Terms, Warranty & Conditions
Last updated: February 2025
Applies to: All repairs, diagnostics and services performed by Hills District Mac Repair.
Hills District Mac Repair is an independent technician service. We are not affiliated with Apple Inc.
All customers are required to read and accept the following terms before any work is performed.
1. Diagnostic Fee
- A $150 diagnostic fee applies to all bookings.
- The fee covers time spent inspecting, testing, disassembling, assessing and diagnosing the device.
- The diagnostic fee is fully waived if you approve the recommended repair.
- If you decline repair or the device is deemed uneconomical to repair, the diagnostic fee remains payable.
2. Repair Approval & Quotes
- All repair work requires express customer approval — verbal, SMS, email or written.
- Quotes marked "from $X" indicate starting prices only. Final pricing depends on model, damage, and parts availability.
- Prices may vary due to supplier stock, shipping costs, part quality or unforeseen component issues.
- You consent to standard repair processes including disassembly, cleaning, testing and parts installation.
3. Parts Used: New, Used, Aftermarket & Third-Party
We may offer:
- Brand new OEM-equivalent parts
- Used/Refurbished genuine Apple parts
- High-quality aftermarket replacements
You will be told which type is recommended before approving the repair.
3.1 Warranty Periods
| Part Type | Warranty Period |
|---|---|
| New parts | 12-month warranty (defects only) |
| Used / refurbished / aftermarket parts | 30-day warranty |
| Customer-supplied parts | No warranty and no guarantee of fit or function |
3.2 Warranty Does NOT Cover
Warranty is strictly limited to the part we replaced. It does not cover:
- Accidental or physical damage
- Cracked screens
- Liquid or moisture ingress
- Electrical shorts
- Damage caused by power surges, brownouts, or unstable household power
- Overloading USB ports (including charging phones from a Mac's USB ports)
- Use of USB hubs, docks or 3rd-party chargers
- Logic board faults that damage a new part
- Faults unrelated to the repaired component
- Software corruption, malware or failed macOS updates
- Customer modification or tampering after repair
If a replacement part fails due to any of the above, the warranty is void.
4. NSW & Australian Consumer Law (ACL) Compliance
Under ACL, customers are entitled to:
- Services performed with due care and skill
- Services fit for their stated purpose
- Services performed within a reasonable time
Our warranty terms comply with ACL by clearly defining what is and is not covered, and by offering repair or replacement of faulty parts when the fault is due to workmanship or defective parts.
ACL remedies do not apply when damage is caused by:
- Pre-existing hardware faults
- User damage
- Environmental damage (heat, power, liquid)
- Third-party accessories or misuse
- Underlying logic board issues outside the scope of repair
5. Power-Related, Electrical & Environmental Risks
Many Apple Mac failures are caused by home power issues.
The following immediately voids warranty:
- Power surges, spikes or brownouts
- Unstable household wiring
- Charging phones or tablets from the Mac's USB ports
- Ongoing use of USB hubs, multi-chargers or docks
- Lightning damage
- Faulty power boards or cheap chargers
- Overheating due to blocked vents, dust or environment
You acknowledge that external electrical faults can destroy repaired components, and such damage is not covered.
6. Liquid Damage & Logic Board Issues
- Liquid damage is unpredictable and often causes progressive failure.
- Repairs to liquid-damaged devices carry no long-term guarantees.
- A repaired component may fail again if the logic board has underlying corrosion.
- Warranty applies only to the specific part replaced, not to future failures.
7. Data, Backups & Data Loss
- Customers are responsible for ensuring backups exist before repair.
- We do not guarantee the safety of stored data.
- Repairs may require system resets or component swaps which can cause data loss.
- No liability is accepted for data loss, corruption or software-related issues.
8. Device Handling, Risks & Technicians' Limitations
- Opening a Mac can expose existing or hidden faults that worsen once disassembled — this is normal.
- Older devices may have brittle cables, glued components or worn connectors which can break during safe repair procedures.
- We will take all reasonable care, but cannot be responsible for age-related or pre-existing component failure.
9. Returns & Refunds
- Refunds are not offered for completed successful repairs.
- Refunds do not apply when the customer changes their mind after repair.
- Warranty is repair-or-replace only, at technician discretion.
10. Warranty Claim Conditions
To make a claim:
- The device must be returned for inspection
- The original repair must be identifiable
- No third-party technicians must have opened the device after repair
- Device must be in the same configuration as delivered
If the inspection shows the failure was due to non-covered causes (damage, liquid, power, misuse), warranty is void.
11. Ownership, Abandonment & Storage
- Devices not collected within 30 days of repair completion or diagnostic outcome may be considered abandoned.
- Storage fees may apply after 30 days.
- Abandoned devices may be disposed of or recycled to recover costs.
12. Independent Technician Disclaimer
Hills District Mac Repair is not authorised by Apple.
We do not represent Apple Inc. or provide Apple-authorised service.
This must be displayed to comply with Australian independent repair legislation.
13. Customer Agreement
By leaving your device with Hills District Mac Repair, you agree to:
- All terms, warranty conditions and exclusions
- Diagnostic fee rules
- Data and risk acknowledgements
- Limits of liability
- Warranty coverage limitations
- ACL-compliant procedures