Three won't repair my phone - advice please!

cjoxford

Hi Everyone,

I recently renewed mmy contract with three and as part of the offer got an upgrade on my mobile phone to a shiny new Nokia. I had only used it for 5 or so days when one morning I woke up and it said that my sim card wasn't recognised, however everything else was fine. I sent it to three to be repaired (the sim works inmy old phone) and they have just got back to me and said that my phone is not covered by the warranty because of "water damage". Well, I have not dropped it in the bath/loo/puddle and they only water it's been exposed to is the summer rain. Surely, they can't refuse a new phone because of damage caused by the eain (isn't this "fitness for purpose" or something?!). Surely the fact that otherwise it is working fine means that it can't properly be water damaged? I would really appreciate any advice.

Many thanks,

cheryl

z4kir

Ridiculous! If the phone did not power up I might understand their claim, but the fact that everything works fine except the simcard not recognised message should mean the fault is either with the sim/their network or that the phone is barred (but why would it be?).

I would call them again and ask to speak to someone as senior as possible, don't mention anything about rain (would give them an easy excuse)

yeslek

the link tried this on with me when i sent back my 8310 (years ago) even though it had already been returned once for crashing (same fault)

i think they try to blag water damage so they dont lose out on paying for a new phone for you

knighty1

can you not just cancel the contract with a complaint it was due to their incompetence....surely you have 14 days peace of mind incase you had a rethink and decided it wasnt a good deal?...but i'm not sure of the facts re that dilema......have you been in contact with them over the phone,cos i know i am with vodafone and one day it happened to my phone and it was them,cos tey were changing network operations etc,and it wasnt my phone..or sim,,,

gaming_guy

z4kir wrote: »

but the fact that everything works fine except the simcard not recognised message should mean the fault is either with the sim/their network or that the phone is barred (but why would it be?).

if a nokia is barred, it will come up with sim card registration failed.

also, i have had quite a few phones that were water damaged (dropped in the sink etc) and still worked

LOST

I had the same problem with 3 - I got a new contract with a reburbished motorola v3x.

After about 2 months or so, the screen went blank intermittently. After returning it to 3, they inspected the phone and returned it with a photo printout saying the phone was water damaged and that it was not covered by any guarantee.

I tried to say to them that after only 8 weeks this could not happen as the phone has never been submerged in water - I argued that it was probably refurbished when it shouldn't have been.

they refused to replace it and only offered money off a replacement handset.

but - it started working after it was returned anyhow...

CharleneUK

They did the same thing to me.

They insisted my phone had been water damaged and refused to repair it!!! Evidently, my hubby found the real cause and fixed it.

elljay20

if you youse the phone in the rain and it gets wet then it is not covered by warrenty. they can tell if a phone has been in contact with water as i think it oxideses and shows up when they check it.

cjoxford

thanks for the responses. It sounds like I'll have a bit of a battle on my hands. Have just written a letter so fingers crossed. I think if phones get damaged by being used in the rain then that's really pants. I don't mind not being able to take photos, listen to musin do a million other things. I just want a phone that works and given the weather at the mo, it's going to have to be a bit more robust to cope here!! CharleneUK, I envy you your hubby - my boyfriend is worse than I am at this kind of thing!! Thanks!

gaming_guy

elljay20 wrote: »

if you youse the phone in the rain and it gets wet then it is not covered by warrenty. they can tell if a phone has been in contact with water as i think it oxideses and shows up when they check it.

you can easily see the corrosion on the main board, and there are moisture stickers on the phone that turn red if the phone has water damage

elljay20

gaming_guy wrote: »

you can easily see the corrosion on the main board, and there are moisture stickers on the phone that turn red if the phone has water damage

ok, techie speak!!:rotfl: but the point is, they won't get paid by the manufacturer for looking at the phone, only for actual work carried out, so it's not in their best interests to lie about a phone beying beyond economical repair due to liquid damage.