saddle repair-legal or moral obligation

[Saddlebag]

What would you do? In another post I mentioned the leather in the stirrup leathers had deteriorated and one had broken. This is an economy saddle and the stirrup leathers are only 1/8" thick. What is our legal or moral obligation in a case like this? I'm going with my gut that says not to repair.

[Bob]

Saddlebag, if that were in my shop...

They would not get those repaired. They would be replaced with proper leathers, both of them. Not just the broken one. With new buckles, would cost them 225.

Repaired stirrup leathers never work properly anyway.

Liability? Well, we have insurance.

Moral obligations? I simply tell people who come in with a piece of junk mexican saddle and want the sheep skins changed. I just say "NO" It's not worth it. You can buy another one for less than what I'm going to charge you to fix this. Besides, it won't fit anything anyway. So why bother. Some folks don't like that, but it's the truth. I just do it in a kind and respectful manner. Most are not offended.

[Saddlebag]

Thanks Bob, I'm glad I made the right choice.

[mulefool]

Just wanted to second what Bob said. I do have liability insurance as well, but I try to make sure I'll never need it. If a saddle is just not going to safe no matter what I might do, or if the owner doesn't want to repair it to a safe condition i pass on it. The only time I may have broken that policy was a saddle that the owner SWORE was only going to be a decoration in their living room. On the invoice I wrote that the saddle was NOT safe for riding and had them sign it. Chris

[Saddlebag]

The owner may not be picking up the saddle in person as she's 90km distant. Any suggestions for getting an Unfit declaration signed? As per her wishes I've cleaned the saddle and cosmetically it's beautiful, but "don't fix anything" - I can't figure that one except maybe it will become a bar stool.

[mulefool]

I'm not sure about this in the legal sense, but maybe if you emailed her and got her to email you back stating that she understands the saddle in not fit for riding that might be sufficient. but as I said, I'm not sure if that would be legal defense in case of any problem. Chris

[BondoBobCustomSaddles]

Simply put, do it right or don't do it at all. Life is too short to get into legal scrapes trying to help some one out. If they pass on the repair, you came out ahead.

Bondo Bob

[Keltrey]

I would seek legal advice either from your business lawyer about a proper waiver of liability to be signed by the customer.

This reminds me of the waiver your sign at most tire shops when you have one tire replaced instead of replacing both on that end be it front or rear.

It basically states that you have informed the customer of the manufactures' safety recommendation about the risks associated with changing only one tire and they hereby release all liability to the above company and technicians for any property damage, loss, or bodily harm that might occur.

Again, proper legal counsel will be able to properly word the language for use in court.

Hope this helps.

[JohnsCustomLeather]

I have ran in to this too in my shop. I give the customer the price of fixing the saddle properly. If they do not want to do that then I do not fix the saddle.

I am working on one right now that someone else worked on before. They had spliced the stirrup leathers, NOT GOOD. I told the customer what the saddle needed to put it in to a very safe condition and let him make the decision.

We all have liabilty and obligation to do the job right.

I have had customers with broken trees ask me to fix them so they could sell them, I say absolutely not.

Also If I am working on a saddle and find something broken, i.e. a tree, I refuse to put the saddle back together because of liability, I have had a couple customers, pi$$@d at me but it is not worth it to me to half a$$ something just to make someone happy.

[Saddlebag]

A few months after I refused to repair the stirrup leathers, word went about that community that I didn't know how to repair stirrup leathers. Fortunately I have a good clientele who sensed that if I didn't repair them there must be good reason.