PC World PC Performance service problems. Rights?

wickedlyspiced

Hi all. I'm new to this forum, this is my first post, but from looking around, I think I am in the right place.

In 2007 I purchased a laptop from PC World for £1,200. Due to it's high value, I decided to take out their pay monthly PC Performance package which entitles me to get my laptop repaired should it ever break. Well break it did. On 16th January, I took it in to my local store to be sent for repair. They sent it to a workshop in Colchester who "repaired" it and sent it back. PC Worlds tests revealed it wasn't repaired and "sent it back". This was around 3-4 weeks after it being sent off. At this point I was given the workshops contact details directly. When it was coming up to 6 weeks, I called the workshop and was informed they still hadn't re-collected the laptop from PC World due to various failed collections. This despite the fact a few days earlier I received a call from PC World saying the workshop had had trouble sourcing the part but now had and they were expecting the laptop back the following week.

As part of my PC Performance contract, I am entitled to a replacement laptop if they cannot repair mine within 6 weeks. So when the 6 weeks arrived, 27th February, I called them and was told a write off request was being put in, and I would hear something back later that day. As I didn't, I called back in the afternoon, and was told by a fairly rude man, "if it ticks all the boxes, it'll go through. You don't need to worry, this won't hold up the repair of your laptop." To which I replied, "I don't really care, I don't want my laptop back now, it's been 6 weeks, you have to replace it." To which he replied, "if it ticks all the boxes, it'll go through." When I repeatedly asked him what "ticks all the right boxes" meant, he snapped, "well if you've waited the 6 weeks, you've got nothing to worry about. It'll take 7-10 days for it to go through."

So basically, after all that rambling, I was wondering if anyone could advice me as to my rights? Firstly, everyone at PC World is talking in terms of vouchers. Apparantly I will be issued with vouchers to replace my laptop. They don't actually have any laptops I would like to purchase, and as there is no mention of vouchers on the agreement, could I ask for a refund to my debit card, seeing as I bought it on my debit card? Also, they have to give me vouchers/money to replace my laptop to at least the equivalent specification. My laptop has a tablet screen, and the now equivalent costs £800, which I would settle for, even though this wasn't made clear to me on purchase. What rights do I have if they try and offer me less than £800? And lastly, the agreement states, 6 weeks until replacement. As of tomorrow, that's 7 weeks. So what right do I have there to speed it up?

Apologies for the extra long post, I just wanted to make the situation clear, and thanks if you've sat and read it all

wickedlyspiced

Ok, so I rung PC Performance, they advised me that they have sent the write off request and it is now out of their hands and advised me to call Coverplan who deal with issuing the vouchers. I called them, and they have apparantly never received a write off request. I decided I was getting nowhere on the phone, so went to the the store I took the laptop to, and as the store manager wasn't available, I spoke to the customer services manager.

He's done all the phoning for me, and apparantly another write off request has been sent out today, which Coverplan should receive by Monday or Tuesday next week. Meaning another 7-10 days from then. So it'll be more like 8-9 weeks before getting a new laptop :mad:

I don't really know what else I can do to speed it up, I seem to be at a dead end. I rang Consumer Direct, but all she advised was going through the courts, which seems a far too lengthy and expensive process. Any advice?