The minefield of private IT work!

[shady_ry]

Hi

 

just asking for any advice on private work seperate from the school, I'm thinking its an absoulute minefield to look at teachers personal laptops etc out of working hours? I regularly get asked to, you could be put in all sorts of blame game situations.

 

Does anyone have any non liability contract examples they use for private work? what should they cover?

 

Many thanks in advance to any help

[featured_spectre]

I make them know that if I look at it out of working hours, they get charged my full rate, and they sign a document which basically states that they do not hold me responsible for any damages, loss of data etc.

[Joanne]

Why is it different from anyone else asking you to fix the laptop?

 

I make people aware of the costs and as long as they are OK with that then I just sort it out...

[shady_ry]

Why is it different from anyone else asking you to fix the laptop?

 

I make people aware of the costs and as long as they are OK with that then I just sort it out...

 

Because any loss of data during school working hours I am not solely responsible for as such but if its somones personal non school laptop you could be accountable for it or at least they would try to appoint blame

[Joanne]

Yeah, fair enough. Tell them to make a backup of work and explain what you just said to me.

 

Most people are reasonable and will understand the difference between home and work stuff.

[fairm010]

I plain and simple don't do it any more other than for close family. Too much to go wrong and I simply don't have the time for it anymore

[Danp]

Or, just do what I say, take it to PC World and get charged a fortune, or get me to look at and fix the issue in exchange for a few beers. They save money but take the risk. Not had anyone say no to that so far.

[visioN]

stay away from minefields!

[Joanne]

Or, just do what I say, take it to PC World and get charged a fortune, or get me to look at and fix the issue in exchange for a few beers. They save money but take the risk. Not had anyone say no to that so far.

 

Sod the beers... I need the cash bro!

[Danp]

Sod the beers... I need the cash bro!

 

Na, I find people expect full follow on support then, cold beers means end of transaction.

[hardtailstar]

I refuse to do it for anyone who works at the same place as me, too much agro from them about school equipment. They are likely to be 10 times worse with own equipment.

[jinnantonnixx]

Too much hassle. You will own the problem until the end of days: "Remember that laptop you looked at a year ago? Got a few more problems, any chance you could pop over at my convenience? There's a cup of tea in it for you."

[localzuk]

I don't do it any more. More hassle than its worth. I only help out a couple of people now - my landlady (she pays me well), and our reprographics lady (as she has relatively low needs and never tries to stiff me).

 

Anyone else is now referred to my colleague, who does it as a side business anyway.

[visioN]

remember when you installed my printer 3 years ago? well the laptop doesn't boot now...

[Tesla]

Depends on what you desire more, peace and quiet, or a bit of extra cash. Right now i need extra cash, so carrying out work is something i'm currently happy to do. I currently have someones pc, and they are happy for me to do x, y and z with it, pay me, and pay for any parts (there's no probelms with it, they just want it to be faster and have it for their kids to use, they have an old 775 celeron d in there atm, i can shove a dual core 775 i have somewhere at home from another job)

 

I have said im busy up until xmas and they just said to keep it aslong as i need it.

[difinity]

I never found it a minefield or had any problems. I have always backed up my customers hard drives before i start work so no documents have ever been lost.

I still look after several members of staff even though i left 4 months ago as i enjoyed the private work so much i left to be fully self employed.

[Alkaline]

You have to be really really careful. They can claim you have broken it, then it ends up at the heads door even though its really not anything to do with her.

[Miscbrah]

You're also liable to get "you remember last summer when you did something to my laptop? Well last night Facebook stopped working/*unrelated nonsense*"

[MattDLEA]

You will have to look at your contract as well, When I worked for uni what ever work I produced be that at home in my time or whatever belonged to the uni. And some places dont let you do other jobs.

Best idea would be to set up as a business then you can offset some of the liability with your own insurance. And then its all ligit to

[pooley]

Get them to sign that they either

 

a) have backed up their data (back it up anyway**)

b) want you to backup their data for £50

they always choose (a) and when you give them their nice restored pc back with no my docs etc and they panic say you will have to run disk/data recovery on the drive at a cost of £150 (**just copy files from backup you made at the start)