Waiting a Very long time for a catalogue company to sort out a faulty laptop

notsleeping

In August 2012 I purchased from a catalogue company a laptop for home and personal use. In July 2013 it developed a fault and I contacted the manufacturer to have it repaired, It was repaired and returned to me where after 3 weeks use it failed again.
I contacted the manufacturers who had completed the original repair and eventually after getting through to them, who seemed to be very difficult to get hold of this time around, eventually being told by the customer service agent on the phone to email my problem in to them. Anyway because it was 2 weeks out of its 12 month warranty were not interested and they wanted a fee of £62 to look at the laptop after being difficult to contact. I contacted a local independent engineer who found out the fault and gave me lots of information about the manner of laptop manufacturer. (basic story is, I have a Chinese made chassis where the company whose name is is on the casework have just slotted in the RAM and Hard Drive), The engineer pointed me in the direction of several internet forums and a judgement made in the USA where a large computer manufacturer had reconsigned a fault with their laptops and was grudgingly rectifying it.
So I wrote by letter to the Seller, the catalogue company reminding them of their obligations under The Sale of Goods act and waited.
I received no reply, so I wrote to them again and sent the letter recorded delivery this was by now the 3rd October.
On the 13th October they phoned and asked for a repair estimate on letter headed paper. So after another visit by the engineer and a further bill for his time I sent them a copy of The report and his Invoice, and a covering letter from me all by registered post on the 18th October.
On the 1st November after hearing nothing I phoned to see how things were progressing? To be told that 'It can take up to four weeks to sort these claims out'. I waited until the 19th November and then contacted them, this time by Email.
On the 19th they emailed back saying they had received my enquiry and would get back to me within 6 working hours.
On the 20th they emailed back saying the email had been forwarded to a specialist team who would contact me within the next 3 days.
On the 21st I received a email asking where Where I had sent the report to? I messaged them back quoting the time, date and signature of who signed for the report.
They emailed back saying they had re-opened my enquiry (which they had not told me had been closed) and that the customer services team would get back to me within 6 hours, of course they didn’t.
On the 22 I emailed them again, this time their standard reply email stated they would get back to me within 10 hours, Needless to say they I have had contact from them by telephone since the 13th October.
On Sunday the 24th I telephoned them, first their standard customer services line where the operator couldn't help me so gave me a another number. The gentleman I spoke to on this line, looked for my emails and couldn't find the scanned documents (engineers report) which in his words 'Had not been opened', against my better judgement I got off the line on the assurance that he would phone me back before his shift finished at 8pm.
Guess what?
Once again no phone call from them. Every time I have spoken to a customer services agent I get a scripted apology, but no help.

I'm fairly patient, but this whole saga of ignored and lost letters, and constant broken promises to get back to me is starting to rankle, especially as their Xmas TV Advert is on the television every night.

CoolHotCold

Well Send them a Letter Before Action See http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/england/consumer_e/consumer_taking_action_e/consumer_legal_actions_e/consumer_going_to_court_e/consumer_taking_court_action_e/step_one_write_a_letter_before_action.htm


If they fail to respond open a claim (again details found at the bottom of that page) and take them to court, you'll get at the very least all expenses including engineers report, cost of opening court action costs etc etc.

bod1467

Is the catalogue company Very? (Your thread title implies this). If yes, why not say so explicitly?

(There's a Very Company Rep on this forum who may be able to help if the company IS Very).

notsleeping

my fist letter to them on the 17th Sept stated it was a letter before action, giving them the chance to sort the matter out before it became a court case.

Yes it is Very.

CoolHotCold

Then you know what to do already then

notsleeping

Well I was kind of hoping that it wouldn't come to that, after all court action just ends up costing everybody more in time and money.

But since they have replied to my email via their complaint procedure about a completley different item orderd at approximatley the same time. Then its another example of their lack of ability to sort this problem out any other way. I don't think I have any choice in the matter.