HP laptop on credit from littlewoods - need to return

kieranunsworth12

Hi all, I am new to this forum and this is my first time posting here.

Last Tuesday, I purchased a laptop from littlewoods on pay monthly,
12 recurring payments of about £53 monthly. I paid £52 up front.

It was £679 from their website.

I received the laptop on Thursday last week, and since then I have decided that I am not happy and would like to return it and get a refund, and cancel the purchase.

There are several reasons why I want to return it:

- It is a poor, cheap construction, and the arrow keys get stuck when pressed.

- The keyboard panel beneath the arrow keys, is flimsy and bends when pressed (doesn't do it anywhere else.)

- The screen lid seems flimsy and hollow, and also bends when pressed.

- The laptop has a glitch, where if music is played on media player for example, and you switch to another program, it blurts out an electronic robot like sound - this issue seems quite common as I have looked it up online.

I have contacted Littlewoods telling them this, and they referred me to the supplier. (HP). Before ringing the supplier, I rung littlewoods and told them I was not happy with this product and wanted a refund. They said because of the audio glitch I would have to contact HP and get them to approve the return and issue me a reference number.

I then contacted HP. They said that they would have to put me through troubleshooting for the audio problem and see if their techies could issue the reference number for a return.
I then mentioned how poorly the laptop had been designed, told them about the clicky arrow key and they said that is an issue which I would have to take up with littlewoods.

I then phoned littlewoods again, and the lady arranged for the laptop to be collected tomorrow, and inspected for a return, but also mentioned that because the laptop had been "connected", their returns policy wouldn't cover it. They said that if their inspectors concluded it was fit for return, then they would refund me, but if not, they would send it back to me and I would have to keep it.

My girlfriend told me there was a "7 day cooling off period" starting from the day of which I received the computer, and if I was not happy I had a right to return it.

Because littlewoods just want to talk over me on the phone, and do not actually listen to me, they just look for any excuse not to return it by my wording, I kindly ask if anyone here knows a correct wording to use so that I can return the laptop under my consumer rights (if any). I have never been very good with this sort of thing and always end up being bullied by the retailer and bounced around between the supplier.

Thank you for reading all this, if you could please give me any advice regarding my issue I would be very grateful, as I am not happy with either the service I have received, or the goods.

visidigi

..on every single laptop page on their site...

"Non returnable under our Approval Guarantee, once installed or connected. Your statutory rights are not affected. See Returns section in our Help pages for more information."

You would have to prove the device is not fit for purpose, you can't return it just because you 'don't like it'

Terms and Conditions

21 Day Approval Guarantee
We will replace or refund most items provided they are returned to us within 21 days of receipt complete, unused, in their original packaging and with any security tags intact.

Exceptions to our Approval Guarantee
Our Approval Guarantee does not apply to some items or may apply only if certain conditions are met. We will advise you of these exceptions when placing your order. These items are clearly identified on the product page and any conditions are set out there. This does not affect your statutory rights.

Your Right To Cancel Your Order under Distance Selling Regulations
For most items, you have the legal right to cancel your order within 7 working days of receipt. However this right does not apply to personalised products, perishable goods and audio & video recordings and computer software which has been opened. if you wish to cancel using this right, you need to inform us in writing within 7 working days, starting the day after you received the goods. You must also take reasonable care of the goods and return them to us or make them available for collection. We will not consider that you have taken reasonable care of the goods if they have been used in a way, or to an extent, beyond what would be reasonable when examining them in a shop before purchase. You will be responsible for the cost of returning the goods to us, including the collection cost, if you cancel under Distance Selling Regulations.

Sale of Goods Act 1979
If any product we supply fails prematurely due to an inherent fault (manufacturing defect), we will provide you with an appropriate remedy e.g. repair, replacement, or refund. Just call us on 0844 822 8000.

Supplier Helplines
If you report a fault with an electrical or furniture product, we may give you a supplier helpline to contact. We have arrangements in place with these helpline providers for them to identify the cause of any fault (we do not have the necessary technical expertise to do this) and to offer you an appropriate remedy on our behalf. If you are dissatisfied with the service provided by a particular helpline, please contact us on 0844 822 8000 and we will take back control of the matter. Most helplines are open 9am - 5pm Monday to Friday.

Returns outside of the Approval Guarantee
If you return an item to us outside the terms of our Approval Guarantee, and your statutory rights do not apply, we may return the item to you at your expense or accept the return subject to charging you a returns processing fee, as shown below to cover our costs:
Returned late (after 21 days) - up to £15
Returned incomplete, used, not in original packaging, or without security tags - up to £15 or returned to you at your expense
Returned outside of the terms of the exceptions of the Approval Guarantee (e.g. returned once assembled) - up to £15 or returned to you at your expense
The above fees will be charged to your credit account (if you purchased on credit) or deducted from your refund (if you paid by card)

Laptop has software on it, if you have used the laptop and have fully setup the user within windows then this would be deemed to be un-returnable.

shakeitright

Did HP issue a returns reference number?If so,then Littlewoods shoud authorise the return and replace or refund.

If you were unhappy with the quality of the laptop,why did you use it?I returned a laptop that had been opened but not turned on and therefore the software had not been activated,due to poor quality and got a refund no problem.

bris

It's a very grey area on laptops and DSR, the regs say they should be accepted under DSR the retailers say no. You can't test it in your own home without turning it on, display models are turned on and fully functional.
Do a factory reset before returning it and insist the DSR are honoured or you will report them to trading standards.
They will not care about the last threat but the more complaints to TS they get the more serious TS take it, eventually it will trigger an investigation into laptop returns.

Littlewoods

Hi kieranunsworth12,

We're sorry to hear that your not happy with the laptop you have purchased. The correct process as visidigi has advised you is right.

As the item has been used we would not be able to return this item back due to you not liking the product as this is advised when you where told about the home approval guarantee :

"Non returnable under our Approval Guarantee, once installed or connected. Your statutory rights are not affected. See Returns section in our Help pages for more information." If your not happy with the product due to fault on the product, our Aftersales Team would refer you to the helpline. They would go through some diagonistic or even ask for the item to be sent to them for the test to be carried out."

We would not accept this item back unless the manufacturers helpline advises that the item is not fit for propose and that the item needs to be returned. If you report a fault with an electrical or furniture product, we may give you a supplier helpline to contact. We have arrangements in place with these helpline providers for them to identify the cause of any fault (we do not have the necessary technical expertise to do this) and to offer you an appropriate remedy on our behalf. If you are dissatisfied with the service provided by a particular helpline you are free to contact us for further advice or assistance.

If you would like more help or advise please email us [EMAIL="help@littlewoods.co.uk"]help@littlewoods.co.uk[/EMAIL].

Many Thanks

Nicola

Littlewoods Company Representative

CoolHotCold

Leaving the DSR aside if it is faulty (and a Factory Restore (on HP tap F11 key as soon as you turn it on) does not fix the fault) you have a reasonable timeframe to return goods for a full refund. It all depends on what Littlewoods deems as reasonable but most retailers will give about 3 to 4 weeks.