@knowhowtohelp PC World Whatever Happens Club (Advice Needed)

[young077]

Hi new to the forum but hoping someone can help me.

 

Over the past few years I have bought a Acer Desk top and Dell Netbook fromPC World, both of which I have being paying for the Whatever Happens Club membership. 3 years for the Acer and 2 years for the Dell.

 

A couple of months back I booked both in for the yearly MOT check / tune upthat is included in the membership. This is the first time I have done it and only did it to get something for my money.

 

Big mistake I found, first time I have used the service at all and found nothing but problems. I collected my property the next day to find that both had cosmetic damage to the outer casing which had occurred whilst in store(clearly stacking equipment on top of each other as i could see with otherstuff in there). I complained about this as I collected my equipment to which the smug reply was as it is cosmetic damage it is not covered by the policy. To which I stated that even if I didn't have that cover I would expect this issue to be sorted as the damage was done as my property was left in their care. The result was an offer of a £20 voucher. I refused and requested to speak to a manager, who I was told was too busy to speak to me and when I said I could wait I was told this would be the case for the whole day. I was very annoyed that I was fobbed off by the duty manager however I left the store and rang the help line.

 

I made a complaint about my issue and was promised a call back however this did not happen leaving me to return the call two weeks later. I was offered a £25 voucher and when I asked how that was possible for damaging both computers they said as the person who handled my first call had logged it as one inciden tit could only be dealt with as one incident. Despite me paying two premiums and damage to two items. I again turned this offer down planning to write to head office.

 

My Computers however have been slow and unreliable making them virtually unusable. I vowed to resolve this issue when I wrote a letter, as I no longer trusted the service I would receive, however before I had the chance I was deployed to Afghanistan as I am in the Army. During this time my wife has lost a paid job on a online bingo site due to the computer issue making her unreliable,resulting in a loss of a minimum of £600 a month for the last three months but this would often rise due to overtime. My wife and I have also been left with a huge amount of stress over this time. As she could not resolve the issue as shewas not prepared to deal with the company due to the problems we had previously and the fact she is pregnant. I have spent three months over there where my few phone calls home have been stress and worry as my wife had lost her job and income she relied on.

 

Where do I stand? I am totally unhappy and want something done about this, I have in my head that I deserve to be refunded for the computers that are now no longer used and the money I have been paying for a cover that was useless dueto incompetent Staff. Thoughts, opinions and advice appreciated guys.

Edited June 13, 2012 by citizenB
formatted for easier reading.

[young077]

P.S Where do I stand with legal action on this?

[Conniff]

Have you made any attempt to clean up the computers, it's usually a software problem when they run slow?

[young077]

Have you made any attempt to clean up the computers, it's usually a software problem when they run slow?

 

This is what I sent them to get done and they came back useless. I did not expect them to come back barely working and damaged cosmetically too.

[Conniff]

I think I'm a bit lost now, warranties don't include malware or internet junk removal?

[young077]

I think I'm a bit lost now, warranties don't include malware or internet junk removal?

 

as part ouf the service pc world offer yearly mot and tune up. Basically a clean up which is what I took them for. Both worked fine but I was taking advantage of the service. Why not? But they come back unable to do anything on. It seems like these companies take your money then do nothing from there.

Edited June 13, 2012 by young077

[young077]

as part ouf the service pc world offer yearly mot and tune up. Basically a clean up which is what I took them for. Both worked fine but I was taking advantage of the service. Why not? But they come back unable to do anything on. It seems like these companies take your money then do nothing from there.

 

On my paperwork as annual pc tuneup designed to keep your computer or laptop running at top speed.

[citizenB]

Have you made an official complaint - in writing - to the head office ?

 

We have a pcworld rep on the forums, I will send an S.O.S. for you. Once the rep makes contact, follow the instructions given and keep us updated on the progress of your complaint.

[young077]

Have you made an official complaint - in writing - to the head office ?

 

We have a pcworld rep on the forums, I will send an S.O.S. for you. Once the rep makes contact, follow the instructions given and keep us updated on the progress of your complaint.

 

I didn't as I said I had other things going on and didn't get a chance. Wood like to know what to do thanks

[Conniff]

Ok, I get that now. If that is the service they have offered and you paid for it and they have failed to honour that service, then I don't see why you can't write and ask for a refund of all the premiums you have paid.

[citizenB]

I didn't as I said I had other things going on and didn't get a chance. Wood like to know what to do thanks

 

Pretty much write a letter along the lines of what you have already advised and as Conniff has suggested. Send to Head office marked as an official complaint.

 

I have invited the PC rep to look in as well.

[young077]

Thanks guys

[labrat]

and as to the damage in store

 

ask the store for a copy of their "SIT" form

 

stores are ment to carry out this on reciet of the laptop its one of the things you sign

 

if it doesnt list scratches on the laptop then inisit on a repair

[young077]

So let me just check I got this? Both your laptops both worked perfectly fine. You took them for a tune up and they came back out of it cosmetically damaged and both running so slow that they were unusable? Were the laptops checked over before they were taken in to ensure the damage wasn't there before? What did the report say was done on them?

 

There are two main things that slow a computer down in these cases. The hard drive is nearly full or hasn't been organised in a long time (defrag etc). The second is spyware/malware/viruses. Both are not likely to have been caused by the store, so I am not sure what they could have done that rendered both operating systems useless.

 

After you found the laptop's had decreased performance after they were taken home, why didn't you get straight back to the store to tell them what happened and allow them to investigate what had been done in store? They would have needed the chance to investigate. They can't be held responsible for the fact you had to go away to work and that your wife lost her job over this. Both laptop's could have been made serviceable, at the very least, by reinstalling Windows and then putting your data back on the computers. I am not saying a clean install is the first thing you would run on a slow computer, but it's often a very quick way of correcting any and all software problems. This would have been a very quick fix and something that wouldn't have dragged on and caused your wife to lose her job.

 

Your whatever happens cover was in place on both laptop's and would have kicked in if you needed them for repair/accidental damaged etc so it wasn't pointless.

 

What's the status of the laptop's now? Do you need help getting them up and running again?

 

Yeah thats right. they didn't bother to fill in their report to say they were undamaged. To be honest I didn't trust the store with my property again, the fact a manager made excuses not to speak to me made this lack of trust and confidence even greater. I understand what you are saying but they failed me at the first hurdle damaging my equipment. The complete opposite of what I have spent hundreds of pounds on over three years.

[Guest Paul - CurrysPCWorld]

Hi Guys,

 

Thanks for taking the time to post young077. I am sorry to read that you have experienced an issue when booking your computers in for the annual health check.

 

If you would like to email me at letusknow@knowhow.com and please include the full details of your issue, including dates of when the H/C was done and I will be able to look into this for you to see what can be done.

 

Please note any photos that you can supply me that show the consistency of damage would be greatly appreciated.

 

All the best,

 

Paul

The KNOWHOW Team

[old bill]

PC World is subject to the Supply of Goods and Services Act 1982. This means that if they are providing you with a service, they are required to exercise reasonable care and skill in providing you with that service. Returning your laptop to you damaged and performing worse than before is not exercising reasonable care and skill. Give PC World a chance to make good the damage your laptop sustained whilst in their possession and fix poor performance you asked them to rectify. If they refuse, you should serve a written notice on them giving them 14 days to put matters right to your satisfaction, after which you are entitled to have the work carried out by another service outlet and recover the cost from PC World. Contrary to what large retailers may say, they are liable for consequential loss under the Act.

[labrat]

Yeah thats right. they didn't bother to fill in their report to say they were undamaged. To be honest I didn't trust the store with my property again, the fact a manager made excuses not to speak to me made this lack of trust and confidence even greater. I understand what you are saying but they failed me at the first hurdle damaging my equipment. The complete opposite of what I have spent hundreds of pounds on over three years.

 

sorry only just noticed this reply

 

if the store have failed to fill in there form then THEY are in the wrong

they must list any pre-existing damage if not then they must basicly admit it wasnt there before

 

contact paul hes excellent, explain there was no pre-existing damage on the sit form, therefore the damage happened in store, if its damage caused instore then they CANNOT class it as cosmetic - no matter how light