The supplier offers to repair goods while its payment claim continues

A repair visit needs a clear purpose

The supplier offers to inspect and repair the disputed product while still pursuing payment. Before agreeing to attendance, obtain advice about the proposal and the existing proceedings. Identify what the supplier intends to do, who will attend and how the goods will be left. A repair visit can change the evidence as well as the physical condition of the product.

Record the condition before work starts

Imagine a contractor disputing a pump's performance. The supplier proposes to change its controller and test it on site. Preserve relevant operating records, fault messages and photographs before the intervention. Ask the technical adviser what observations are needed. Do not let an informal visit erase the only available record of the condition that gave rise to the complaint.

Describe the proposed work precisely

business.gov.au recommends clear descriptions of work in contracts. Seek written agreement on the inspection or repair scope, access arrangements and any charges, with legal review where appropriate. Identify whether replacement parts will be retained and who will receive the service report. Avoid leaving the technician to decide commercial settlement terms that neither party has authorised.

Source: business.gov.au: Prepare a contract

Coordinate site responsibilities

Arrange safe access through the appropriate site contact and check any operational restrictions. Explain who may authorise additional work if the technician finds a different problem. In the pump example, replacing another component may require a separate decision. Record what actually occurs, including departures from the agreed scope, without interrupting necessary safety measures or making unsupported technical conclusions.

Evaluate the outcome against agreed criteria

Ask the qualified person to explain what the post-repair tests establish and what remains uncertain. A machine running briefly may not resolve the performance issue under normal operating conditions. Keep the full service report and any follow-up requirements. If the original component is removed, obtain advice about its preservation rather than assuming it has no further evidential value.

Confirm what remains disputed

Give the lawyer the attendance record and technical findings promptly. Ask how the repair affects the payment claim, alleged losses and proposed resolution. Do not assume attendance discontinued proceedings or admitted liability. The useful result is a documented intervention with a clear technical outcome and an accurately understood legal position, while the required response to the supplier's claim continues.