faulty phone - won't repair? Updated

chickaroonee

I bought a sony xperia z at the start of July and it broke in the second week of Aug, it stopped charging. I bought a new charger but realised it wasn't that that was broken so sent it back to Sony for repair (the phone retailer was mobilephonesdirect and it is a 24 month contract with vodafone). The retailer say it has to go back to the manufacturer for repair, so that's what I did.

Have chased it a few times and today I called sony and was told the phone does not have a manufacturing fault and is beyond economic repair. They couldn't tell me why it was broken though but I presume that phrase means they think it is my fault? They told me to call the retailer, which I did, who said that means sony think it is damaged due to something I have done therefore they won't refund or replace.

Sony weren't able to tell me what has caused the damage just that it is a faulty charger connection, which I already knew. I'm waiting for someone to call me back to explain more but that might be 5 days apparently. I've no idea how I could've damaged the phone as I haven't done anything to it, not dropped it, no water damage etc..I've barely taken it out of the house! It has had a protector on it too since I got it. I did ask the retailer if it was damaged surely it must've been them or sony but they said no because it is in a sealed box so it's my fault.

Obviously I need to hear what sony say but does anyone have any ideas on how to help? The contract is expensive and I'm right at the start of a 2 year one

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I've updated below - can anyone help? It almost seems like a scam now!

Fosterdog

It could be damage to the actual charging port on the phone, if the charger was pulled out abruptly or pushed in upside down etc. that would at leas explain why a new cable didn't help but it still being a charging fault and accidental damage.

chickaroonee

I really have no recollection of doing anything to it at all though

If I did do that it's hard to believe it'd be over £400 worth of damage?! I guess smart phones are very expensive but still! It didn't break immediately and charged on and off, I have no idea whether this is consistent with me damaging it or not. Surely I would have to do it with some force to damage it?

I do need to hear what sony say but I really don't see how I broke it. Obviously if I did it's my fault, but I have no idea how I could have done it.

Fosterdog

Depending on the internals of the phone it may need the whole mainboard replacing for a damaged charging port. It can be possible for them to charge intermittently even with damage especially if it's fiddled with as it temporarily bridges the damaged connection.

Have you maybe tripped over the cable while it's been plugged in or even used it at all while charging where it may have twisted awkwardly?

This may not be what's happened, I'm not familiar with Sony phones at all so don't know how they are designed or what ports they have, I'm speaking from experience of tablet repairs which tend to use the same connections.

chickaroonee

Thanks for your help, I have no recollection of tripping over it. I have used the internet when charging but don't recall it being at an awkward angle but I suppose it is possible.

Do you have an idea at all how much it would cost to replace that if it is that? If sony say it isn't economical to repair does that mean I'm unlikely to find anyone else to fix it too at a reasonable price, if I can't get sony to reconsider? Is there any way this kind of fault could be a manufacturer fault in your opinion? The woman I spoke to today seemed to be saying I'd dropped it but I really haven't.

I'm tied into a 2 year contract and am just at the start of it. The contract is quite expensive and I only went for that one to get a decent phone.

baldelectrician

Ask Sony for a written report about the phone, and ask for the phone back- this allows you to send the phone for a second opinion.

It's up to the retailer ( not the manufacturer) to prove the phone was not faulty at the time of purchase. The law assumes a fault in he first 6 months is a latent defect, unless otherwise proven.
It isn't the customer's responsibility to prove the fault didn't exist- it's the retailers problem to prove it DID.

Fosterdog

baldelectrician wrote: »

The law assumes a fault in he first 6 months is a latent defect, unless otherwise proven.
It isn't the customer's responsibility to prove the fault didn't exist- it's the retailers problem to prove it DID.

That should be the other way around, it's not up to the customer to prove the fault did exist but up to the retailer to prove it didn't exist.

chickaroonee

Thanks for your help. I will ask for that when I speak to Sony.

So the retailer is mobilephonesdirect not vodafone?

I spoke to them today and they said the phone is boxed and not taken out of the box, they have an IMEI no and so can prove that, therefore it is my fault. The woman I spoke to even said she thought it probably wasn't my fault but as I couldn't prove otherwise - tough.

chickaroonee

Fosterdog wrote: »

That should be the other way around, it's not up to the customer to prove the fault did exist but up to the retailer to prove it didn't exist.

I understood what he meant

Fosterdog

chickaroonee wrote: »

Thanks for your help, I have no recollection of tripping over it. I have used the internet when charging but don't recall it being at an awkward angle but I suppose it is possible.

Do you have an idea at all how much it would cost to replace that if it is that? If sony say it isn't economical to repair does that mean I'm unlikely to find anyone else to fix it too at a reasonable price, if I can't get sony to reconsider? Is there any way this kind of fault could be a manufacturer fault in your opinion? The woman I spoke to today seemed to be saying I'd dropped it but I really haven't.

I'm tied into a 2 year contract and am just at the start of it. The contract is quite expensive and I only went for that one to get a decent phone.

Like I said I'm not familiar with repairs on Sony phones or tablets so don't know their design. Some can be as simple as a part few less than £10 and 10 minutes work, others can be an hour of work and a £200 part.

Charging faults can be manufacturing faults but without knowing the reason they are rejecting the warranty repair it could be anything causing it.

You may be able to find a 3rd party independent repair centre, but you'd have to find somewhere local to you.

If it turns out you have accidentally damaged it could you claim off your contents insurance of gadget cover with your bank?

chickaroonee

I don't have any insurance

The irony is my old phone (htc) was dropped/bashed so many times and carried on working despite it all (and I wouldn't have dreamt of asking for it to be fixed if it'd broken, it was obviously my fault). I can't think of anything at all I've done to this one. I need to hear what sony have to say don't I.