Currys Coverplan

mittens_2

We bought a Toshiba laptop about 5 years ago from Currys. At the time we took out their coverplan. The computer malfunctioned but we phoned them and they said we were not covered. We continued making the payments for 5 years.

The computer became unusable and Currys had an offer on of £50 off a new laptop for a trade in of one that was not physically damaged and that would switch on. We phoned them again and asked if we were covered to repair the laptop. They said there was no cover so we traded it in for an HP laptop and paid the balance of £299 for it. It then transpired that we were still paying £7.99 per month and had been doing so for 5 years.

We wrote to them and asked them for a full refund of the payments we had made over the 5 years and a refund of the £299 we paid for the unnecessary purchase of the new laptop which we would not have bought if we had had the Toshiba repaired under the terms of the cover. They have offered us £100, not the £778.40 we wanted back from them.

These big companies have got us little people over a barrel there doesn’t seem to be any negotiation with them.
HELP! PLEASE! :mad:

zppp

mittens wrote: »

We bought a Toshiba laptop about 5 years ago from Currys. At the time we took out their coverplan. The computer malfunctioned but we phoned them and they said we were not covered. We continued making the payments for 5 years.

The computer became unusable and Currys had an offer on of £50 off a new laptop for a trade in of one that was not physically damaged and that would switch on. We phoned them again and asked if we were covered to repair the laptop. They said there was no cover so we traded it in for an HP laptop and paid the balance of £299 for it. It then transpired that we were still paying £7.99 per month and had been doing so for 5 years.

We wrote to them and asked them for a full refund of the payments we had made over the 5 years and a refund of the £299 we paid for the unnecessary purchase of the new laptop which we would not have bought if we had had the Toshiba repaired under the terms of the cover. They have offered us £100, not the £778.40 we wanted back from them.

These big companies have got us little people over a barrel there doesn’t seem to be any negotiation with them.
HELP! PLEASE! :mad:

Why would you be reclaiming the premium which you paid, if you are asking them to honour the policy? The max I see you getting is the £299, which puts you back in the position you would have been in, had you not been misadvised.

halibut2209

Yeah, you seem to be wanting to claim for all your premiums AND the £299 you wouldn't have had to pay IF the coverplan was honoured. You can't claim for both. It's one or the other.

Why weren't you covered?

mittens_2

Hmmm Good point!

I wrote to them in a very hot-headed bad mood because we had been paying these premiums for so long and when we asked them to repair the laptop they said we had no cover. I would be happy to accept a refund on the new purchase we made or the price of the cover but their offer of £100 I thought was very unfair.

If they don't come back with a better response who do I go to next?

Thankyou for pointing that out!

halibut2209

What was the malfunction, and what reason did they give for you not being covered?

mittens_2

halibut2209 wrote: »

Yeah, you seem to be wanting to claim for all your premiums AND the £299 you wouldn't have had to pay IF the coverplan was honoured. You can't claim for both. It's one or the other.

Why weren't you covered?

We should have been covered but at the time we were told we were not. They have already admitted to that mistake.

mittens_2

halibut2209 wrote: »

What was the malfunction, and what reason did they give for you not being covered?

There was no sound on it and then eventually it would only start in safe mode. It had an up to date antivirus protection on it and we were told twice we had no cover when they have now admitted to us that we were covered after all. too late - we have traded it in!

zppp

mittens wrote: »

Hmmm Good point!

I wrote to them in a very hot-headed bad mood because we had been paying these premiums for so long and when we asked them to repair the laptop they said we had no cover. I would be happy to accept a refund on the new purchase we made or the price of the cover but their offer of £100 I thought was very unfair.

If they don't come back with a better response who do I go to next?

Thankyou for pointing that out!

I reckon your best bet is to write to them again, stating you want the £299 refunded. If they don't, ask for a final response, and you can then take your complaint forward to the Financial Ombudsman Service who can arbitrate. They may also award compensation where they see fit.

On a side note though, you should write to the Insurer and not Currys directly. Most insurance policies sold in retail outlets are underwritten by separate insurers.

halibut2209

I agree with zppp in that you have a good case to ask for the £299. I would write to them asking for that. (and not in a hot-headed mood )

mittens_2

Thankyou I will do that!

mittens_2

And I am calm!