laptop under his name although the ownership of the laptop belongs to her mother. I told them the hinges were a special order product and could cost anywhere from $45 - $80 depending on which distributor I go to... and I mentioned they needed to pay me up front for the additional parts, and my labor. Few months go by... and my shop was closed... Henry calls to find out the status, and i told him he needed to pay me for the parts so i can order them. He says ok... then hangs up... Now he has his girlfriends mother call me, and accusing me of stealing the laptop because I wont give it back. She threatened to file a police report... saying its a criminal matter... I don't think this is correct because Henry and I had an implied oral agreement which he broke by deciding they didn't want me to fix it. So I told them I wanted to be paid the diagnostic fee. His girlfriends mother said that her lawer states because my business closed that I should have given the laptop back... I haven't closed the business just the location...

This a criminal or a civil matter? I want to say its civil.... I just want my $49 and I will ship it back to them. She also stated that her lawyer said I will be responsible for the entire laptop that I broke it... blah blah...


Asked on 8/27/09, 4:17 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Linda Subbloie Linda A. Subbloie, Esq.

The lesson to be learned here is don't do business like you did without a written contract spelling out the terms of the business arrangement and a signature by the OWNER.

Based upon the facts as you describe them, I think you should give back the laptop. The alternative is not worth $49.00.

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Answered on 9/01/09, 10:40 pm


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