Void warranty due to water damage...

rufydoofyM

Thanks Familyman for keeping us updated. A few weeks ago we were looking for a new laptop and Sony was on our list but not after reading this thread. PCW I hate and even more so now and always try to avoid purchasing from them and Currys. This thread also prompted me to avoid starting our laptops for a couple of days after delivery so that they had adjusted to inside temperatures fully and thus avoiding problems as mentioned by others.
Thanks again and good luck in your quest.

libra10

Just been reading this thread and wondering whether the problem with the Sony Vaio has been resolved.

The OP stated in his initial post

3 weeks later (that was rather a long time to respond, I thought) I got a phone call from PC World telling me that Sony have found that the laptop has water damage and is therefore not covered by their warranty and I would be liable for the repair costs of £675. I was gob-smacked.

Being a long time user of Sony Vaios and experiencing a couple of technical problems along the way, I know that Sony collect PCs for repair within one/two days after being contacted. They also return them repaired within a week.

I would be questioning PC World what was happening with your PC before being collected by Sony. Three weeks is much too long a time period. Could the PC have suffered water damage while in PC World's premises?

Sony also advise that there is a cost for PC being returned if the work is not covered by warranty. Obviously PC World 'forgot' to advise this fact.

Hope the matter has been resolved.

Nilrem

A friend of mine had PC World sit on a returned Laptop for something like 2-3 weeks before they sent it back to the manufacturer.
IIRC he recognised it on the shelf (some odd cover or something), as the "tech" was BS'ing him about it being away, they were slightly red faced when he asked how it was being repaired when he could see it.

I would not be surprised if PC World have sat on it for a while (potentially with it getting damaged in the mean time) before it ever got set away.

Lifeforms

libra10 wrote: »

Just been reading this thread and wondering whether the problem with the Sony Vaio has been resolved.

<snipped>

Hope the matter has been resolved.

Reading through the whole thread, it is at a standstill, no proof has been returned to the OP from Sony who claim it is water damaged, and no other damage has been found. Laptop has not been returned, and seems to be stuck on Sony's end despite the OP trying to get it back.

Currently it's sat with the OP trying to do a full Charge Back on card for it. Everything is at a stalemate with everyone saying "Wasn't me!"

*this is how I read it, obviously the OP will say if it's changed.

Ratboy

People sometimes need some 'away' time to reconsider their options, due to excess advice, and everyone contradicting one another, as a forum would, plus Family, friends, and the bloke down the pub.

Julian is £1000 down on a lappy. He is being messed about. He has contacted the manufacturer directly (bad!). Just refer to what I state, they have no leg to stand on (again! - as quoted on the Wiki)..costs £75 to lodge at small claims?

Reclaim cost of laptop+costs+loss of earnings.

FamilyMan

Latest update. Just received a letter this morning from Lloyds saying 'The damage caused to the laptop was deemed customer induced damage and this is not covered by the merchants warranty, we therefore have no rights of recourse'

So, I do nothing wrong and now I'm a £1,000 out of pocket. Every single person involved in dealing with this situation is an imbecile. They keep saying it's my fault, I can't prove it's not. I have no further to go, that's it, I've lost.

libra10

Sorry to hear you've experienced such a negative result.

If the damage is caused (reputedly) to water damage, is it worth claiming on your home insurance?

Best wishes

FamilyMan

Thanks libra10. There is one last thing I am going to try (before claiming on insurance, that would be my final option I suppose), tomorrow I will send all my correspondence in this matter to Andrew Penman and Nick Sommerlad at The Mirror, if they can't help me directly, hopefully they can tell me if I have any other recourse left bar my house insurance.

This is typical of big business, though. It's easy for them to just blame me. Lloyds still get to keep their little bit, Sony keep their share and so do PC World, if anyone rules in my favour then they all have to pay and I'm the only one that gains. Or so they think... what they don't think about is the repercussions of this fiasco. How much am I going to be spending on electronics in my life-time? £20,000 or so, of which they will get £0 of, but of course, they don't care. Imagine running a company that doesn't care about its customers, madness!

onzey

Have followed this thread and am also sorry to hear what has happened.

How about googling something like

complain to ceo of pcworld

Might get a few ideas.

As a matter of interest do you have legal expenses cover on your house/contents insurance?

onzey

Just wondering if it might be worth you posting on here

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/forumdisplay.php?53-Currys-Dixons


This thread has CEO's email btw

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?395667-Failed-washing-machine-delivery&p=4276658#post4276658


However sorry to say I just found this one that got no replies

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?349654-Sony-Vaio-amp-Water-Damage-(apparently)


There's a story/thread here from the USA about Sony which has a familiar ring to it

http://consumerist.com/2012/08/28/sony-thinks-my-pampered-laptop-has-water-damage/

Makes you think perhaps Sony like using this excuse!

There's also this from 2011 when a lot of nvidia problems occurred, which isn't the relevant point, but some of what Lapcure (Paul) writes may be of interest before turning to a house insurance claim

http://www.nvidiadefect.com/sony-vaio-vgn-nr21z-t1531.html

Worth noting how the thread starter actually got an independent report done on their laptop (which said nothing about water damage) before letting Sony have it and then Sony returned the laptop claiming water damage caused the problem!