Do I Still Have Consumer Rights? - Faulty Laptop John Lewis

Charmjem

I ordered a high spec laptop HP DV6 from John Lewis during spring 2013. I got this for university and decided I would get used to the product before I started in September. This laptop was brilliant in balancing all the high processing files and programs without crashing or slowing down. I was using a mixture of CAD and Adobe packages with such ease. However, this laptop did not last 5 months or made it to the start of term.

I would like to raise the issue of overheating. The overheating caused the case to crack on the lower left screen side just near the fan. This was returned to JL at the beginning of September, after much hassle between the Manufacturer, JL and myself we finally reached a supposed settlement at the beginning of October to sort out the damage yet we still have to pay for the cost of cosmetic damage (that was blamed by a pen being left in the laptop when it was closed, it is easily noticeable that the case has popped forward from the warping from the fan overheating not a pen pushing the case in). Even with the settlement at the start of the month, I am still waiting for my laptop.

Oh, and they also off their own back replaced the hard drive, even though they were only meant to be looking at the case.

There is a lot more to my scenario however, I was just wondering what my rights now are? I still have not heard anything back from JL as I feel they are stalling the process of it ever getting fixed. Is there anything I can do to take this further?

WTFH

Did you use the notebook computer on your lap, on your bed, or sitting on other soft furnishings?

Fosterdog

I have to say that in over ten years in computer repairs I've never seen a screen warp and crack from a fan overheating. I've seen the base and vents around the fan melt and I could possibly understand the keyboard and surround but the scene isn't even close to the fans and is only attached by hinges to the back, I wouldn't have thought it was physically possible for that to happen.

I once left my hot straighteners on top of my laptop screen (lid closed) and they were at 200 degrees and left there to cool and apart from leaving a small melt line on the top case it had no effect on the screen at all and that's more direct heat and much hotter than your laptop would get.

As for how long it's taking, it's only been a few weeks since they agreed to settle, it's not a lot of time to wait. What have JL said about how long it will take and when you can expect it back?

And the hard drive can be on its way out for a while so they possibly detected a fault you were unaware of and have rectified it. Hard drives don't do well around extreme heat so the overheating you were complaining of could easily affect it badly.

Charmjem

WTFH wrote: »

Did you use the notebook computer on your lap, on your bed, or sitting on other soft furnishings?

I have for occasional use, but for the majority of the time I need a mouse to use the software so I have a glass and metal framed desk.

Charmjem

@Fosterdog

It was a crack with the case raised around it the size of a two pence piece. It seems to be a design flaw in HPs as it is mentioned a lot on their official forum, yet I was told by JL to not believe everything I read online.

They have had my laptop for 2 months now with very little reply and they blame little contact from wherever they use for repairs. I paid for the repair three weeks ago yet the last I heard from them is that they still need to order the part, which takes another 2 weeks to receive.

It's more the inconvenience they have put me through with blaming me for the damage, it's an expensive laptop, I would not even allow someone else to carry it and it's a known fault. Customer services in store and via telephone have been unhelpful during this experience. All I want is my laptop back, so I can continue with my Masters degree.

Fosterdog

I agree that overheating laptops are a common fault, not just with HP or one particular model. If you search for faults with almost any make and model there will be lots of reports of overheating. The melting and cracking screen wont be a common fault. Which model exactly do you have? The DV6 is a model range that's been running since around 2009-2010 and there are several models a year released.

The technology still has a way to go to get the cooling power needed into such a small space. I still can't imagine how it could possibly affect the screen though, there are other bits that would be melted through before the heat got near the screen.

You are saying they have had it for two months but your first post says they have had it since the beginning of September, we are still only mid way through October now. Add to that the fact you said the repair was only agreed at the beginning of October they have only had 2-3 weeks to actually repair it