I have a had a bit of a nasty dealing with brighthouse today.

My partner wanted to get me a new laptop so phoned to see if an add on was available

and got told yes just bring in recent proof of income so off we went.

On arriving at the store i spotted a quality refurbished laptop which would have been £6.99 per week without osc.

This is where things got interesting.

The laptop which had the quality refurbished sign on it with all the details

was not actually quality refurbished and apparently brighthouse have to put this up on products

even if brand new!!!!

that confused me too so i asked more questions like why does it say refurbished

and i want that laptop as it states refurbished.

The reply was that it was brighthouse policy to put a refurbished sign on it

as somebody did not want it and returned it.

My reply was so therefore it is a refurbished product so could i have it.

NO was the answer and i could have a new one.

Ok a new one as by now i felt like sitting down and banging my head on a glass table.

My partner then came over and said we could not have the laptop as it would be over our limit.

(anyone else aware that bright house have a credit limit)

I then said could we have it without optional service cover

and got told you cannot have the laptop without the osc.

We just left feeling very confused.

Regarding optional service cover and dlc

do you have to take out a new contract if you take either of these off as

we had to on our last purchase and by taking either off can affect

you getting another product from them in the future

It depends on which shop and what staff u talk to. The OSC is optional. My shop said i had to have it when i 1st got something. But when i did an upgrade a few months ago they said i didnt need the OSC if i didnt want it. But as i didnt have insurance they said i had to have that but if i had insurance then i wouldnt need theirs. Some staff force u to have it cause they get commision for selling it. There is a letter somewhere in the forums u can use to cancel the OSC. Its not worth getting the OSC cause it pays for repairs that dont get done. My PC packed up and got sent in for repairs. They replaced the hard drive which didnt need replacing. Then sent it back to me without bothering to check if it was working. I took it back to the shop today and told them they have a choice. Ill take it for repair at a place of my choosing and send them the bill, or they can replace the PC. They gave me a brand new PC then and there. They only had 1 PC in the shop. It was down as being a desktop 6 on their records but when i opened the box in the shop it was older than mine which was desktop 4. Then i took it out of the box the case fell apart. The guy serving me said no way is he letting me have that and went into the store room and got a brand new 1 for me. Even though its a newer model to what i had its a lower spec PC. But at least it works unlike my old PC. Thet didnt give me a new agreement either i just pay off what i still owe as if i was still paying for the old 1. My PC was a year ols so only got 12 months left now. I thought they might start the payments again from the start as it was a new PC but they didnt. I cant fault the staff in my shop but the repair shop hasnt a clue about doing repairs and head office isnt much help. My advice is if u dont get a good deal in ur shop ask for a diff member of staff or try a diff shop in ur area. It worked for me. The manager in my shop was rude to me but the staff backed me up and got him sacked. The new manager is weeding out all the nasty staff and getting in some really good ones who give good advice and dont force u to take OSC. Their has been changes at head office as well but not enough to improve them much yet.

I have a had a bit of a nasty dealing with brighthouse today. My partner wanted to get me a new laptop so phoned to see if an add on was available and got told yes just bring in recent proof of income so off we went. On arriving at the store i spotted a quality refurbished laptop which would have been £6.99 per week without osc. This is where things got interesting. The laptop which had the quality refurbished sign on it with all the details was not actually quality refurbished and apparently brighthouse have to put this up on products even if brand new!!!! that confused me too so i asked more questions like why does it say refurbished and i want that laptop as it states refurbished. The reply was that it was brighthouse policy to put a refurbished sign on it as somebody did not want it and returned it. My reply was so therefore it is a refurbished product so could i have it. NO was the answer and i could have a new one. Ok a new one as by now i felt like sitting down and banging my head on a glass table. My partner then came over and said we could not have the laptop as it would be over our limit. (anyone else aware that bright house have a credit limit) I then said could we have it without optional service cover and got told you cannot have the laptop without the osc. We just left feeling very confused. Regarding optional service cover and dlc do you have to take out a new contract if you take either of these off as we had to on our last purchase and by taking either off can affect you getting another product from them in the future

Hi Monty76 - and welcome to CAG!

Firstly, I have moved your post into a thread of its own. That way it can be answered better, and doesn't just confuse the original thread.

Looks like you fell for a very old BrightHouse trick! It used to be known as the "Manager's Special", where (for example) a 42" TV would be displayed in the store with an "amazing" price, because somebody had ordered it but then changed their mind. This meant he had to sell it as "quality refurbished", and advertise it as such... usually VERY prominantly displayed - by the counter, or even in the window!

...But, there ain't NO WAY any customer is going to get it at that price! NO WAY! Because the store is not oblidged to sell or rent their display models if they don't want to. They will use all sorts of reasons why you can't buy it at the "amazing" price:

"You just missed out on that one - it's just been sold... But you CAN order a new one!

"You COULD have the display model, but it has to stay in store for six weeks before you can have it... Why don't you just order a NEW one!

"The display model is actually made of cake, jelly and ice-cream... Why don't you just order a NEW one! (see where I'm going with this...?)

EVEN IF YOU HAD THE CASH ON YOU TO BUY THE ITEM OUTRIGHT (AT ITS CASH PRICE) THE STORE STILL WOULDN'T SELL IT TO YOU!

It's just a cheap ploy to get you into the store, and take out an agreement. Naughty? YES. Illegal? NOT REALLY - BUT DEFINITELY MISLEADING, AND SOMETHING TRADING STANDARDS DISAPPOROVE OF.

As for your experience with Optional Service Cover... Yes, as the name says, it is completely OPTIONAL. But, of course, this is not always the case. And as CAG has been a thorn in BrightHouse's side for many years (highlighting to consumers just what a blatant RIP OFF it is), BrightHouse has introduced a sneaky new tactic to force it onto customers... The "proof of income" game... It works like this...

In the "good old days" (before CAG) BrightHouse didn't give a kipper about how much credit they dished out. It was not uncommon for a customer to be shelling out as much as 50-60% of their disposable income - and for a customer in receipt of benefit that's an obscene amount of their income - and could only ever result in hardship and misery. But, the income generated by OSC allowed BrightHouse to do this, because if (and usually when) a customer got behind with their payments they would just repossess their goods and start all over again...

Now then, if you believe the BrightHouse spin on Optional Service Cover, you will know that by having this cover you can return the goods at any time with no further financial liability. This is quite true, but you can actually return the goods after 50% of all payments have been made anyway! (BrightHouse don't really harp on about that bit too much, though!)

So... As to be seen as "responsible lenders" BrightHouse will now only allow you to have goods (without Optional Service Cover) if they believe you can afford the repayments. Quite sensible really, don't you think? Er... well... No. Because they WILL let you have goods if you CAN'T afford them as long as you take Optional Service Cover!!!!!! Their reasoning is this: Although your weekly payments will be HIGHER you are less likely to get into long term financial difficulties as you can return the goods if you need to... Make of that what you will... Personally I think it, too, is made of cake, jelly and ice-cream!

I would bet you my last chocolate biscuit that, if you had have gone through with the deal and gone for a "new" laptop with OSC, the manager would have "swung you a favour" and turned a blind eye to the fact that you would have struggled to afford it.

You did the right thing by walking out of the shop.

Hope this answers your questions.

Cheers

Lefty

Regarding optional service cover and dlc do you have to take out a new contract if you take either of these off as we had to on our last purchase and by taking either off can affect you getting another product from them in the future

Just to answer your final question more thoroughly... Although I believe you SHOULD NOT have to sign new agreements when removing OSC and/or DLC, BrightHouse insist that you DO. However, there are a few important points you should consider when being forced into signing new agreements. The following is an extract from CAG's BrightHouse Factsheet:

To remove optional service cover from your agreement(s), put a request in writing to your store (and to head office). Once this has been done the store has to comply with your request. Use a letter similar to this one:

Item Description/Account Number XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Dear Sir

I am writing to give the required 7 days notice, as detailed in my agreement(s) that I wish to cancel all "optional" service cover on the above product(s). To simplify matters, I have today (date) presented a copy of this letter to the store manager of Brighthouse (Branch), which has been duly acknowledged, so 7 days notice shall commence at the date of this letter.

As stated in my agreement:

“Your Obligations: Optional Service Cover

Section C (b) The service cover premium is renewable each time your regular instalment is due under the agreement. If the premium is not paid Service Cover will lapse.

Section H (3) This policy shall continue in force until you give seven days notice…”

I shall, therefore, be making my next payment on (day) at Brighthouse (branch). This payment will not include "optional" service cover.

I understand that I may be required to sign a revised agreement. I will only do this on the firm understanding that all payments made previously on this agreement are reflected in any revised agreement. I do not waive any of my rights under the Consumer Credit Act 1974 regarding, in particular, “early settlement” and “repossession” as set out in section J of the original agreement.

Kind Regards

You

The removal of Optional Service Cover will usually result in a new agreement having to be signed. This is because the weekly premium for it is incorporated into the weekly payment schedule.

If you do have to sign a new agreement, and because you risk losing all the rights you have accrued regarding repossession and early settlement, insist the store manager attaches a copy of the above letter to all copies of your new agreement.

Removing Optional Service Cover is your right as a customer of BrightHouse. It SHOULD NOT affect your ability to obtain further goods in the future.

Cheers

Lefty

EVEN IF YOU HAD THE CASH ON YOU TO BUY THE ITEM OUTRIGHT (AT ITS CASH PRICE) THE STORE STILL WOULDN'T SELL IT TO YOU!

That reminds me of a situation I had with Brighthouse about 18 months ago. I was looking for a new TV set and walking past Brighthouse I saw this 'managers special' a 37" LCD TV which was at quite a ridiculously low price (especially for Brighthouse). I had the cash in my pocket, walked in waited in the queue (as it was a Saturday) and said I want that TV, the managers special. They said no problem, we will get the paperwork sorted out. I said no credit I am paying cash and plonked the money down on the counter. The birds could have nested in their mouths. I was given every excuse under the sun why they would not sell me that TV. This was my only ever dealing with Brighthouse and thought it was very dodgy at the time.