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Advice please - laptop problem - what are my rights

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Sept 2012 - We bought a new laptop online from PC Specialist (PCS) cost £1,212. Lots of problems immediately apparent and reported to PCS
Jan 13 - laptop returned to PCS for repair under warranty. In the list of problems, my son forgot to mention that the charger socket was very shallow and loose and the charger kept falling out.
April 13 - returned laptop to PCS again with more problems, this time informing PCS that the charger socket had been problematic from the start. The repair improved the charger stability for a few weeks but problem soon reoccurred. We decided to live with the loose socket, not realising this could cause further problems.

Here is where I need advice:
March 14 - Charger and laptop failed completely. PCS initiially said they would repair under warranty as it was the same problem re-occurring, but when they tested the laptop they found the motherboard needed replacing due to the faulty charger. They told me I should have returned it sooner. I offered to go halves on the bill but they refused and I had to pay nearly £300 'under protest' to get the laptop repaired and returned. However the the charger socket is still shallow and loose (design problem we think), so the issue will almost certainly reoccur.

Can anyone advise me where I stand? PCS will not budge despite numerous emails to and fro. I am considering Small Claims, but does the fact that we didn't return it promptly for the 3rd time undermine my case?

Thanks very much

Comments

  • unholyangel
    unholyangel Posts: 16,866 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Depends why the charger was faulty.

    The charger connector may have nothing to do with it.

    But its going to be hard to prove atm given its been fixed and presumably you don't have a copy of their engineers report?
    You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means - Inigo Montoya, The Princess Bride
  • George_Michael
    George_Michael Posts: 4,251 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Emsden wrote: »
    but does the fact that we didn't return it promptly for the 3rd time undermine my case?

    It might very well do.
    Quite often the power socket is soldered directly onto the motherboard and by continuing to use it with a loose socket may have either cracked the board to cause a small area of burning due to a poor contact.

    I think that your best bet would be to take the laptop to an independent company and see if you can get a written statement from them saying that they think that there is a design flaw and that the initial problem was cause by this flaw.
    If you get this then contact PCS again to give them your findings and again ask if they will refund you for the cost of the repair.

    If they refuse then you will have to consider legal action. (either small claims or you could try a section 75 claim if you paid with any form of credit).
  • Emsden
    Emsden Posts: 8 Forumite
    Thanks. I only got a very brief engineers report. I think I'll take George's advice and take it to an independent company for a 2nd opinion.
  • Emsden
    Emsden Posts: 8 Forumite
    Thanks George, I think I will do that and see what they say.
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