Appliance repair: home visits, new warranty

In short

Since October 5, 2026, a legal warranty of good working order covers 14 categories of new goods bought or leased in Quebec ^[1].
It runs 3 to 6 years depending on the item: 6 years for a stove, fridge or heat pump, 5 years for a washer, dryer or dishwasher ^[1].
The merchant or manufacturer must handle the repair, or may authorize the consumer to have it done at their expense ^[2].
Route optimization isn't offered yet; assignment already accounts for calendars and workload.

What does the good working order warranty change for a repair business?

The Quebec government announced that a new legal warranty of good working order applies to 14 categories of goods bought or leased new from a merchant as of October 5, 2026. If the item malfunctions or stops working during the set period, the consumer can ask the merchant or manufacturer for a free repair ^[1]. It comes on top of the reasonable-durability warranty, which still applies during and after the covered period ^[1].

Quebec's consumer protection office (OPC) specifies that the repair covers parts and labour plus reasonable costs to send the item for repair, and that the merchant or manufacturer may authorize the consumer to have the repair done at its expense ^[2]. It doesn't apply to an item damaged by abusive use, or to routine maintenance such as replacing a fridge's water filter ^[2].

For a repair business, that means more visits where the payer isn't the person at the door: a merchant, a manufacturer, or the customer who'll be reimbursed. You need to know before the truck leaves.

Warranty periods for goods bought new from October 5, 2026 [1]
Item	Warranty period	What the visit should record
Stove, refrigerator, freezer	6 years	Purchase date and merchant, to know who pays
Air conditioner, heat pump	6 years	Same, plus access to the outdoor unit
Washer, dryer, dishwasher	5 years	Abusive use and maintenance are excluded ^[2]
Television	4 years	Not an appliance; note it if you repair them

Why do so many repairs need two visits?

The first visit is for diagnosis. If the part isn't on the truck, it has to be ordered, then someone comes back. In between, the customer waits and calls, and the technician may already be booked elsewhere on the day the part shows up.

Then there's the arrival window: a customer who takes a morning off to wait for a technician between 8 and noon doesn't take kindly to a delay, let alone a no-show.

What do return visits cost a 3-technician team?

How does Pilotiko organize a repair business?

The virtual office splits the business into rooms: call intake, field visits, parts on order, admin. Each technician has a desk and a day plan; a repair waiting on a part stays visible as a task, along with the customer to call back.

Customers book a diagnostic visit online into a genuinely open time, and the address goes on the appointment. When the part arrives, the second visit goes into an open slot, ideally with the technician who did the diagnosis.

Pilotiko proposes the technician with the declared skill (refrigeration and heat pumps, laundry, built-ins) and a suitable load. The dispatcher keeps the final call.

An AI agent can list repairs whose part has arrived but whose second visit isn't booked, with a customer message for you to approve.
Reports show visits per technician, the share of return visits and booked revenue.
Your website, hosted by Pilotiko, can explain what the good working order warranty covers, with an FAQ and structured data.

What isn't offered yet?

What should you record on a service call?

Name, phone, address, appliance, brand, approximate purchase date and merchant: enough to schedule and to know whether the good working order warranty might apply. Under Quebec's private-sector privacy act, the business is responsible for protecting the personal information it holds ^[3].

Auto repair shops also live with warranty obligations on their work, and a mobile pet groomer shares your reality of days made of addresses.

A home inspector also lives on fixed-time home visits, and an IT support firm juggles on-site and remote work just like you.

Frequently asked questions

Does the warranty cover appliances bought before October 5, 2026?

According to the Quebec government, it covers goods bought or leased new from a merchant from October 5, 2026. Older appliances remain covered by the reasonable-durability warranty.

Who pays for a warranty repair?

The merchant or manufacturer must handle it; according to the OPC, they may also authorize the consumer to have it done at their expense. Record the payer at booking to avoid surprises.

Can Pilotiko schedule the second visit when the part arrives?

Yes. The pending repair stays visible as a task, and the second visit is booked into an open slot, preferably with the technician who did the diagnosis.

Does Pilotiko optimize the order of visits?

Not yet. Route optimization is planned for later. Today you see the addresses on the calendar, and assignment accounts for calendars and workload.

Does the customer get a text when the technician is on the way?

Not yet. Confirmations and reminders are being commissioned: the code exists, but the sending provider isn't connected.

Can an AI agent accept a warranty repair?

No. It prepares the information and the message; anything touching a customer or money waits for a person's approval.

Sources

Gouvernement du Québec, Nouvelle garantie de bon fonctionnement en vigueur bientôt (accessed on October 15, 2026).
Office de la protection du consommateur, Garantie de bon fonctionnement (accessed on October 15, 2026).
LégisQuébec, Act respecting the protection of personal information in the private sector (CQLR, c. P-39.1) (accessed on October 15, 2026).

Pilotiko for appliance service and repair