Laptop broken in less than a week, do I have any rights?

Sugarmouse0707

I bought a laptop online and collected it from the shop.

One morning after owning it for less than a week, I went to use it and the screen was all distorted and looked damaged, although no physical 'crack' to it, couldn't see anything on the screen aside from the distortion.

I rang the place I bought it from and explained and they said to bring it in so they could sort it out.

I took it in, and they were having none of it.

They were quite arrogant with me and said that I'd obviously damaged it myself, or dropped it, it was my fault-they'd repair it for me at a cost of more than I paid for the laptop, but that is all they were willing to do. I'm upset, because I so rarely buy things for myself-I had needed a new one for ages!

I left the shop, and called the credit card company on whose card I paid for it, and they said they'd send me a form to fill in, and try to get the money back for me. I don't have the form yet and was wondering if there is anything else I could do .

I showed the laptop to a computer programmer and all-round technology geek that I know, and he said It's a badly-made laptop, any sort of everyday wear-and tear could have damaged it, that it doesn't appear that it has been dropped or damaged by me, no outer shell damage (obviously *I* know I haven't mishandled it, but he meant that he doesn't understand how they could so flippantly say I'd obviously damaged it myself-because there are no signs on it, that I have)!

He said if the screen was badly fitted by the manufacturer this sort of thing could happen.


He also said that because I had only had it a week I am protected and that the onus is on them to prove that I have damaged it myself, and that it wasn't a product fault, not the other way around.

I was looking into just cutting my losses and paying somebody else to repair it for me (at a much lesser cost than quoted by the shop!) but I know if I do that before any sort of resolve, I will have no rights as It's as if I am admitting that it is my fault.

Does anybody have any advice?

Thanks xx

visidigi

What make and model is it, is there precedent of the damage occuring to others with the same model?

Sugarmouse0707

It's an Asus Nereus, product number X551CASX024H (if that is helpful?!) purchased from SCAN. I have found out that the company have something in their terms that they do not cover for screen damage, just other damages. Maybe that is for a reason!

My friend who I mention in my OP told me that, but he also said that as they operate under UK law, they can't follow through with that if the item is less than 6 months old.

Sugarmouse0707

I've just done some googling and there are a fair few people online making claims to poor screen quality for ASUS laptops.

Fosterdog

Sugarmouse0707 wrote: »

I've just done some googling and there are a fair few people online making claims to poor screen quality for ASUS laptops.

You'll find exactly the same claims for pretty much any brand, the screens are delicate and relatively easy to break.

I've seen one where a tennis ball was being bounced around the room and bounced off the closed lid, the force was enough to crack the screen but there was no outer damage at all. I only know how it happened because the guy told me.

I've seen lots that have been kept in a laptop bag with the charger either in the same pocket or in the next pocket screen side, all it takes is one little knock and the shape of the PSU will cause the screen to crack.

I see cracked screens on an almost daily basis, some with obvious signs of damage, others looking immaculate. In over ten years I can count on my hands the number of screens I've seen cracked through a badly fitted screen/screwed in too tight. Yes it can happen but it really is very rare.

Where exactly on the screen is the crack? If it radiates in from the edges then it could well be a screw/fitting problem, if it starts from within the centre of the screen and radiates outwards then it is certainly user damage, there would be nothing built in to the laptop that could physically touch it to cause the damage in the centre.

The only way to be sure the screen isn't too delicate is to buy a laptop with strong metal casing and preferably a glass fronted screen.

Sugarmouse0707

FosterDog I will certainly do that next time!

I've never had this happen before. I've had laptops that I have dropped or banged several times without mishap...But I'd only had this one a few days and hadn't done anything to it.

I've had friends who fix laptops and have only seen a cracked screen before when the customer had out and out said they'd dropped or stood on it or something.

Should I just cut my losses and get it fixed, then?I'm sure nothing happened to it. It was in the same place that morning as where I left it the day before, nobody had touched it. Unless something had happened in the days previous that had caused this.
Anyway that's probably irrelevant. I just wondered if they were under obligation, or if I should wait to see what the credit card company say, or just pay to get it fixed.

unholyangel

Fosterdog wrote: »

You'll find exactly the same claims for pretty much any brand, the screens are delicate and relatively easy to break.

I've seen one where a tennis ball was being bounced around the room and bounced off the closed lid, the force was enough to crack the screen but there was no outer damage at all. I only know how it happened because the guy told me.

I've seen lots that have been kept in a laptop bag with the charger either in the same pocket or in the next pocket screen side, all it takes is one little knock and the shape of the PSU will cause the screen to crack.

I see cracked screens on an almost daily basis, some with obvious signs of damage, others looking immaculate. In over ten years I can count on my hands the number of screens I've seen cracked through a badly fitted screen/screwed in too tight. Yes it can happen but it really is very rare.

Where exactly on the screen is the crack? If it radiates in from the edges then it could well be a screw/fitting problem, if it starts from within the centre of the screen and radiates outwards then it is certainly user damage, there would be nothing built in to the laptop that could physically touch it to cause the damage in the centre.

The only way to be sure the screen isn't too delicate is to buy a laptop with strong metal casing and preferably a glass fronted screen.

I might be wrong but OP said there is no physical crack, just the screen is distorted. Wires from screen to chassis damaged perhaps? I imagine if they were, geek friend wouldve said that though.

OP, i'm going to assume the laptop was over £100, and given you said you paid by credit card, you should have protection under section 75 of the consumer credit act - which makes the card company jointly and severally liable with the retailer - meaning you have the same rights with the card company as you do the retailer.

I'm guessing the forms they are sending out are section 75 forms.

As an aside, I've heard of screens cracking merely by opening them from the corner of the screen (rather than the middle).

Sugarmouse0707

Sorry didn't answer about the crack, have just looked at it. The whole screen is discoloured, I can't really tell

Sugarmouse0707

unholyangel wrote: »

I might be wrong but OP said there is no physical crack, just the screen is distorted. Wires from screen to chassis damaged perhaps? I imagine if they were, geek friend wouldve said that though.

OP, i'm going to assume the laptop was over £100, and given you said you paid by credit card, you should have protection under section 75 of the consumer credit act - which makes the card company jointly and severally liable with the retailer - meaning you have the same rights with the card company as you do the retailer.

I'm guessing the forms they are sending out are section 75 forms.

As an aside, I've heard of screens cracking merely by opening them from the corner of the screen (rather than the middle).

Thanks unholyangel.No there isn't a physical crack. Yes it was over £100.

Okay, I will wait and see what they decide. This is really annoying though, need it for work! The form seems to be taking a while. I'll call the credit card company back to make sure it has been sent.

Fosterdog

It is down to them to prove that you have caused the damage, as I said this would depend on where on the screen the crack is as to whether there was or wasn't any physical way for it to have been caused by manufacture/defect/inherent fault.

It is worth waiting to see what the CC company say, they may just agree with you.

If the crack is at the edges you could always get an independent report done, if that agrees that it is a defect Scan will either have to sort it out or you can issue a claim against them. If it finds in your favour they also have to reimburse you the cost of the report.

As for repair costs, when I carry out repairs screens go between £40 and £250 with the average screen around £50-£80 depending on the actual screen, labour can be anything from £30-£100 for a screen change depending where you get it done so you could be looking at as low as £70 for the repair or as much as £180, still less than a new laptop.

I guess if you have friends in the business they may either do the labour free or at least mates rates to get that down a lit more.

Fosterdog

Sugarmouse0707 wrote: »

Thanks unholyangel.No there isn't a physical crack. Yes it was over £100.

Okay, I will wait and see what they decide. This is really annoying though, need it for work! The form seems to be taking a while. I'll call the credit card company back to make sure it has been sent.

Can you get a photo of the screen? Again I see it a lot when there is no crack to the outer layer buy the internal layers break and the colour leaks out causing the distortion, a lot of people unless they know what they are looking for don't realise it is a cracked screen, it almost looks like ink bleeding out.