Standard Warrenty - UK -v- EU. Which is Correct?

linclass

Morning Readers,

I've recently learned that UK consumers may have been and still are being fobbed off with 1- year warrenties on goods purchased, with some well-known High Street sellers advertising **we give you 2 years warrenty** and (possibly) upping the price for the same item from a purchaser not giving this **extra** year.

I'd like to know whether this is CORRECT, and whether the Laptop I purchased (a Toshiba from Staples) actually carries a 1 YEAR warrent or a 2 YEAR warrenty as standard.

This Laptop os now 3 months old and am being bombarded with 'Upgrade Now'! 'Don't miss out'! emails suggesting I pay extra to extend the warrenty.

Can you please advise what our rights are in the UK with regards to warrenties please?? If we all get 2 YEARS as standards, just how many thousands have been caught out with this and paid extra I wonder??

Many thanks,

LL

Meepster

Ignore the "upgrade now" requests and be safe in the knowledge that the SOGA far exceeds either a one or two year warranty. Extended warranties are just an easy way for companies to make extra money quickly and LOTS of people don't realise this...

stugib

Be careful with the word warranty. As I understand it the EU directive highlighted last week mentioning 'warranty' is already covered by the SOGA.

However, this does not mean that if it breaks within 1, 2 or 6 years (to cover the arguments usually made) that you can just take it back and be entitled to a repair no questions asked. A true 'warranty' will cover you in that way, excluding misuse and consumables, but is with the manufacturer, but generally there's not much the way of dispute with a good manufacturer (phone manufacturers seem to be the exception with their BS 'water damage' excuse).

With your statutory rights you'd also broadly be able to behave in that way within the first 6 months, but after that it's up to you to prove that the fault was inherent (see the other thread on TV breaking after 3.5 years as example). Retailers are also much more difficult to deal with when enforcing these rights and are well versed in avoiding any responsibility.

So although I'd agree that extended warranties are generally not good value, don't think you've got a catch-all, no quibble 2 year guarantee on it.

alpacaem

I'd love to know the answer to this too.
I'm so blooming confused!
Some people say yes, some people say no.

I bought a £1895 laptop December 07, and it's gone faulty very recently on it's dvd drive. I paid for it on my credit card.
According to the paper work, sticker on the laptop it's out of it's guarantee / warranty.

Am I covered to get my laptop fixed, I don't want a new one, I'd lose everything on this one if they change it, I just want it repaired.

Please advise
I'm new to all this, thanks

mustbemoreorganised

I too need clarification on this. I bought a sonyhandycam in July 07, used it approx 6 times then by Feb this year the tape eject mechanism stopped working. I returned it to Jessops who told me they would return it to Sony and get it repaired at a cost of £176 - I only paid £152 for it in the first place. Would love to know if I can try and take it back again quoting the eu directive. Is there anywhere I can print a copy of it from to take to the shop with me? thanks

Tozer

The EU directive does not provide additional rights at all. The English law Sale of Goods Act 1979 already covers the requirements of the directive.

So if you have rights under SOGA - and it is a question of fact in each case - then you claim under that.

alpacaem

alpacaem wrote: »

I'd love to know the answer
I bought a £1895 laptop December 07, and it's gone faulty very recently on it's dvd drive. I paid for it on my credit card.
According to the paper work, sticker on the laptop it's out of it's guarantee / warranty.

Am I covered to get my laptop fixed, I don't want a new one, I'd lose everything on this one if they change it, I just want it repaired.

Please advise
I'm new to all this, thanks

So Do I have Rights under the SOGA ???
Would I go to HP directly or to the internet shop I bought it from (LaptopsDirect) ???
Thanks

Esqui

The warranty is just that. The manufacturer warrants that your product will not have any problems arising from its failure during x months and will arrange for service/replacement during that period...above (albeit slightly) your legal rights.

The SOGA does not provide a 'warranty', more a legal basis that your product should not have manufacturing faults within 6 years and a guide for remedying such faults.

In addition, it would be foolish to say 'every product should have a 6 year warranty by law'. The SOGA says products should last a reasonable amount of time up to 6 years. For many products, this is much more than reasonable (i.e. the battery on your laptop may only be expected to last 2 years under average use - you'd not be able to claim for a new one four years down the line unless you could prove you'd hardly used it)

Tozer

Is anyone else getting bored saying the same thing over and over again?

Meepster

Tozer wrote: »

Is anyone else getting bored saying the same thing over and over again?

Yup, me for one...

Esqui

Tozer wrote: »

Is anyone else getting bored saying the same thing over and over again?

More bored of the "EVERYTHING HAS A 6 YEAR WARRANTY BUT NO-ONE TELLS YOU" type topics.

My response generally is "almost, but not quite"