Apple Independent Repair Provider
Three words on the window. Here's what they actually mean.
Apple runs a programme that lets independent repair businesses buy its genuine parts, use its tools and diagnostics, and follow its own repair manuals — provided an Apple-certified technician does the work. We're in it. This page explains what that gets you, and where it stops.
What it means for the price
One price, quoted before we start.
The price you see is the price you pay. Fitting is included — there is no separate labour charge and nothing added at collection. One price, quoted before we start, for a genuine Apple part fitted by an Apple Independent Repair Provider.
Why a repair shop can price it this close to Apple
The part that comes out of your device goes back to Apple for credit. That credit is what keeps our prices close to Apple's own part prices rather than well above them.
It also explains the one thing customers query: a genuine repair is paid for at booking rather than on collection. The part is ordered from Apple for your specific device — we don't hold every part for every model — so the order goes in when you book it.
An aftermarket repair works the ordinary way round: you pay on collection, once the work is done and you have seen it.
The part most shops leave out
We can't do in-warranty repairs.
The programme is for out-of-warranty work. If your device is still covered by Apple's warranty or by AppleCare, Apple or an Apple Authorised Service Provider is where you want to be — the repair may cost you nothing at all. Bring it to us and we'll check the coverage and tell you, rather than quote you for something you can get free.
Not sure whether you're still covered? Call 01604 931 212 with the serial number and we'll look it up in a minute.
Where we sit
Three kinds of repair shop, and the honest differences between them.
| Apple & Authorised Service Providers | iComm — Independent Repair Provider | An unauthorised repair shop | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Genuine Apple parts | Yes | Yes | Usually not |
| Apple's diagnostics and tools | Yes | Yes | No |
| Apple-certified technician | Yes | Yes | Not required |
| In-warranty and AppleCare work | Yes | No — go to Apple | No |
| Out-of-warranty repairs | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Service history records a genuine part | Yes | Yes | No |
| Price of a genuine repair | Apple's price | Apple's price — we add nothing | Cheaper, with a copy part |
| Aftermarket option if you'd rather spend less | No | Yes, on iPhone screens | Usually only this |
Apple publishes a verification tool listing its Authorised Service Providers and Independent Repair Providers. Any shop claiming a status should be able to tell you where to check it.
Questions about the status
Is an Independent Repair Provider the same as an Apple Store?
No, and the difference is worth knowing. Apple and its Authorised Service Providers handle in-warranty and AppleCare repairs. The Independent Repair Provider programme is for out-of-warranty repairs — the same genuine parts, tools and diagnostics, from an independent business. If your device is still under Apple's warranty, you want Apple or an Authorised Service Provider, and we'll tell you so.
So should I come to you or go to Apple?
If the device is still inside Apple's warranty or covered by AppleCare, go to Apple — the repair may cost you nothing, and we can't do in-warranty work. Outside warranty, we're the same parts and the same diagnostics, usually faster, usually cheaper, and ten minutes away instead of a trip to Milton Keynes.
Will a repair here affect my Apple warranty?
Apple's warranty excludes damage caused by service from anyone who isn't Apple or an Apple Authorised Service Provider — which is exactly why the Independent Repair Provider programme covers out-of-warranty devices. If yours is out of warranty there's no Apple cover left to affect. Our own work carries a 90-day warranty, batteries a year, and your rights under the Consumer Rights Act are separate and stay with you whatever we do.
Can I check that you're really in the programme?
Yes, and you should. Apple publishes a verification tool for exactly this — it lists Apple Authorised Service Providers and Independent Repair Providers, and anyone can search it. Ask any repair shop that claims a status to show you where you can verify it.
Does a genuine repair cost more here than at Apple?
Our prices are set close to Apple's own part prices, and fitting is included — there is no separate labour charge and nothing added at collection. That is possible because the part that comes out goes back to Apple for credit. Every price is on the site before you book, so you can compare it yourself; the difference is that we're in Northampton and you're not waiting for an appointment.
Does it cost more than the shop down the road?
Against a shop fitting copy parts, often yes, and we'd rather say so than pretend otherwise. A genuine Apple part costs more than a copy — that's the part price, not our margin. On iPhone screens we publish both options side by side and let you choose, with the difference in warranty and in what your device records afterwards set out next to the figures.
Why do I pay when I book rather than when I collect?
Only on a genuine Apple repair, and only because the price is the part: it's ordered from Apple for your specific device, and we don't hold every part for every model, so the order goes in when you book. If the part is already on the shelf we'll say so and it's usually a same-day job. An aftermarket repair is different — you pay on collection, once the work is done and you've seen it.
Out of warranty and need it fixed?
Every price on this site includes VAT, and every Apple device we repair has its own page with the figure already on it.