Laptop Problems - My Rights

Sav1o

Hi,

I bought an Acer laptop from Currys in september last year and in the past few weeks its developed a problem where at least once per week it the fan goes like the clappers really loudly, the laptop eventually freezes and then eventually reboots after a few mins. When it reboots it goes to a black screen advising that there is no operating system found and i have to turn it back off again and wait a few mins and then it loads fine.

I sort of dismissed it at the time thinking maybe it got too hot but yesterday it did it again only for it to do something weird. When it came to restarting the laptop the screen was all jumbled and it kept doing it so i left it in my kitchen on the worktop as it was cold in there and 20 mins later it came on fine. i have managed to get photo's of the problem when its happened to prove that the problem does exist.

I am considering taking it back to Currys as im worried that this is just the start of the problems, i am sort of stuck between a rock and a hard place as i need the laptop to do uni work that is due between mid to late March and from what i've seen is they'll take upto 28 days if they want to repair it.

Do i have any right to a straight off exchange due to inconvenience of being without the laptop as i need it for my coursework?

jdturk

No, they have the right to repair/refund/replace at their discretion. You could emphasise the problems you will have without it but thats the best you can do

Sav1o

jdturk wrote: »

No, they have the right to repair/refund/replace at their discretion. You could emphasise the problems you will have without it but thats the best you can do

aww man , i'm really gonna be stuck between a rock and a hard place. i can't afford the 28 days but i also can't risk not getting it fixed incase the problem happens when i'm doing the coursework and i lose it

think im gonna have to go in and plead it out with them but i dont fancy my chances

RadoJo

I believe the terms of the SOGA include a clause about repairs not causing 'significant inconvenience' - if you explain your situation to them and it looks like the solution will inconvenience you, then tell them and ask them to take into account the impact on you.

cyberbob

Have you looked at the airvents to see if they need cleaning?

Sav1o

cyberbob wrote: »

Have you looked at the airvents to see if they need cleaning?

yeah, i make a point of keeping an eye on them and they are all clear just now

Sav1o

RadoJo wrote: »

I believe the terms of the SOGA include a clause about repairs not causing 'significant inconvenience' - if you explain your situation to them and it looks like the solution will inconvenience you, then tell them and ask them to take into account the impact on you.

i was planning to go in and plead my case but i've an acquaintence that works for currys and he said his store are trained to just dish out a phone number and not exchange until they are told it can't be fixed, that has kinda prompted my post here as im looking for anything that'll help me get to fight my corner

RadoJo

Well, the SOGA isn't something they can opt out of, and although there's no official definition of 'significant inconvenience', I would have thought that your situation could be described as such. In your shoes I would print out the relevant section (which can be found here: http://www.opsi.gov.uk/RevisedStatutes/Acts/ukpga/1979/cukpga_19790054_en_6) to take with you and ask them to consider their position in relation to your case. They might surprise you and offer a replacement, but if not, you'll at least be well prepared - good luck!

Sav1o

RadoJo wrote: »

Well, the SOGA isn't something they can opt out of, and although there's no official definition of 'significant inconvenience', I would have thought that your situation could be described as such. In your shoes I would print out the relevant section (which can be found here: to take with you and ask them to consider their position in relation to your case. They might surprise you and offer a replacement, but if not, you'll at least be well prepared - good luck!

will do that and see how it goes, thanks for that

Sav1o

update: quite angry just now so i'll apologise now for any rage that comes across

went to Currys tonight and was fobbed off as expected and spoken down to like i was talking rubbish, was told by a store manager that she wasn't interested in my problem and that i would have to call the support line to get any help - cracking customer service right there.

now for the fun part

called the number when i got home and explained my issue to a fella who told me he didn't understand why the shop couldn't have helped me out and i explained my rights under SOGA etc and he said he'd need to speak to someone. I was then passed to a manager who again listened to my problem and then told me he was only willing to offer me a repair of the laptop and that if it was intermittent as explained i could expect to be without the laptop for the 28 days, when i explained that was of quite a significant inconvenience to be without the laptop for that length of time due to my impending coursework he told me to prove it was and that if i wanted an exchange i'd have to take them to court to get it. When i explained that would surely be a last resort he said he wasn't willing to do anything else and it would have to come down to that.

i asked for a number or contact details of someone above him in their head office and was told that i wasn't being given them, however, i could have details of their litigation department for a solicitor to contact with details of my action against them...why this guy was so intent on me taking them to court i dont know. I asked him if he'd be happy with buying something at £450 and it having a fault within such a short space of time and the company refusing to do anything and he said he wouldn't give me an answer because its not happened to him.

can't believe a company like this allows their employees to speak to customers in such a manner and why they would be urging customers to take them to court instead of going the extra mile.

Sav1o

anyone got any tips for where to go with this as i don't see going the court route to be of benefit at this juncture as all i want is my laptop exchanged which would be cheaper for currys than me taking them through the courts...though its kinda clear they think by telling me i have to take them to court will scare me off