Comet cant fix my tv after 14 weeks???

Ihatecomet

(in short comet have been trying to fix my tv for just over 14 weeks now and still its not working)

14 weeks ago my 50" tv went black with mixed coloured stripes on the screen... This continued to happen throughout a few days so having purchased the "extra 4 year cover" when I purchased my tv {5 years ago this november} I decided to contact comet. I was advised I was covered + they sent out an engineer. (Its an allday slot so I lose a days money having 2 not be at work that day) The fairly rude engineer came + sat in silence for 10 mins before telling me its something that happens via the ariel so he run a test + said alls ok now. The very next day the screen goes black again! So I ring comet, they send another engineer (another day off work) who said plasmas have an approx life span of 5 yrs + said the screen was on its way out + would arrange for a collection of a tv as it can't be fixed at home. I wait + hear nothing from comet so I call them 2 arrange my tv collection. They came + collected the tv (another day off work) they kept the tv for a week, I heard nothing so I rung them... They said they'd witnessed the fault at the warehouse + were fixing it. Still heard nothing so I call them again + they said they've fixed it so they return my tv (another day off work) , the tv was filthy with finger prints everywhere + a very sticky screen. 2 days later I'm watching my tv and the screen goes black AGAIN... So I call them again, they send an engineer (the rude guy) (another day off work) who tells me they cannot fix 50" plasmas at the home it will need to go back to the warehouse... So they arrange for another collection (another day off work) I rung them after 10 days + spoke to a guy who tells me it looks like it could be the screen gone + will probably be written off... But he said to call in a few days, so I did only to be told there's a note on the screen to return to customer, no fault seen??? They ring me the following week (having kept my tv 3 weeks) to arrange delivery back of the tv (another day off work) so they delivered my tv back to me, we lift the heavy tv back onto the wall again, went to plug it in... No powerlead??? We rung the driver (as hed rung earlier to confirm delivery) and he said it wasn't in there with them + I have to ring comet... So I ring comet only to be told they would send me my lead in the post + should receive it by this weds... (So 9 weeks with no tv) at this point I lost all will + asked them 2 ring my local !comet to see if I could collect a power lead from them but they said phillips no longer make tvs so they wouldn't stock 1... So I asked them to courier it to me as I felt it was the least they could do... They wasn't prepared to do that but said they would send it next day delivery... I sat + waited, nothing came? We managed to borrow a lead from someone saturday so myself, husband + 2 children get ourselves settled to watch a film together, guess what??? Yes the screen went black again??? All plans of watching tv as a family were ruined!!!
The very next day the screen went black AGAIN...!
First thing that morning I ring comet again, by this time as you can imagine I'm very frustrated + angry... I spoke to a salesman + asked to speak to a manager, I first was asked the problem, after the 10 minute explanation he went off + presumably spoke to a manager, he come back + told me a manager can only confirm what he's about to tell me which is they can only send another engineer to me??? I said the engineer is a waste of time as he will just arrange another collection + he said that comet can't arrange a collection only an engineer can, so I suggested they call the rude engineer + ask him 2 arrange collection over the phone + cut out the middle man but they told me they don't have his phone number... Unbelievable! So after calling a few more times they finally arrange to collect the tv AGAIN... They kept the tv for a week, called to say it was fixed and redelivered it back to me complete with a chip out the side (prior to this my tv was immaculate) ! We put the tv back on the wall, plug it in... Nothing??? Black screen!!! I rung comet to tell them and they say theyre sorry all they can do is send another engineer??? So the following week a really helpful engineer comes and personally sees the fault with the tv and agrees its the screen going, he called his manager to tell him its been going on too long now and that hes seen the fault but the manager says all they can do is take the tv back into the workshop again... After a few days i dont hear from comet so i rang then demanding i speak to some1 higher, i was eventually passed through to the investigations team who tell me they are so sorry and disgusted at how ive been treated & tell me ill recieve a phone call soon, in the mean time comet arrange to collect my tv last friday , another lady from investigations rings me to say they promise my tv will go into the workshop on monday, they will strip it down and ring phillips with the screen number monday and they promise to call me back tues/weds at the latest! Today is thursday and they havent contacted me... I called them and asked to speak to either of the ladys i spoke to last week only to be told theyre not available so i explain to another lady who tells me she will look into it and will be in touch... So here i stand 14 & a half weeks later of comet first taking my tv... I am absolutely disgusted at how ive been treated by comet, how can they leave a family with no tv for nearly 4 months??? Its totally unacceptable!!! I paid for a warranty in good faith that if my tv broke they would fix it or replace it. I really dont know what to do anymore, i am suffering with extremely high blood pressure at the moment and this is not helping at all. Would appreciate any help or publicity in shaming comet for their terrible after sales service. !

pcombo

I suggest you edit this post and make it more presentable, just looking at it hurts my eyes.

CoolHotCold

14 weeks ago my 50" TV went black with mixed coloured stripes on the screen...
This continued to happen throughout a few days so having purchased the "extra 4 year cover" when I purchased my TV {5 years ago this November} I decided to contact comet.

I was advised I was covered and they sent out an engineer. (It’s an all day slot so I lose a days money) The fairly rude engineer came and sat in silence for 10 minutes before telling me its something that happens via the ariel so he run a test and said all’s ok now.

The very next day the screen goes black again! So I ring comet, they send another engineer (another day off work) who said plasmas have an approx. life span of 5 years and said the screen was on its way out and would arrange for a collection of the TV, as it can't be fixed at home.

I wait and hear nothing from comet so I call them 2 arrange my TV collection.
They came and collected the TV (another day off work) they kept the TV for a week, when I rung them... They said they'd witnessed the fault at the warehouse and were fixing it. Still heard nothing so I call them again and they said they've fixed it so they return my TV (another day off work), the TV was filthy with finger prints everywhere and a very sticky screen. 2 days later and same fault happens.

So I call them again, they send an engineer (the rude guy) (another day off work) who tells me they cannot fix 50" plasmas at the home it will need to go back to the warehouse... So they arrange for another collection (another day off work) I rung them after 10 days and spoke to a guy who tells me it looks like it could be the screen gone and will probably be written off... But he said to call in a few days, so I did only to be told there's a note on the screen to return to customer, no fault seen??? They ring me the following week (having kept my TV 3 weeks) to arrange delivery back of the TV (another day off work) so they delivered my TV back to me, we lift the heavy TV back onto the wall again, went to plug it in. No power lead??? We rung the driver (as he’d rung earlier to confirm delivery) and he said it wasn't in there with them and I have to ring comet... So I ring comet only to be told they would send me my lead in the post and should receive it by this weds...

At this point it’s been 9 weeks and I lost all will and asked them 2 ring my local! Comet to see if I could collect a power lead from them but they said Phillips no longer make TVs so they wouldn't stock 1... So I asked them to courier it to me as I felt it was the least they could do... They wasn't prepared to do that but said they would send it next day delivery... I sat and waited, nothing came? We managed to borrow a lead from someone Saturday so myself, husband and 2 children get ourselves settled to watch a film together, guess what??? Yes the screen went black again??? All plans of watching TV as a family were ruined!!!
The very next day the screen went black AGAIN...!
First thing that morning I ring comet again, by this time as you can imagine I'm very frustrated and angry... I spoke to a salesman and asked to speak to a manager, I first was asked the problem, after the 10 minute explanation he went off and presumably spoke to a manager, he come back and told me a manager can only confirm what he's about to tell me which is they can only send another engineer to me???

I said the engineer is a waste of time as he will just arrange another collection and he said that comet can't arrange a collection only an engineer can, so I suggested they call the rude engineer and ask him 2 arrange collection over the phone and cut out the middle man but they told me they don't have his phone number... Unbelievable! So after calling a few more times they finally arrange to collect the TV AGAIN...

They kept the TV for a week, called to say it was fixed and redelivered it back to me complete with a chip out the side (prior to this my TV was immaculate)! We put the TV back on the wall, plug it in. Nothing??? Black screen!!! I rung comet to tell them and they say they’re sorry all they can do is send another engineer.

So the following week a really helpful engineer comes and personally sees the fault with the TV and agrees its the screen going, he called his manager to tell him its been going on too long now and that he’s seen the fault but the manager says all they can do is take the TV back into the workshop again... After a few days I don’t hear from comet so I rang then demanding I speak to some1 higher, I was eventually passed through to the investigations team who tell me they are so sorry and disgusted at how I’ve been treated & tell me ill receive a phone call soon, in the mean time comet arrange to collect my TV last Friday.

Investigations rings me to say they promise my TV will go into the workshop on Monday, they will strip it down and ring Phillips with the screen number Monday and they promise to call me back tues/weds at the latest! Today is Thursday and they haven’t contacted me... I called them and asked to speak to the investigation members handling my case, to be told they are no available but someone will look into it.

So here I stand 14 & a half weeks later of comet first taking my TV... I am absolutely disgusted at how I’ve been treated by comet, how can they leave a family with no TV for nearly 4 months??? It’s totally unacceptable!!! I paid for a warranty in good faith that if my TV broke they would fix it or replace it. I really don’t know what to do anymore, I am suffering with extremely high blood pressure at the moment and this is not helping at all. Would appreciate any help or publicity in shaming comet for their terrible after sales service. !



****Re-Written because I think my eyes started bleeding when I tried to read the OP's Post****

tbw

Well OK, its easier to read after the editing - but the original post made complete sense to me and I can understand that the OP was stressed when she wote it so its a bit unkind to pick holes in her over the presentation.

Comet clearly need a kick up the a*** - isn't there a company rep who posts on here sometimes? He seemed to be fairly helpful.

undaunted

Personally I'd contact Trading Standards & if necessary seek advice on a small claims court case for compensation (for your loss of wages, the chip, being left without a set so long etc etc).

If it comes back still faulty again I'd also seek advice on whether you can now have the set fixed by a local engineer & bill Comet for it given their repeated failings.

If they can't fix it in a few days (especially after several attempts) surely the least they could do is loan you a set. Comet are a dreadful company for customer service!

Comet were on Watchdog recently & they did say they may come back to the story (staff being pressured to sell crap warranty products) so it may well be worth dropping Anne Robinson & co a line.

bris

Without reading anything but the first line, I suspect the problem still isn't resolved after 14 weeks. In this case 14 weeks would now be classed as unreasonable, they should now be forced to offer a replacement or refund.

Faulty goods that have been accepted
If the item does not conform to contract (is faulty) for any of the reasons outlined and the customer has accepted the goods, the law says the customer is entitled to claim a repair or replacement of the goods in the first instance.



If either a repair or replacement is not possible, or the cost is greater than the value of the item (disproportionately costly), or the customer claims either option is taking an unreasonable amount of time or is causing unreasonable inconvenience, the customer is then entitled to

• keep the goods and claim a price reduction from the retailer to compensate them for the fault in the goods - this would be the difference between the value of the product in perfect condition and the value of the product in the faulty condition, or
• return the goods and rescind the contract. This would mean that the customer returns the goods and you provide a partial refund, calculated to reflect the benefit the customer has received from the product.

Where a customer is entitled to repair or replacement because they have accepted the goods, they can claim price reduction or partial refund if the repair or replacement is

• taking an unreasonable time, or
• causing an unreasonable inconvenience, or
• if the repair or replacement is not satisfactory when they receive it.

When you calculate price reductions or partial refunds, think about what an impartial person in a court would think is a reasonable amount.

Fiddlestick

CoolHotCold wrote: »

So here I stand 14 & a half weeks later of comet first taking my TV... I am absolutely disgusted at how I’ve been treated by comet, how can they leave a family with no TV for nearly 4 months???

I know, whatever did humanity do for the last 20,000 years of human civilisation where there was no television?

I guess that big wall in China and those funny triangle things in Egypt just erected themselves

It’s totally unacceptable!!! I paid for a warranty in good faith that if my TV broke they would fix it or replace it. I really don’t know what to do anymore

In all seriousness, at this point you really do need to be pushing Comet to replace the TV with a unit of equivalent value.

It's unlikely that they will give you a brand new 50" plasma, but at the very least you can expect a reconditioned unit.

I'd write a recorded letter to the repair company (either Comet or whomever they resell for their extended warranties) giving them two weeks to offer you suitable redress.

I am suffering with extremely high blood pressure at the moment and this is not helping at all.

Again in all seriousness, perhaps not having the TV gives you a good excuse to get out and about and go for walks around town with friends and family?

It might help the blood pressure and at any rate will be better than sitting at home stressing about blood pressure.

justifier

check in the T's&C's for the extended warranty. A lot of them state that if the issue is not resolved within 28 days of reporting the problem that they will replace the item. If it does say this insist on a replacement, Quoting the section in the T's&C's

Ihatecomet

Thanks every1 for ure replies, im sorry it was hard to read i dont have a laptop only an ipod which is quite small and hard to use on these kind of sites so thanks 2 the person who broke it up. X
When i called comet again earlier asking for their head office phone number, email add & address the lady on the phone told me she was the 1 dealing with it as itd just been passed to her, she promised me she would call me bak 2day even if there was no news to keep me informed... I told her she was the 28th person id spoke to re this problem and that i wudnt hold my breath shed call me bak to which she promised again she would call today... U guessed it... No call??? Ive contacted t.standards who told me to put a complaint in writting!!!!!!!!! Have contacted watchdog twice in 2 weeks but havent heard bak?
I was told by comet with the cover i have if the tv is written off i can have vouchers to spend in comet for the value i paid for the tv 5 yrs ago?

As for the comment re what did we do yrs ago without tv its not so much our lives revolve around tv but after a hard days work i expect to be able to watch the tv i brought fit to work... Its principle that after 14 weeks they keep fobbing me off...???

Yet another fone call to them tomorrow morning and hunt down the 3 girls that have all promised me fobe calls this week...

Ihatecomet

And Dr fiddlestik.. My family live abroad and i have high blood pressure due to 17 different health illnesses so sometimes i cant get out of bed let alone walk. X

kiddy_guy

Try emaling this chap - Comet CEO