How we chose
We started from the fifty computer repair outfits the map listings show across Telford. Vendor claims, such as Microsoft partnership or Apple expertise, count only where the firm's own site states them; anything else is recorded as can't be sourced. Each business must first meet our basic checks: it is who it says it is, it is trading today and can be reached, and anything it must hold by law is in place. Twelve firms were researched closely and ten make the ranked table. What customers say counts most toward the score, then qualifications, then trading history and stated cover, then pricing clarity and website detail. All evidence is dated early September 2026.
How to hire
Match the fixer to the job first. Midland Computers exists for business networks, servers and support contracts, not for a single poorly laptop. Household machines belong with the Wellington counters, the home-visit firms or the Newport and Madeley shops, while Apple hardware has its own specialist in Appel. Postal repair suits a console or laptop no local bench covers. When you first enquire, give the make and model, the symptom in plain words and how urgently you need it back.
No law names a register a computer repairer must join, so check what can be checked. For iPhones and Macs, Apple's verification page shows whether a firm has genuine-parts access, training and diagnostics [2]. Microsoft partnership claims live on the firms' own websites, so ask for the partner ID and confirm what it covers. For limited companies, the Companies House register shows whether the company is active and where it is registered [4].
Protect your data before the device leaves your hands. Copy photos and documents to an external drive or cloud storage, sign out of banking and email where you can, and note down your passwords somewhere safe. Ask the shop how it stores customer data, who can see it and when copies are wiped. A careful firm explains this without being asked; a vague answer is itself an answer. Lose your passwords and even a perfect repair leaves you stranded.
Get two or three itemised written quotes on the same fault description, splitting diagnosis, parts, labour and VAT so you compare like with like [3]. Each quote should state the diagnosis fee and whether it comes off the repair bill, whether parts are genuine or pattern, the warranty length in months and the turnaround in days. Treat an outlier far above or below the rest as a question rather than a bargain, and ask what is included or excluded.
Agree the call-out terms before anyone travels. Come-to-you fixers and remote helpers should state the visit fee, whether time is charged hourly or fixed and what you pay if the fault cannot be fixed. For home visits across Telford, confirm parking and access, back up files first and keep children and pets clear of the work area. Hand over a machine only with a written record of its condition and serial number.
On collection, test the device before you pay: open the programs you use, check the screen, keyboard, ports and sound, and confirm the original fault has gone. Take an itemised invoice showing parts, labour, VAT and the warranty terms, and file it with the quote. If the repair fails inside the warranty, return promptly with the paperwork; if the firm will not help, Citizens Advice sets out your next steps [3].
Pricing
As of autumn 2026, rough ranges run like this: laptop screen supply and replacement £50–£300; laptop battery £30–£180; keyboard £30–£200; power socket £45–£210; liquid-damage dry-out £50–£250; laptop motherboard £100–£500 [1]. These come from a Which? survey of ten traders in November 2025, cover labour and parts but exclude VAT, and Telford usually sits below London and South East prices [1].
For desktops: power supply replacement £50–£150; hard drive with software reinstall and data transfer £85–£250; motherboard £75–£300; general service for a slow machine £40–£120; virus or malware removal £45–£120 [1]. Touchscreens, OLED displays and high-spec machines cost more and take longer [1].
Parts move the price most: Apple screens and rare boards cost more than standard laptop parts, liquid damage often needs extras beyond the dry-out, and data recovery adds hours where files must come off first. Call-out and express lanes add to the bill, while asking the bench to come to you costs more than dropping the machine off. Ask which parts are genuine and which are pattern, since that choice shifts both price and warranty.
Ask whether VAT is added on top, since published ranges exclude it [1]. Firms in this round publish almost no repair rates, so treat any single fixed price for a large job with no breakdown as a question, not an answer. Get the scope in writing before work starts: the fault covered, parts and labour split, warranty length and what changes the price if the bench finds worse damage than expected.
Red flags
Quotes a screen or motherboard replacement without asking the make and model or seeing the device.
Will not break the price into diagnosis, parts, labour and VAT when you ask [1].
Takes a password-locked machine full of personal files without a word about backup or data handling.
Shows no business name, address or landline on its site or paperwork, only a mobile number and a first name.
Promises your data will survive before diagnosing the drive.
Claims genuine Apple parts for an iPhone or Mac you cannot find on Apple's verification check [2].
Asks for full payment in cash before starting, with no written quote or terms [3].
Hands the machine back with no invoice, no warranty terms and no note of the parts fitted.
The bottom line
For most households with a poorly laptop, start with DB Computing: free testing, a quote before work and engineers you will see again. If the machine will not leave the house, Telford Computer Repairs comes to you, and Repair Xperts Pro covers call-outs with a written guarantee.
Match the firm to the job: Midland Computers for business IT, Appel for anything Apple, Ace Computer Systems near Newport, FONE FIXIT for a Madeley walk-in, Electronic Partners if you are happy to post. Then describe the fault, agree price and warranty before handing the device over, and test it before you pay.
Corrections and business responses
Tell us what needs checking, or ask to claim a listing and reply to an assessment.