Seeking advice, being gouged on warranty? Laptop computer

Jakkar

Hello, MSE.

My first time posting, but I've found useful advice here browsing in the past

I own a medium-spec gaming laptop, purchased for me as a gift around two and a half years ago. It has performed well and been treated well, kept in good condition with no damage of any sort, and has been used minimally due to my ownership of a desktop computer for most needs - only coming into use for visiting friends and from time to time while I've travelled away for short periods.

It recently died. I won't choke you on the technical details, but I've returned it to the company, Novatech, three times. The first time they replaced the battery and claimed it was fixed - it immediately manifested the same fatal problems upon return. Second return, they angrily insisted the laptop was flawless despite me testing it extensively and confirming it was completely unusable. Upon return, the issue remained, the laptop would simply cut off and crash within minutes of being turned on, every time, no matter what.

A full week after my latest return they've finally gotten in touch and admitted it's completely broken. They now claim the issue is severe, and the replacement parts do not exist, being obsolete already, so they cannot fix the laptop.

The item cost around £900, and until this issue manifested three months ago, was in perfect and flawless working condition.

The only possible option they say they can offer me is a tiny partial refund of "about £150, maybe" because of 'usage'. The item is still within its three year warranty, and is otherwise flawless, clean and well-maintained, so much so they claimed there was nothing wrong with it, twice. I've checked their product listings and their current selection of laptops at the 700-900 price point are actually significantly weaker than the machine in question, containing inferior components with far lesser capabilities - presumably due to Novatech falling on hard times.

If not for this one issue, unrelated to my usage of the device, it would be a machine that surpasses in value even by current standards their machines at the same price bracket, and was still perfectly stable last time I was able to use it at all.

I've asked them to email me the full details of their offer and the reasons for it, and will negotiate via email to retain full logs of the exchange.

What I'd like to know, as an inexperienced (read: poor) consumer who has never had to go through a warranty or refund dispute before, is just how unrealistic this offer is, how hard they're trying to gouge me, and how I might best approach getting a decent return/repair/refund on the item in question.

Any constructive feedback greatly appreciated. Please let me know if I've left out any important details you need and I'll provide them as quickly as I can.

- Jakk

lovinituk

What did the warranty cover? Warranties are in addition to your legal rights but warranties can cover all manner of things from next to nothing to a promised full replacement.

How much did the laptop cost you? You have had over 2 years use so they are within their rights to offer a partial refund (unless the warranty promised otherwise). The argument could be over how much that partial refund is but if you can't come to a mutual agreement then your only choice would be to take them through a small court claim.

bris

Although they are allowed to reduce for the usage their offer is an insult as far as I'm concerned. After 2.5 years I would expect a reasonable refund would be around the 60% mark, others will differ on this and there is nothing set in stone but £150 is a Joke for a £900 laptop.


I suppose it now boils down to how hard you can negotiate or whether you want to test them in court.

JJ_Egan

Who is this 3 year warranty with ???

If the manufacturer not the vendor it may be worth asking them .

Considering the age £200 to £300 would be a realistic offer .

agrinnall

You are lucky to get anything at all as it's the person who bought it who has the SOGA rights, not you. They may have been able to transfer the warranty to you, but the manufacturer can put whatever restrictions they like on what the warranty will cover. If you want to get anything beyond what the warranty offers then the purchaser will need to take that action (including any court action if it gets to that stage).

Jakkar

The precise details of the warranty are waiting for me to get the original purchase details forwarded to me by the friend who gave me the gift, which should be later this afternoon.

I'm glad I'm not alone in thinking that the £150 offer is clearly a gross underestimation of the standing value and market relevance of the product. They barely match this item even today in terms of the specifications on offer, and Novatech are, I now know, noted for the unreliability of their machines, to which mine was thankfully an exception.

I'm as yet uncertain how they would even intend to provide the refund, given that they're fully aware (though constantly confused due to a lack of internal communication between the many different customer service reps and technicians I've spoken to, none of whom know anything the others have said) that I'm a gift recipient. Of note; the item was arranged as a gift in detail at the Cardiff branch of Novatech, explicitly, from prior to money changing hands, rather than an item handed down later. I was the recipient of a sealed product and the first person to turn the item on and make use of it, and the sole owner since, for what little it's worth.

Would any of you have any advice on how best to approach their customer service team, things to say or avoid saying, tricks to look out for or similar to avoid ending up backed into a hole? Novatech seem to have become a little infamous for poor and misleading post-purchase service since closing down their retail branches and reordering the company a couple of years back, just a few months after the item was purchased at one of those defunct shops.

lovinituk

agrinnall wrote: »

You are lucky to get anything at all as it's the person who bought it who has the SOGA rights, not you. They may have been able to transfer the warranty to you, but the manufacturer can put whatever restrictions they like on what the warranty will cover. If you want to get anything beyond what the warranty offers then the purchaser will need to take that action (including any court action if it gets to that stage).

Very good point!

unholyangel

How much would a second hand model with the same specs and similar age cost?

If its considerably more, screenshot them/print them out and send them to them to show they're not offering a fair value.

JJ_Egan

(The precise details of the warranty are waiting for me to get the original purchase details forwarded to me by the friend who gave me the gift, which should be later this afternoon )

I am also reading this as you may have no rights against the vendor at all .The purchaser has the rights under SOGA .

You could give the forum an idea of what model/ spec laptop .

mattyprice4004

Check places like eBay and AV Forums for the going rate of a working example of the same model - that should give you some idea on value.