16 month old laptop - faulty screen

[plumberjon]

Hi

 

My partner bought an Advent 7211 laptop from Curry's on 29/9/07, but didn't take any extended warranty.

 

The other day, she switched it on and there was someone at home but the lights were out!!!

 

You can see the desktop if you squint and stand on one leg! Spoke to Curry's and they said take it to PC World!!! PCWorld said they need £230 before they do anything!! LIKE HELL!!!

 

After I spoke to her I advised to get some advice from some local guys. Have spoken to 3 different companies and they all say the same thing. It's either the Inverter (cost around £60) or the screen, which is a sealed unit (cost around £150). Difficulty is, that they will start with the least expensive part first in order to save money, but until they start work on it, there's no sure way of knowing what the real problem is. So spending £150 on a laptop which is only 4 months outside it's guarantee is a tad painful.

 

Now I know there is no extended warranty, but surely, under the Sales of Goods Act, in which said act states that an item should last for a reasonable amount of time, we should have some re-course? I mean, reasonable should mean a bit longer than 16 months shouldn't it?

 

I haven't as yet threatened said act, just want to get some advice first before I approach Curry's or Advent.

 

Can anyone help please?

 

Thanks

 

PJ

[Bookworm]

But of course.

 

First of all, your contract is with Curry's, not Advent, so they'll be your point of call. Don't let them tell you otherwise.

 

Secondly, why they would send you to PCW is anyone's guess. Maybe they're hoping that you'll both pay for the repairs and it will stay within the group?

 

Ok, time to get serious.

 

You need to go back to Curry's and say that no, you do not have to take it to PCW, nor do you expect to have to pay for repairs on a laptop which failed after 16 months. Tell them they have the choice of repairing, replacing or refunding, and if they choose repairs, it has to be within a reasonable time. Tell them that if they insist on denying you your statutory rights, your next call will be to report them to Trading Standards, and if you have to pay for the repairs yourself because of their continued refusal to deal with it, you will take them to small claims for reimbursement of the expenses + court fees + interest @ 8% + adequate compensation for the inconvenience and refusal to carry out their obligations under SOGA.

 

Print a copy of this:

 

Trading Standards Central - Consumer Advice Leaflets

 

and take it with you.

 

Bear in mind that the onus is on you to prove that it is faulty, so if you have something in writing from the chaps you consulted, take it with you, if not, you will have to get that done if you have to go further, but you can reclaim that cost from Curry's too.

 

Anyway, let's see how you get on with that first. ;-)

[plumberjon]

Thanks Bookworm, I thought this might be the case. I'll go this afternoon and sock it to 'em.

 

Will keep you posted

 

PJ

[plumberjon]

Hi

 

Just been into the local Curry's store. The girl behind the counter tried right away to say that, as it was out of warranty and we didn't have the extended warranty, that there was nothing she could do, and we would have to go to the manufacturer.

 

I told her that this was wrong according to the SOGA. At which point she shut up and disappeared behind the desk to print out a phone number for the Tech guys.

 

She said that there weren't any laptop technicians in store and as it was out of warranty, she couldn't accept the laptop due to Data Protection!!

 

She told me to call the tech guys and they should be able to help me, she also gave me the email address for the main customer services for DSG.

 

Once I got home, I waded through the endless options on the local rate number. Even though there is a button to press for faults out of warranty with no extended warranty, when you get to a real person, they simply say that they will not help you as you have not paid for their service. The only option then is to call the premium rate phone number. LIKE HELL!!

 

So now I'm no nearer and have to go down the TSO route and throw the SOGA at them, do I?

 

Any help please with my next course of action?

 

PJ

[ForestChav]

Well, to be honest it seems at least the assistant has no knowledge of the law and/or no powers to enforce it.

 

I would be inclined to write a LBA to the head office in Hemel asking for a repair or replacement of the laptop under SOGA. The Techguys won't do it, as they are a warranty repair line - if it's out of warranty they can't do anything, the claim is with Currys where you bought it.

 

I don't see why you should go back to the store again as they have fobbed you off twice.