We’d like to remind Forumites to please avoid political debate on the Forum.

This is to keep it a safe and useful space for MoneySaving discussions. Threads that are – or become – political in nature may be removed in line with the Forum’s rules. Thank you for your understanding.

📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!

Computer shop problems

Hi, lm here on behalf of a friend.

basically she purchased a webcam a week ago which didnt work, so she took her ageing computer into the shop in order for him to configure the system in order to get the webcam working.

when she got her computer back the webcam still wasnt working, however she was annoyed to find out that her preferred browser Chrome has been uninstalled along with the security software she was given by BT with her internet connection and put some free security software on and set their shops website as her home page.

suffice to say the work she paid for wasnt done and the work that was done on the system was not needed as she only took it in to get the webcam installed properly.

hopefully that makes sense, lm wondering if there are any laws or consumer rights she could use to complain because the service she went in for was not rendered, and the ones that were provided were not only un-needed but were a surprise to her when she had to spend ages uninstalling and reinstalling everything they had changed without her permission.
«1

Comments

  • ~Beanie~
    ~Beanie~ Posts: 3,043 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Has she paid them anything?

    Its is annoying but not a major job to reinstall Chrome / re-instate her homepage and her free security software. Not sure why she had to spend ages doing it, would take about 5 mins!
    :p
  • timeless
    timeless Posts: 113 Forumite
    the shop installed the free software, she had to put back her own.. however she PAID him to install the webcam but what she got back was software uninstalled and blatant advertising.. she didnt pay for him to do other work just sort out the cam.
  • wealdroam
    wealdroam Posts: 19,180 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    timeless wrote: »
    ...however she PAID him to install the webcam...
    Why did she pay him anything if he didn't do the work requested?
  • timeless
    timeless Posts: 113 Forumite
    from what l gather when she came back to pick it up they told her the work was done.. as with most computer shops their work rooms are in the back and most dont let you see their work areas (at least the shops lve been to) so she didnt see the web cam working which is why it was taken in there tho obviously it still didnt work and she left not knowing what else had been done.. and to be quite honest in all the places lve been lve never seen customers ask to see their systems working after servicing.. lve worked in a comp shop myself (albeit voluntary work) but l was never asked by a customer to show them it working properly, equally l did the jobs l was told to do and not touch things they didnt ask for.
  • wealdroam
    wealdroam Posts: 19,180 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    timeless wrote: »
    ...lm wondering if there are any laws or consumer rights she could use to complain because the service she went in for was not rendered...

    Of course there is.

    Maybe you could get your friend to read MSE's Consumer Rights article?

    Might also be worth her while reading their How to Complain document too.

    Having said that, surely the simplest approach would be go back to the shop and get them to do the job that has been paid for.
    Or if they say they have done that work, maybe they need to demonstrate it. ;)
  • timeless
    timeless Posts: 113 Forumite
    given what they did to the system l wouldnt even take it back.. if l were in her position ld be making sure their customers knew that they have no clue what they are doing and are charging for jobs they havent completed.
  • wealdroam
    wealdroam Posts: 19,180 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    timeless wrote: »
    given what they did to the system l wouldnt even take it back.. if l were in her position ld be making sure their customers knew that they have no clue what they are doing and are charging for jobs they havent completed.
    That's fine, but of course it isn't your money that has been wasted, is it? ;)

    Remind us again why you started this thread?
  • timeless
    timeless Posts: 113 Forumite
    l just wondered if there was some sort of consumer law/right against a shop doing something that wasnt asked for especially considering that the issue it went in for wasnt fixed.. along with the advertising and removal of her preferred browser.
  • bris
    bris Posts: 10,548 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Maybe they did fix the webcam, but because the op's friend uninstalled everything they did then it was, well uninstalled again. Phone them and find out.
  • Blackpool_Saver
    Blackpool_Saver Posts: 6,599 Forumite
    what browser did they put on instead of Chrome?
    Blackpool_Saver is female, and does not live in Blackpool

This discussion has been closed.
Meet your Ambassadors

🚀 Getting Started

Hi new member!

Our Getting Started Guide will help you get the most out of the Forum

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 352.2K Banking & Borrowing
  • 253.6K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 454.3K Spending & Discounts
  • 245.2K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 600.9K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 177.5K Life & Family
  • 259K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 16K Discuss & Feedback
  • 37.7K Read-Only Boards

Is this how you want to be seen?

We see you are using a default avatar. It takes only a few seconds to pick a picture.