Rural shops tell Congress: Let us fix people’s stuff.

Not being able to fix your stuff is a hassle for anybody. It’s a bigger problem for people who live in rural America.

On Sept. 14, a U.S. House subcommittee held a hearing on the impacts of repair restrictions on rural small businesses and entrepreneurs. Experts and small business owners testified about industry practices that restrict repair, how those practices harm independent businesses, and what policy proposals already exist to address these issues.

PIRG submitted a letter signed by 105 rural repair shops that urged Congress to remove manufacturer-imposed barriers for independent repair shops.

“When you live hundreds of miles from the nearest ‘authorized’ repair shop, you still need your devices fixed,” said PIRG Senior Right to Repair Campaign Director Nathan Proctor. “Restricting repair to a few select locations is frustrating when you live in a big city, but it’s cruel for people who live in rural areas.”