Laptop faulty after a month - help please

Carrera74

Hello

My daughter bought a new laptop a month ago and the screen has just started flickering horizontally mainly at the top right hand corner but has moved elsewhere on the screen too.

I am going to take it back to Currys but the receipt says they will only refund or swap for a new laptop if it develops a fault within 21 days. She is a student and needs her laptop so if they send it off to fix she is going to be stuck. Ideally I would like to ask for a full refund/exchange and not have to wait for them to send it off. Do I have any rights to request this or do I have to abide by their 21 days?

Thanks in advance.

Fosterdog

Are the flickering lines perfectly horizontal or at angles?
where else on the screen is the flickering?
Do the lines flicker across the whole length of the screen or just the corner/halfway?

Just to check that it's not impact damage that's caused it.
If not then then Currys will help you but it will most likely have to go away for repair. They have the 21 day policy but sometimes extend that to 28 days in certain circumstances but if it's outside that then they will insist on sending it.

Did you take out their "Whatever Happens"? If you did take out their premier protection your daughter can request a loan laptop while it's away so she can still do her work and if it's not fixed in 7 days she gets a new laptop. If you didn't take it I believe they can take up to 6 weeks to repair but aim for no more than 28 days.

Carrera74

It's just flickering in the top right hand corner but it did flicker half way down too at a different time. The flickering is just horizontal. My Mum bought the laptop for her on her credit card and got a free month's 'Whatever happens'. She cancelled it on Wednesday as it was due to be taken out of her account on Thursday. The flickering started on Friday Typical! Thanks for your reply. I'll let her know she may have a bit of a wait.

vax2002

currys conditions do not take over your consumer rights.

Fosterdog

vax2002 wrote: »

currys conditions do not take over your consumer rights.

But there's nothing in those conditions that go against the consumer rights. The customer can request a refund or replacement but the retailer has the right to decline and choose to repair instead. So far Currys haven't seen the laptop so have not denied any of OPs rights.

mattyprice4004

vax2002 wrote: »

currys conditions do not take over your consumer rights.

Very helpful, it'd be more useful if you'd elaborate on what those rights are...

Which are none as they're fulfilling their obligations.
They can choose to repair, replace or refund at their option.

CoolHotCold

Without a precise date I cannot offer anymore information other than within 21 days its essentially customer choice of if they would like a refund or exchange or store credit (in the form of gift card) to purchase something else, outside of 21 days and within 28 days PcWorld and Currys will offer a exchange as a gesture of good will, however this is not advertised or promoted. Outside of the 28 days for laptops and desktops they will be sent away for repair and you can either arrange this with the KnowHow call center or pop into your local Knowhow bar and they will arrange it for you. (although for some items like Power Supplies KnowHow will just post out a replacement if it is faulty).

Anything else is managers discretion to comply with consumer laws. As a general rule all store policies comply with your statutory rights but give definite timescales instead of the gray wording of consumer law. Of course PcWorld/Currys know that not every situation is the same and while the returns/repair for faulty items cover the vast majority of persons occasionally someone will be significantly inconvenienced by not having a laptop (think Stephen hawking) and such the decision is taken to offer a remedy in store (be it a loan or exchange on the spot) but these are few and are taken on a case by case basis by the store's Knowhow/Management team.


But as other have said, and for your circumstance if it is outside 28 days it is more than likely sent away for repair.

Carrera74

Thanks very much for your advice. She bought it on the 1 February so a little over the 28 days. I'm going to take her to the store as soon as she gets home from Uni. You never know we might get a nice Manager who feels sorry for us....

SuperHan

Please remember it isn't quite as easy as the manager saying "here you go, take a loan laptop", so don't get angry at them if they don't/can't comply!

Fosterdog

I'm pretty sure they don't keep loan laptops in the stores, the only way to get one is under their cover plan and then a courier drops off the loan one to your home the same time as collecting the faulty one. With all the best intentions in the world I can't see a manager taking a brand new laptop that is available for sale ad letting go as a loan, after all they can then never sell it as new and would be classed as pre owner or even refurbished.

CoolHotCold

Of course not Fosterdog, and yes that is the process for the WEH premier (Knowhow drop off a loan laptop when they pickup yours) some circumstances require it to be done in store if a customer has a bad experiance, it's not really official and isn't in any training, but if the Knowhow/Managers are any sort of half competent or have been around a while they'll know where to look to print off the form. And usually the Knowhow team has a laptop or two that can be used for that purpose