Repairing hydraulics can be a costly business but getting it wrong can be extremely frustrating, time wasting and expensive. There are six key questions to consider: Are they registered to an industry body? Do they provide a good warranty? Are there any hidden extras and costs? Can they provide 3rd party referrals?

Are they an authorised repair centre?

Do you receive a test certificate?.

The BFPA/BFPDA is a body in our industry that encourages quality assurance within the hydraulics industry as a whole.It ensures that other members conform to a published code of professional conduct.

Other registered bodies that may help you as the customer are industry specific ones such as: Link Up, Apex, EEF etc.

With a new unit you can expect to receive a 6-12 month warranty.

A reputable repair company will give you that on a repair too.

Ensure you have a minimum 6 month warranty or even better; go with a company that provides a 12 month warranty with a shelf life included.

Make sure you are clear what this warranty covers beforehand.

A common phrase is 'free collect, inspect and quote service', but what if you don't want your unit repaired?.

What if the unit is beyond economical repair?.

It is always good to find out what the hidden charges are and to make sure you don't have to commit to a repair just because the quote was free.

A reputable repair company will tell you of the costs involved from the beginning and will not shy away from this.

You should be able to view or ask to view referrals from previous customers on their experience with the repair company.

A good indication of a reputable company is one that has a distributorship/authorised repair centre for a leading manufacturer.

If a company does not boast distributorship then make sure it uses genuine spares in its repairs: that way you know it is trustworthy and you are likely to get a long lasting repair.

Not all customers want a test certificate: however; it is worth knowing if you can have a test certificate if you want one.

You will then be able to see that your unit has been tested thoroughly.

Generally you can trust your instincts on this topic but it's always good to go in with a few questions before sending your unit off.

If you are going to pay for a repair you might as well ensure it's with a trustworthy and reputable company.