PC World Refusing Refund on 24 Hour Old Laptop. Need Some Help.

GeekLad

Hi All,

I need some advice on a current problem I am having in returning a product to PC World for a full refund.

The product in subject is a Sony Vaio Pro 3 Ultrabook. I purchased it yesterday at around this time. I got it home, began to use it, and instantly noticed problems with the wifi. The wifi kept dropping out and disconnecting. I have 2 other laptops in the house that do not suffer this issue.

I researched online and noticed that there are 1400+ people complaining about the same issue on the Sony Forums.

I called PC World and explained I want a full refund. They said they will, so long as they can detect the fault.

Here's the problem. In the past I purchased a laptop that had a fault 2 days after purchase, and gave it to PC World to detect the fault. They couldn't reproduce the fault, so they told me they would not refund me. I was forced to keep a faulty laptop because they couldn't find a fault.

So, I opted out of this. I explained this to them.

Now, it's my understanding that under the Sales of Goods Act I am entitled to a full refund if I believe the product is faulty, and so long as it's less that 3 weeks (may be wrong there) I, or they, do not have to prove the product is faulty and I can reject the product and am perfectly within my rights to ask for a refund.

I am correct in thinking that the law trumps PC World's policy to have them "test the product first"?

The PC World advisor stated that the law it's up to them to prove the product isn't faulty. Which I understand, but I thought this was only after the 3 weeks? Although when I asked him to quote where in the law it states this he said he didn't know.

As far as the law is concerned I thought I had a right to a full refund if I believe the product is faulty?

I don't trust PC Worlds testing. They will fob you off over and over again saying the machine isn't faulty to avoid giving refunds and don't want to waste my time travelling up there for them to tell me it's fine. When clearly it isn't.

Any legal advice here please? I am asking this because I may be wrong.

visidigi

GeekLad wrote: »

Hi All,

I need some advice on a current problem I am having in returning a product to PC World for a full refund.

The product in subject is a Sony Vaio Pro 3 Ultrabook. I purchased it yesterday at around this time. I got it home, began to use it, and instantly noticed problems with the wifi. The wifi kept dropping out and disconnecting. I have 2 other laptops in the house that do not suffer this issue.

I researched online and noticed that there are 1400+ people complaining about the same issue on the Sony Forums.

I called PC World and explained I want a full refund. They said they will, so long as they can detect the fault.

Here's the problem. In the past I purchased a laptop that had a fault 2 days after purchase, and gave it to PC World to detect the fault. They couldn't reproduce the fault, so they told me they would not refund me. I was forced to keep a faulty laptop because they couldn't find a fault.

So, I opted out of this. I explained this to them.

Now, it's my understanding that under the Sales of Goods Act I am entitled to a full refund if I believe the product is faulty, and so long as it's less that 3 weeks (may be wrong there) I, or they, do not have to prove the product is faulty and I can reject the product and am perfectly within my rights to ask for a refund.

I am correct in thinking that the law trumps PC World's policy to have them "test the product first"?

The PC World advisor stated that the law it's up to them to prove the product isn't faulty. Which I understand, but I thought this was only after the 3 weeks? Although when I asked him to quote where in the law it states this he said he didn't know.

As far as the law is concerned I thought I had a right to a full refund if I believe the product is faulty?

I don't trust PC Worlds testing. They will fob you off over and over again saying the machine isn't faulty to avoid giving refunds and don't want to waste my time travelling up there for them to tell me it's fine. When clearly it isn't.

Any legal advice here please? I am asking this because I may be wrong.

You purchased in store so no DSR's involved. You have to provide them an opportunity to resolve the issue, they have complied by offering to refund if they can prove the fault.

If the fault occurs in the first 6 months you do not have to prove it, they do - but they must be allowed to investigate your claimed fault within a reasonable amount of time. After 6 months they can ask you to prove, with the support of an engineers report that the fault was inherent.

Your theory would be open to so much abuse that retailers wouldn't survive.

GeekLad

I've had a similar issue though, what if they test the product and can't reproduce the fault? Which happened in the past. Plus, it's documented all over the Internet that these laptops suffer a major wifi issue.

Just Google: sony vaio pro 13 wifi

And that will explain the issues. So surely that is evidence enough that there is a problem. I don't trust PC Worlds testing methods. They've told me there wasn't a problem with a laptop before and there was.

So upset and confused here. I saved for months to buy this laptop which cost me £1000.

visidigi

GeekLad wrote: »

I've had a similar issue though, what if they test the product and can't reproduce the fault? Which happened in the past. Plus, it's documented all over the Internet that these laptops suffer a major wifi issue.

Just Google: sony vaio pro 13 wifi

And that will explain the issues. So surely that is evidence enough that there is a problem. I don't trust PC Worlds testing methods. They've told me there wasn't a problem with a laptop before and there was.

So upset and confused here. I saved for months to buy this laptop which cost me £1000.

You can't get a refund without them being allowed to test it. If you wont allow them to test it then you are only harming yourself.

If they test it and find nothing then you can get an independent to review it and write a report, a report they would refund you for if it turned out to be faulty.

They wouldn't refund you if you tried to get a report without allowing them to at least test it themselves.

The fact its reported online is not accounted for in law. You need to offer them the opportunity to inspect the item.

George_Michael

GeekLad wrote: »

Just Google: sony vaio pro 13 wifi

And that will explain the issues. So surely that is evidence enough that there is a problem. I don't trust PC Worlds testing methods.

The Google page will show that there is a general problem but the only way for PC World to confirm that your laptop is affected is for them to test it, which as visidigi pointed out, is something that they are legally entitled to do to confirm the fault before refunding.

GeekLad

George_Michael wrote: »

The Google page will show that there is a general problem but the only way for PC World to confirm that your laptop is affected is for them to test it, which as visidigi pointed out, is something that they are legally entitled to do to confirm the fault before refunding.

I understand this. So is this law that they can do this prior to offering a refund? I only ask because if that is the case I am going to have to put some money aside for in independent testing as I am almost certain they will come back stating there is no fault. Either because their incompetent at testing - lets face it, they are not the smartest computer "experts" - or they refuse to avoid refunds.

Looks like I will have a battle on my hands. It'd help if I could actually contact Sony and have them confirm this problem, but that's another can of worms.

visidigi

GeekLad wrote: »

I understand this. So is this law that they can do this prior to offering a refund? I only ask because if that is the case I am going to have to put some money aside for in independent testing as I am almost certain they will come back stating there is no fault. Either because their incompetent at testing - lets face it, they are not the smartest computer "experts" - or they refuse to avoid refunds.

Looks like I will have a battle on my hands. It'd help if I could actually contact Sony and have them confirm this problem, but that's another can of worms.

Yes its law.

And if you want to aid their testing, I would recommend you including print outs of the pages on the Sony site where you have seen these reports.

halibut2209

Can you not video the fault?

atrixblue.-MFR-.

halibut2209 wrote: »

Can you not video the fault?

second this, make sure the model and serial are recorded in the same video sequence on the underside of the product. so as not for them to claim its not the product they're testing.


also have ready on your smart phone (if you have internet access) the sony website in which people have the same issues with the same ultrabook.

sgun

My Sony Vaio has always had an intermittent fault that cannot be reproduced to order when tested. I know this doesn't help with you PC World problem but given the costs and problems with the Sonys I would never buy another one.

Jakg

They are allowed to test the laptop first.

I can't help but think your attitude towards the company and it's employees might help to explain why you feel you haven't had the best service in the past...