Patient Computer Help for Over 60s
Technology should not make anyone feel daft in their own home. We visit older people across West Yorkshire and sort out computers, tablets, phones and tellies — slowly, kindly, in plain English, with everything written down. Think of us as the patient family member who actually knows about computers and has all the time in the world.
Whatever it is, we have seen it — and we can help
The tablet still in its box
A well-meant Christmas present that never got going. We set it up, connect it, and show you the three things you actually want it for — video calls, photos and a bit of browsing.
Passwords everywhere
Scraps of paper, forgotten logins, locked-out email. We untangle the lot, set up a simple system that suits you, and write it all down properly.
Worrying phone calls and pop-ups
"Microsoft" ringing about a virus, or a scary message on the screen. We check nothing bad has happened, make the computer safer, and show you exactly what to ignore.
Seeing the grandchildren
WhatsApp video, photos arriving from the family, maybe a video call every Sunday. We set it up and practise it with you until it feels easy.
The printer that will not print
The classic. We fix it so it keeps working, and leave you a one-page "if it sulks again" sheet.
Just feeling left behind
Online banking, GP appointments, parking apps — everything has moved online. A patient hour or two gets you confident with the bits of modern life you actually need.
What makes our visits different
Most computer people fix the machine and leave. We think the person matters more than the machine. That means we sit with you, not instead of you — you drive, we guide. It means plain English with no jargon, and no sighing if something needs explaining twice, or five times. It means everything important gets written down in a way that makes sense to you, so you are not left staring at the screen the moment the van pulls away. And it means the first hour is a genuine hour: if the fix takes ten minutes, the rest of your time is yours — questions, a once-over of your other gadgets, whatever helps most.
We will never talk down to you, never sell you anything you do not need, and never make you feel like a nuisance. Our regulars ring us about all sorts, and that is exactly how we like it.
Staying safe from scams — our speciality
- Prevention — we make your computer, email and banking logins properly secure, and go through what scam calls and messages actually sound like, so you can hang up with confidence.
- A calm first call — if something worrying has already happened, ring us before anything else. We will tell you honestly whether there is a problem, and exactly what to do about it.
- The free guide — our step-by-step what-to-do-if-you have-been-scammed guide is on this website, written in plain English. Print it, keep it by the phone, share it with friends.
For sons, daughters and grandchildren
A lot of our bookings come from family — often living too far away to pop round every time the printer sulks or a worrying pop-up appears. You can arrange and pay for a visit for your mum or dad, we will ring them and sort a time that suits, and with everyone happy about it, we will let you know how it went. Some families book us a couple of times a year as a standing arrangement: a friendly local number their parent can ring, so the tech worries land on us instead of the Sunday phone call. It is a genuinely lovely present, and considerably more useful than another tablet in a box.
Home visit including the first full hour — and we mean a full hour, never rushed. £55 per hour after that, always agreed before any extra time starts. Remote help from £45 for up to half an hour if a visit is not needed. No call-out charge hiding underneath, no subscriptions, nothing sold to you.
Patient computer help across West Yorkshire
Has your landline gone “digital”? That is why things stopped working
BT, EE and the other providers are switching off the old copper phone network across the UK, and moving everyone onto a digital landline that runs through the broadband router. The letters are confusing, the engineer rarely comes, and afterwards the phone, the internet, the telecare pendant or all three can simply stop working — we have sat with more than one person in their eighties who was told it was an “upgrade” and was left with nothing.
We put it right in one visit: phone plugged into the right place and working, the broadband set up properly, and anything that relies on the line — a care alarm, a pendant, a fall sensor — checked and reported to the provider, because they are required to look after customers who depend on it. We will also tell you plainly what happens in a power cut now, and whether a battery backup is worth having. If you or a parent have had one of those letters, ring us before the switch, not after.
Living far away? We can be your eyes on the ground
Lots of the people who book us are sons and daughters arranging help for a parent — from the next town, the other end of the country, or the other side of the world. It works simply: you book and pay from wherever you are, we ring your parent to arrange a time that suits them, and afterwards — with everyone’s agreement — you get the plain-English rundown by call or WhatsApp: what we found, what we did, what it cost. No mystery, no jargon, and your mum or dad gets a patient visit instead of a phone queue.
“Incredible Service! Would Recommend! Great timekeeping, attitude, knowledge & communication skills, alongside genuine warmth, patience & approachability… He held the interest of my elderly parents with such a comfortable approach, building up a strong level of trust in the 80 mins he spent troubleshooting their challenges… The whole experience, from emailing my concerns on Monday, to explaining more details on WhatsApp and then meeting Mick at the appointment on Tuesday… was ‘above & beyond’. Thank you, Mick & Home Tech Guys!”
— Amanda Griffiths · Google review
Questions we are often asked
I'm not very good with computers. Will you be patient with me?
Completely — patience is the whole point of what we do. We take everything at your pace, repeat things as many times as you like, never use jargon, and write the important steps down so you have them after we leave. There is no such thing as a silly question in your own home.
Can I book a visit for my mum or dad?
Yes, and lots of our customers are sons and daughters arranging help for a parent — often from the other end of the country, and increasingly from abroad. You can book and pay from wherever you are, we will ring your parent to arrange a time that suits them, and with everyone's agreement we will call or WhatsApp you afterwards with a plain-English rundown of how it went.
My parent keeps getting scam phone calls. Can you help?
Yes — this is one of our most common visits. We check the computer for anything a scammer may have installed, secure email and banking logins, set up call-blocking where possible, and go through what a scam call sounds like so they feel confident hanging up. Our free step-by-step scam guide is on this website too.
Do you sell computers or try to upsell things?
No. We sell our time and honest advice, nothing else. If your current computer is fine, we will say so. If something genuinely needs replacing, we will say that too, and help you buy the right thing at the right price from wherever you choose.
How much does it cost?
£95 for a home visit, which includes the first full hour — and we mean a full hour. If the fix takes ten minutes, we spend the rest of the time answering your questions and giving the rest of your tech a once-over. After the first hour it is £55 per hour, and we always tell you before any extra time starts.
Do you cover my area?
We visit homes across Bradford, Bingley, Shipley, Keighley, Ilkley, Otley, Guiseley, Horsforth, Pudsey, Halifax, Huddersfield, Skipton, north Leeds and the villages between. Ring us and we will tell you straight away.
My landline was switched to digital and now the phone or internet has stopped — what happened?
The old copper phone network is being switched off and your landline now runs through the broadband router. If the phone was not plugged into the router, or the router was not set up properly, both can stop. We sort it in one visit, check any care alarm or pendant that depends on the line, and make sure the provider knows if you rely on it.
“We had a printer connection problem for several months. Whatever we tried, we couldn’t print. Mick from HomeTechGuys came out and solved our problem. And he was friendly, explained what, and why, he was doing and all so we understood. He kept returning until all problems were solved. It was such a relief to find a very helpful, cheerful person who put things right and kept us informed at every step. Very happy customers.”
— Mick Moriarty, Heaton · Google review
“Had a problem with my laptop and printer. Mick came out gave my laptop a good check found no problems. He then managed to set up my printer which I was having a problem with. He explained everything he was doing in plain english. Very nice gentleman. Thank you”
— David Jubb · Google review
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