Expired 12mth Warranty

Mark_G

My friend bought a decent HP laptop from Currys last august (2010), and never had a real problem with it, sometimes it would not power up properly, but pressing the power button off then on and it would start ok, this happened maybe no more than a dozen times.

Then last week it will not power up atall, wether it is on battery or mains power (the power light does illuminate).

I told him to take it back to Currys and complain that it should have lasted longer than it has, only for the sales guy to say it was not their problem and told him to take it to a local repair shop.

He also contacted HP customer services who said they could diagnose the fault over the phone for £16, then arrange for it to be collected and repaired at my freinds cost.

What I would like to clarify is...

1) Is 15 months an unreasonable time for the Laptop to last (bearing in mind that I know it is only used for several hours a week)
2) Is he entitled to ask them to look at the fault under the 6 year rule?
3) Has the sales assistant broken the law by effectively refusing to deal with the problem? and telling him to go elsewhere?
4) Is there anything else that I can use against Currys to try and persuade them to repair the Laptop?

I have looked at the SOGA guidelines and I'm fairly convinced that currys should repair it, but would like to go back to them, armed with all the info that I can.

Any help/guidance would be appreciated.

vuvuzela

Any laptop would be expected to last longer than 15 months. Currys fobbed him off very easily.
There is no '6 year rule' as such, he needs to get an independent engineers report that shows the fault was inherent and not caused by misuse and go back to Currys brandishing this.
No law has been broken by the sales assistant. It is spectacularly crap 'customer service' though.

bod1467

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3623257

This is the same scenario, so the same advice applies.

fozmcfc

From my little knowledge, if the fault occurs after 6 months, then it is up to the individual to prove it was an inherent fault (i.e. one that was always going to occur from normal use) by obtaining an independent engineers report.

From what you say, it does sounds like, it could well have had an issue from day 1 and eventually that compenent was going to give up the ghost.

I do believe though that possibly somewhere in the law, it indicates, an item should have a reasonable life expectancy and I personally think 15 months isn't long enough for a laptop to last myself, particularly one over £300.

Hopefully someone (i'm sure they will) will give you some more advice, there may be a way around the 6 months and providing an engineers report.

shaun_from_Africa

Even though it won't have any legal standing, before you get a report carried out it may be worth joining a couple of HP user forums and asking if any other owners of that model or range have had similar problems.
A "google" search may also bring up a few results.

If you can find this way that the problem is a known one then it's possible that Currys will accept this as proof of an inherrent defect.

CoolHotCold

Also ask them to try this, remove the batter and power supply and hold down the power button for about 30 seconds, release the power button after 30 seconds and plug the power supply back in and try again, if that doesn't work do the following.

• Its over 6 months so the onus is on you to prove it is inherently faulty.
• Don't take it into the store as they don't have authority, the most they will do is forward any mail or reports onto head office.
• Phone 0844 561 1234 option 3 then option 3 again for the dedicated OOW Foc (Out Of Warantry, Free Of Charge) line who will take details and cross reference against purchase and if it falls within criteria they will issue a repair or partial refund.
• if it doesn't they will inform you they can pick it up for a repair in which they will take a upfront payment of £50 to inspect it and if it is inherently faulty they will fix it and refund the payment, if it is not a manufacturing fault they can phone will the cost to repair or you can have it back unprepared (but the £50 is forfeit).
  You can arrange your own independent report and if faulty knowhow will arrange a repair/partial refund and refund the independent report