Thanks for the reply. Yes it is indeed the plastic cutlery holder. It's just not reasonable for this to erode in such a quick time. In fact you shouldn't really expect it happen at all.

In July of last year, I purchased a Hotpoint dishwasher. Everything seemed fine with it until just before Christmas, a section at the bottom of the cutlery tray began to fray away, gradually getting worse until it got to the point where cutlery can no longer be placed in it without falling through into the bottom of the washer. As the dishwasher has a sticker on it saying "Free 5 year parts guarantee", I called Hotpoint to ask for a replacement. They tell me though that they cannot replace that as it is not a mechanical part and if I want a new one I need to pay. I phoned the government's consumer line and as far as they are concerned, this part should certainly be replaced for free in line with the sale of goods act and I should go to Currys themselves to arrange a free replacement. Currys (who I have a 1 year guarantee with callout with) were also unwilling to be of help, saying that as 6 months have passed since purchase, I am entitled to a repair at best, not a free replacement for the faulty part. They say the cutlery tray is classed as a consumable and the sale of goods act in no way entitles me to a free replacement. They also generally had the attitude that it was not their decision to make anyway and they can only go by what Hotpoint have to say. To my mind, the cutlery tray cannot be classed as a consumable as without it, the dishwasher cannot properly function. In its current state I cannot wash my cutlery in the way that is intended. And even if it was deemed to be a part with a limited shelf life, it seems completely unreasonable for it wear away like it has in such a short time frame. Any help as to what I should do would be greatly appreciated.

I have recently had to return a faulty laptop to the online retailer who custom built it for me, a mere 6 weeks after I received it. While under perfectly normal usage conditions the plastic connector in one of 3 usb ports came away from the laptop and became stuck inside a usb cable as I disconnected it from the laptop. This rendered the usb port unusable. About a week later, the usb port next to it suddenly stopped working. This second faulty port has no psychical damage to it. At the same time as the second port died, a fault with the laptop speakers emerged. At high volumes there is now a very noticeable static warble emitting from the speakers. It sounds similar to the noise made by the spinning of a helicopter's blades. It can be heard over headphones and is very noticeable via external speakers. This was certainly not present when I first received the laptop. Other devices connected to the same speakers, such as another laptop, and an ipod make no such noises. I am now being told that the damage to the usb ports was consumer induced and if I want them repaired I must pay £59 + £20 labour as the warranty will not cover the faults. The way I see it, if a usb connector was able to be pulled out from its socket with a cable under normal usage conditions, then it is surely a case of the connector not being assembled to satisfactory standards. It should not be as fragile as it obviously was. I also do not see how the second port dying a week or so later can be blamed on me.It did occur to me that it would probably be difficult to break a usb port even if you were trying to. I decided to see how rough you could actually be with a usb cable on an old laptop I no longer use and just as I suspected I wasn't able to break the usb port even when making a concerted effort to do so. In addition the problem with the laptop audio seems to be getting ignored, but again it is not something they can reasonably say is consumer induced and again, more likely a case of goods that are of an insufficient standard. Any advice on this matter would be greatly appreciated as I really don't feel I should be having to pay for these repairs.

I have recently had to return a faulty laptop to the online retailer who custom built it for me, a mere 6 weeks after I received it. While under perfectly normal usage conditions the plastic connector in one of 3 usb ports came away from the laptop and became stuck inside a usb cable as I disconnected it from the laptop. This rendered the usb port unusable. About a week later, the usb port next to it suddenly stopped working. This second faulty port has no psychical damage to it. At the same time as the second port died, a fault with the laptop speakers emerged. At high volumes there is now a very noticeable static warble emitting from the speakers. It sounds similar to the noise made by the spinning of a helicopter's blades. It can be heard over headphones and is very noticeable via external speakers. This was certainly not present when I first received the laptop. Other devices connected to the same speakers, such as another laptop, and an ipod make no such noises. I am now being told that the damage to the usb ports was consumer induced and if I want them repaired I must pay £59 + £20 labour as the warranty will not cover the faults. The way I see it, if a usb connector was able to be pulled out from its socket with a cable under normal usage conditions, then it is surely a case of the connector not being assembled to satisfactory standards. It should not be as fragile as it obviously was. I also do not see how the second port dying a week or so later can be blamed on me. It did occur to me that it would probably be difficult to break a usb port even if you were trying to. I decided to see how rough you could actually be with a usb cable on an old laptop I no longer use and just as I suspected I wasn't able to break the usb port even when making a concerted effort to do so. In addition the problem with the laptop audio seems to be getting ignored, but again it is not something they can reasonably say is consumer induced and again, more likely a case of goods that are of an insufficient standard. Any advice on this matter would be greatly appreciated as I really don't feel I should be having to pay for these repairs.

Thanks for the advice. I should have checked up on who came for it yes. I suppose I'm too trusting as I just assumed it would go back without a hitch. Would DHL have records of who make what collections on that date do you think? And also, did Amazon actually have the right to take the money without my consent?

At the end of October, I ordered a 50 inch LG plasma from Amazon. It was however faulty and after a lot of difficulty and over 6 phone calls, I was able to arrange for them to replace it. I received the new one prior to the original being taken away. That was done on November 12th when DHL came for it and as far I was aware, returned it to Amazon. Today, I have received an email from them saying that it was never returned and they have now taken the full value of the item, £665.99 from my account. I'm just wondering what I should do before I phone them? Obviously I'm really angry as I simply can't afford to have that kind of money essentially stolen from me, especially at this time of year. Whatever has happened to the original TV is nothing to do with me and is down to either incompetance or theft somewhere along the line by either Amazon themselves or DHL. I worry though because I don't really have any way of proving I ever returned it as the Amazon returns label had no tracking on it as far as I know. It's essentially their word against mine. Any advice would be very much appreciated!

I've been having problems with Amazon for 2 weeks or so now, so hopefully someone will be able to give me some advice on how to sort things. I put in an order for an LG TV on Monday October 18th and I selected a scheduled delivery of Friday 22nd between 8am and 1pm. I took time off work to wait in for the delivery which I assumed was guaranteed, (why would they offer scheduled deliveries otherwise?), but it never arrived and when I checked the online tracking, I found it had been sitting in the Bolton HDNL depot for 2 days without movement. I managed however to get it delivered on the Saturday, but not without a battle with HDNL as they initially tried to tell me that they do not deliver on Saturdays, despite what they say on their own website! I would have put this alone down as a bad shopping experience with Amazon, but when the TV arrived, I found it was faulty. It has 2 usb ports on the side, but what I can only assume has happened is that a part from a different model has been put onto the TV as one of the usbs is partially obscured by the plastic housing rendering it useless and the second is covered up completely. I called Amazon on Sunday 24th to arrange for a replacement and I was told that would be no problem and that I'd hear confirmation on the shipping for the replacement within 48hrs and I would have the new TV on either Wednesday 27th or Thursday 28th. By the 27th I had heard nothing from them so I called again and was told that the enquiry was still in progress and I should wait for the email which would be coming very soon. By yesterday I had still heard nothing so I phoned yet again and was informed that it was still underway and I should wait for the email from them. I pushed the matter further asking why they can't just send the TV out as they have it in stock and have told me it will be sent via next day courier. I was put on hold for a long time after which I was told that the reason it is taking so long that they are making sure in the warehouse that my replacement will be the correct item. Puzzled by this, I asked if that meant making sure that it will have the correct housing over the USB ports. I was told that that was indeed what they are doing so I asked how that can possibly have taken them 10 days and counting as all it involves is opening the box and looking at the TV for a few seconds. That was met with silence and then a half hearted apology for the inconvenience, being assured that the original operator I spoke to is still investigating the matter and me being told yet again to just wait for his email. I am really not happy with the way they are giving me the runaround so what should I do? Wait till another 48hrs has passed and then call again? Or just phone now and ask to speak to a supervisor? The way things have been going I could well imagine another week going by and hearing nothing. I'm also not too sure I actually want a TV that has been opened up in their warehouse as then there is the element of doubt as to whether or not it is actually brand new. The chances of a second TV having the same fault are incredibly slim anyway so I'm not sure why they even need to take this measure. Any advice on what to do next would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

Excellent. There's actually a product I'd be happy to take in exchange that costs a little over £100 more, so I'm sure that would entice them...

Richer Sounds.

I had a faulty amplifier that was replaced as it was within a month of purchase as per this particular store's returns policy. It took them a good 3 weeks to actually source a replacement and now I find that this new unit has the exact same problems as the old one. Where do I stand? Did I enter a fresh 28 day period upon receipt of this item? Also, am I within my rights to ask for a refund as I really don't want to have to try this item for a third time and risk it being faulty again - it's more trouble than it's worth!

Thanks. They seem to operate under a 30 day policy as opposed to 28, so as they agreed that the item sounded faulty 28 days after it was delivered to me, I hope that there will be no issues. I'm still waiting to hear back from them though.

Basically, I bought an amplifier from Richer Sounds on January 8th and it has since developed a fault which may or may not have been there since day one. It is a buzzing that comes from the speakers when you hook the amplifier up to an hdmi connection. I only did this for the first time a few days ago. I emailed them and they agreed that the goods were faulty and said that if a fault develops in the first month, they'd gladly exchange the item. Am I likely to experience troubles now they realise I purchased it on January 8th - a shade over a month? Or should they still exchange it? Will the fact that I didn't actually receive the item until either the 12th or 13th make a difference seeing as it means I haven't actually had the item in my hands for a month yet? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

I'm thinking of going with Amazon, I've heard good things about their customer service, though ideally I'd go with John Lewis. Customer service doesn't come much better. They actually gave my mum £50 compensation off their own backs because they wouldn't be able to deliver a pair of gloves in time for Xmas. You wouldn't catch Comet doing that!

I still don't understand why a manual was needed for a written off TV anyway. If it's not even fit to be touched then they didn't need it, end of story. I presume that had the TV been worth £2000 he'd have been asking for £200? Utter nonsense. It was just a man desperate not to give out a refund that I was fully entitled to. I don't doubt that the second TV that I only had for 3 hours will be back on sale now either as the plastic film was never even removed from the screen. The engineer even said that the first one - the wright-off - would be repaired and then smartened up for sale again. He said they mightn't even repair it first!

It was the 32B652. While it was good news on the exchange front, what happened next has resulted in me having no desire to ever set foot in a Comet shop ever again. When I took the TV back, along with the form from the engineer, I was asked "Are you wanting a refund or a replacement then?" Obviously I went for a replacement, which they were happy to provide and they were also satisfied with just the remote and the power supply being returned. With the new TV, they wouldn't let me have the box, which was no big deal, but had I had to travel some distance to get home, I'm not sure I'd have been satisfied with the thin layer of bubble wrap they applied to it. Upon getting home, I immediately set it up and sadly the buzzing was exactly as loud as before. Possibly even slightly louder. I took it back a couple of hours later and the first shop assistant I spoke to pretty much gave off the impression that he didn't believe a word I was saying. He set the TV up and claimed he could hear nothing which I had to point out was because the environment in the shop was very noisy, so of course he wouldn't hear it. He tried to say he would have to keep the TV over the weekend and then let an engineer decide if it was faulty next week but I pressed for the refund. He took the TV away to the back to listen to it along with a manager. After quite a long time they returned and the manager said he could hear a "very slight noise" but he still didn't seem to want to give me my money back. He said there was no way of knowing if it was a faulty TV or not without an engineer. I pointed out to him that all he had to do was compare it with the noise of the TV I'd brought back earlier (which was sitting about 5 feet behind him complete with the engineer's report) and he'd see that it was an identical fault. He said that that TV was a wright-off and he was not able to touch it. He continued to be really quite rude and patronising and eventually said I could have my money as a "good will gesture", but as I hadn't returned the manual for the first TV (a wright-off he couldn't even touch), he would have to charge me 10% of the TV's value for it - £50. Given that they were happy to give the full refund for the TV earlier, minus the manual and the fact that he still had the manual for the second TV, I found this really quite ridiculous. I had to go home and get it before I could have my money, as there was no way he was getting £50 for a cheap booklet and the refund was certainly not accompanied by any smiling faces. You really have to laugh when Comet claim they pride themselves on quality customer service. It would seem that nothing is further from the truth. Now to find a new TV from a different shop...

Well, the engineer visited and after initially being very firm on the idea that there was nothing wrong with the TV, he decided that yes in fact the noise it made was a lot louder than it should be. Initially it seemed like a repair was the only option being made open to me but in the end he got authorisation for a replacement which was great. Now for the next unexpected hurdle... My local branch is sold out of the TV and say it won't be back in again. On checking their online stock locator I found that there's one in a branch about an hour's drive away. I'd assumed that they would get that sent to their shop so I could come and collect it, but no. I'm being told if I want to get the replacement I have to go and get it myself. I'd have thought that as they sold me a faulty product that they would be duty bound to get the replacement to the shop it was bought from and a call to the Consumer Direct Helpline confirmed this. To my mind, this is just dreadful customer service. I've also now found out that last year my mum was wanting a Dyson hoover from Comet, but it wasn't in stock. Oddly enough though they were happy to get one sent from a different branch if she didn't mind waiting a week or so. Seems they are quite willing to source a product if it means they are getting a sale.

A debit card if that makes a difference. As for the spoiling of my enjoyment, that's certainly the case. The bulk of my viewing is done at night when I have to have the volume kind of low so I don't disturb anyone and the only way to avoid hearing this dim humming whenever there's a quiet point in the show I'm watching is to go for the maxumum backlight setting and that's just too bright.

It should only need a repair if it's a good bit older and it wasn't faulty right from the start. I sense an uphill struggle tomorrow. Particularly as I'm very sure he'll initially try to tell me there's nothing even wrong with it. What do I do though if he's against a repair and so are my local branch of Comet? I'll make it very clear to both that I'm well aware of the ins and outs of the Sale of Goods Act that's for sure.

Thanks Phil, but this is where my concern is, the idea that the engineer decides if there's a problem and the issue of manufacturers specifications. A friend of mine recently bought the same TV and it makes no noise whatsoever. This alone would confirm that any noise is outside the norm but I have since had several others tell me that their set is completely silent also. Also, as the manual lists nothing about backlight buzz in the troubleshooting section, it seems safe to assume that it isn't meant to do this. Are you saying that when I tell the engineer I would like a replacement I will be told that this won't be entertained if they see it as in any way repairable? And indeed, if he thinks the buzzing isn't that loud, will he do nothing?

Well the engineer is due tomorrow, so I take it I just stand firm on wanting a replacement? Pretty much everyone I've spoken to has said "Don't get fobbed off with a repair when it's this new."

Thanks for that advice. How long do repairs usually take though? As I have got rid of my old set I'm not too keen to be left for long with no TV. I am still hopeful of a replacement as the TV was sold in a faulty condition as it it is not supposed to make any noise at all. I worry that the engineer will be of the opinion that the buzzing noise is not loud enough to be considered a problem. While the noise is not that loud, it can still be heard over what I am viewing at night because I have the volume at a lower than usual level.

Thanks for that advice. Thing is, I'm already down for having an engineer visit on Wednesday. I made it quite clear to them on the phone though that I know for a fact the thing was sold faulty and I feel a replacement is therefore the appropriate action - not a repair. So if/when the guy tries to claim it has nothing wrong with it I should just take it to the shop then?

Yeah it is just over a month. I think I bought it on about December 12th. So what you're saying is that after I've let them take a look at it I can refuse the offer of a repair and insist on a replacement and be perfectly within my rights?

Its a Samsung LCD B652. I've had it confirmed from multiple sources on AV forums that it should not be making this noise and if it were to make a noise, the only circumstance you should hear it is when you stick your ear right to the back of the set. I can hear it a good 6 feet away at quieter volume levels. Seems that its the norm for this model to be completely silent. As for the backlight levels, it's just the intensity with which the screen is lit up ranging from 1-10. But as the factory setting is 8 for one viewing mode and 6 for another, you shouldn't be expected to have to watch on 10 if you want a quiet set.

Last month I bought a Samsung LCD from Comet and almost immediately I noticed that it made a noticeable humming/buzzing noise. It makes this noise whenever the backlight is set to anything other than level 10 and the noise level varies depending on which setting from 1-9 you have it on, with 9 being particularly loud. At first I was resigned to just put up with it but over time it has begun to annoy me more and more, particularly as when viewing TV at night with lower volume levels I can sometimes hear the buzzing over whatever I'm watching. What I want to know is whether or not I am entitled to a replacement outright as I have since discovered that Samsungs are not supposed to make any noise whatsoever, regardless of the backlight settings. Clearly this TV was sold in a faulty condition. Comet customer services told me by email that I could arrange for an engineer to look at it and what happened next would be at his discretion. Ideally I would like a replacement as to be honest, having it taken away for repair would be inconvenient if nothing else as I have already got rid of my old TV. What advice can people here give me please?