Dodgy Laptop Repair

perjubs

Hi all.

I recently damaged my keyboard and caused specific keys to stop functioning, mostly along the lower side of the key board. I took my laptop into a local computer shop to have it repaired where they told me they could do it no problem, I requested an original Samsung keyboard to be installed as I believe when it comes to technology you get what you pay for, again they said this was no problem.

A few days later I went to pick up my laptop, at first glance everything looked fine so I paid up and went home. When I got home I powered up the laptop and found that it was not an official Samsung keyboard, not only this but there were big problems as far as I was concerned, the numbers were mixed up for example if I pressed 4 I would get 5 and vica versa, the arrow keys did not work and zero did not even register as getting pressed, as did various other buttons. Also on on the logon screen only, as soon as a user icon is selected some key or another fills the password box up with digits making it hard to put in a password.

Additionally they had clearly damaged the laptop casing when prying it open to get inside and have broken fixings for screws inside and blamed this on the age of the laptop even though it was manufactured in November 2011. The casing was not even securely clipped together and there were were screws missing.

I took the laptop back the next morning as soon as they opened and informed them politely that I was grossly unhappy with the so called repair and that the laptop had been returned to me in a worse state than when I left it with them, the "technician" gave me to excuse that it was a particularly tricky laptop to work on and that it was hard to get the keyboard out. I told them this was not good enough and then asked them why half they keys did not work even though they had claimed to have tested it, I was told that the test only consisted of tapping a few keys on a test screen and leaving it at that. My next question was why an official Samsung keyboard was not installed, to which they told me it would have cost in excess of £60 to get one, I countered this by informing them I could get one for a fraction of the cost from a reputable dealer and questioned why it would cost them so much, they told me trade suppliers were different.

After the sorry excuses I demanded that they fix the problems or return the computer to it's original state and refund me, they said they would work on the computer again and try their best to make it right. I left the laptop with them again.

Four days later I returned and told them I needed my laptop back for work and asked if it was fixed, they had not changed anything for the good, they had however further damaged the machine by cracking a panel on the bottom of the machine and scratched the plastic a lot. They are expecting me to return the laptop so they can fit the Samsung keyboard they have ordered however I really do not want to do this for obvious reasons, I just want my money back and to find some one more capable to do the job. How can I go about getting this?

Any help would be very much appreciated, also sorry for the length of this but I wanted to be specific to get you in the picture and hopefully provide more accurate advice. I don't know if I'm allowed to say this or not, so if not I apologise and will edit this out when asked, but if someone can give me some advice good enough to solve the issue quickly and easily I will Paypal them a thanks as I want to get my laptop back to a working condition ASAP.

Thanks for reading

cattie

What an awful experience. You could probably have fitted a new keyboard yourself you know.

I recently fitted a new keyboard on my HP laptop after spilling water on a few keys, which caused some keys not to work & others to type out the wrong letters. I did a google search, found various websites giving step by step tuition, including You-tube & I also found the HP repair manual for technicians.

Armed with the confidence that I could at least have a go myself, I ordered a keyboard from Ebay, a genuine HP part & when it arrived I took a deep breath before attempting to remove the old one & install the new one. How chuffed was I to find it worked & I'd saved a small fortune in what a shop would have charged me for the same repair.

Anyway, the only advice I can think of to offer here is to contact trading standards or consumer advice to see if they can help.

perjubs

cattie wrote: »

What an awful experience. You could probably have fitted a new keyboard yourself you know.

Thanks for the tip, I once did this myself on an older laptop and managed to do a great job of it but I opened the laptop up myself and it was a a tricky keyboard to remove and so I took the lazy option..regrettably. Though I did expect that a so called professional would be able to do it without a care in the world, and that it was only tricky to me as someone who knows very little about computers.

unholyangel

How much did you pay them and what payment method did you use?

Have you had any communication with them in writing at all or has it all been verbal? This shouldn't make a huge difference given the circumstances but in writing is always preferable as a lot easier to prove who said what and when on the balance of probabilities.

Depending on the answer to my first question, your only hope of getting money back from them might be down the LBA and small claims route. And even that isn't guaranteed, especially if they're a limited company and have no substantial assets.

closed

Sure it's not the original keyboard?

perjubs

unholyangel wrote: »

How much did you pay them and what payment method did you use?

Have you had any communication with them in writing at all or has it all been verbal? This shouldn't make a huge difference given the circumstances but in writing is always preferable as a lot easier to prove who said what and when on the balance of probabilities.

Depending on the answer to my first question, your only hope of getting money back from them might be down the LBA and small claims route. And even that isn't guaranteed, especially if they're a limited company and have no substantial assets.

Hi, I paid the by debit card and I paid them £20 for labour and £26 for equipment, I have also kept the receipt and job sheet which has their admission of damaging the laptop. When I took the laptop back, I had a witness with me who can confirm what was said between us if that is of any help.

Also to closed, Im sure it's a different keyboard as the symbols on certain keys are different.

unholyangel

Not sure if your bank may be able to help with chargeback.

If not, I'm afraid it looks like the letter before action route.

perjubs

unholyangel wrote: »

Not sure if your bank may be able to help with chargeback.

If not, I'm afraid it looks like the letter before action route.

Im guessing the bank probably wont be able to help, but I will try and find out. In the mean time Im guessing the letter before action route is to write to them and tell them ask them to refund me then, pending their reply, either walk away a happy man with my refund or take the next step and proceed to a small claims court?

unholyangel

perjubs wrote: »

Im guessing the bank probably wont be able to help, but I will try and find out. In the mean time Im guessing the letter before action route is to write to them and tell them ask them to refund me then, pending their reply, either walk away a happy man with my refund or take the next step and proceed to a small claims court?

Basically, yes. Just remember to title it "letter before action", send it signed for and give them a deadline in the letter (14 days is usually considered reasonable). Personally I'd also be claiming for the difference in value to the laptop (if any) caused by them damaging it.

Keep the letter short and simple. Stay away from emotional phrases (ie "i'm upset/angry/disappointed").

I would try filing a chargeback with your bank first though. Theres a time limit of 120 days from date of transaction. Their merchant back may reject it but you never know until you try!

wealdroam

See here for a sample letter before action:

http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/england/consumer_e/consumer_taking_action_e/consumer_legal_actions_e/consumer_going_to_court_e/before_you_take_someone_to_court/step_one_write_a_letter_before_action.htm

perjubs

unholyangel wrote: »

Basically, yes. Just remember to title it "letter before action", send it signed for and give them a deadline in the letter (14 days is usually considered reasonable). Personally I'd also be claiming for the difference in value to the laptop (if any) caused by them damaging it.

Keep the letter short and simple. Stay away from emotional phrases (ie "i'm upset/angry/disappointed").

I would try filing a chargeback with your bank first though. Theres a time limit of 120 days from date of transaction. Their merchant back may reject it but you never know until you try!

Hello again Unholyangel. It seems you know your stuff so Im going to direct this at you rather than the whole forum. I have been on the phone today to my bank and they are chasing it up for me and I should hear back in the next 7 days which is great news, thanks for the advice.

Let's say this goes well and I get my refund, will I still be able to claim for the damages with an LBA? I ask this now because I have just tried to put a DVD in the draw and it wont even open, so not only have they damaged the laptop as I mentioned originally but it appears they have somehow made my optical drive jam!