Broken iphone - O2 claim incorrect water damage

slugabedz

Hi

I wondered if anyone could advise me out there about a problem I'm having with my iphone.

Last friday (11th) it broke and just kept flashing the apple logo so I took it in to an O2 shop to get some advice. The sales assistant I spoke to told me it would need to be sent off for a week to be fixed but he needed the unique iphone code in order to do so (to track it I assume?). Anyway, he told me that this would be on the contract which had been posted to me so I went home to search for it. If I couldn't find, he told me not to worry as he would find it another way.

I called him the next morning to tell him I couldn't find the code but he wasn't in so I spoke to another assistant who told me it would be too difficult for her to get the code and asked if I could phone customer services to get it and sort it out myself! At which point I pointed out that I had already brought the iphone in and she should have it there.

I went in to the shop a few hours later and the female assistant held up an iphone and asked me if it was mine as they found it on their desk out back. She advised me that they had found the unique number on the phone after all.

It was sent off and today they phoned me to tell me that it couldn't be fixed as it was out of warrenty due to water damage. I can honest say that it has not been in contact with water at all so where do I stand? They want me to pay them £139 to fix it. Should I do this even though it isn't water damaged? It doesn't seem fair and I can't help but wonder if o2 do this often? It seem a perfect way for a company to wiggle their way out of a warrenty. And they had it overnight just sat on their desk out back. What if they caused the damage? I'm so cheesed off about this and would appreciate any advice that anyone can offer.

Thanks
Jo

prl100

I think the iPhone code they were referring to is the IMEI number. If the phone won't turn on this can be difficult to find. However removing the sim card tray does actually reveal it, I think the staff you dealt with did not know this.

O2 do not actually look at these iPhones themselves, they simply get sent to a third party who merely checks that the iPhone has not been damaged by the customer, before ordering a new one from Apple. There are a number of water-sensitive sensors on the iPhone and if these have been triggered, they make a note of this before sending through a quotation for £139.

If there is no problem with the iPhone then it is the manufacturer (Apple) that actually pays for a replacement handset, so O2 do not gain from rejecting these at all. You can always get them to 'reject' the quote, having the handset sent back and take it to an Apple store yourself, so they can explain the issue to you (where the alleged water damage is supposed to be). Otherwise the staff at the O2 store will not be able to help you any further.

DarkConvict

I would take it to an apple store yourself, they are much better at dealing with IPhone problems.

However the water damage cause is a get out clause for all mobile warranties, even if the fault isn't water related if one of the water damage strips has changed colour they will refuse to make any repairs and in some cases do not even return the phone. You can find just by the phone moving from hot to cold environments condensation can build up and trigger the strips to change colour thus voiding the warranty will no water damage.

Even unrelated issues won't be fixed, if a keypad falls apart due to a manufacturing fault, if the strips have changed they state it is water damaged and out of warranty so will not replace. This is why insurance is essential and expensive handsets.