Definition of repairable?

StarshipUK

Leo2020 wrote: »

http://currys.cdn.dixons.com/grafx/gb/uk/promotions/pdf/tv-computing-one-off-repair.pdf

"3. You will pay an “up-front” service charge that covers carriage and
diagnostic services. This service charge is non-refundable unless we
can’t repair your product."

As much as I can understand people not liking PC World/Currys, I don't think charging £50 for diagnostics and carriage is unreasonable. Would you expect an independent repairer to not charge for diagnostics? Most will charge you, which is fair enough because it takes their time to diagnose the fault.

(Text removed by MSE Forum Team)

"And to answer the other persons question I do not charge to diagnose a hardware issue and do not charge if it is not repairable, and many other companies have the same policy. I can do this as I have less overheads being a one person company. If it was a software issue that would be chargeable for time spent."

Zandoni

Leo2020 wrote: »

http://currys.cdn.dixons.com/grafx/gb/uk/promotions/pdf/tv-computing-one-off-repair.pdf

"3. You will pay an “up-front” service charge that covers carriage and
diagnostic services. This service charge is non-refundable unless we
can’t repair your product."

As much as I can understand people not liking PC World/Currys, I don't think charging £50 for diagnostics and carriage is unreasonable. Would you expect an independent repairer to not charge for diagnostics? Most will charge you, which is fair enough because it takes their time to diagnose the fault.

Again a major company hiding behind an obscure T&C.

The problem is they will always be able to repair a product. It might need a new CPU, Motherboard, Memory Strip, HDD, Optical drive, screen, power supply, battery and case but they can do it regardless of how much they can con you for.

In this instance the OP was told by an employee of PCW that it will cost £60 to £80.

Zandoni

Leo2020 wrote: »

Not sure how they hid, they told the OP it would be £50.

The employee said that they thought the part would be £10 to £30. He didn't say he would be. Really the employee shouldn't have given an estimate - he admit that himself.

I'm afraid neither of us know what the OP was told in regard to the £50. Unfortunately whether the employee should have given an estimate or not doesn't come into it because he did.

The bottom line is that the OP should have been warned that this would be an expensive repair.

naedanger

Leo2020 wrote: »

http://currys.cdn.dixons.com/grafx/gb/uk/promotions/pdf/tv-computing-one-off-repair.pdf

"3. You will pay an “up-front” service charge that covers carriage and
diagnostic services. This service charge is non-refundable unless we
can’t repair your product."

As much as I can understand people not liking PC World/Currys, I don't think charging £50 for diagnostics and carriage is unreasonable. Would you expect an independent repairer to not charge for diagnostics? Most will charge you, which is fair enough because it takes their time to diagnose the fault.

The problem with PC World/Currys charging for diagnostics is their advert said they wouldn't - "Free in store diagnosis" [And the emphasis on "free" is PC World's.]

If they planned to charge for diagnostics they should not have given the opposite impression in the advert.

http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/laptop-repairs-171-commercial.html

You will see they also say "No fix, no fee".

Leo2020

Zandoni wrote: »

I'm afraid neither of us know what the OP was told in regard to the £50. Unfortunately whether the employee should have given an estimate or not doesn't come into it because he did.

The bottom line is that the OP should have been warned that this would be an expensive repaid.

The OP says in their first post that they were being charged £50.

Oscar60 wrote: »

The Service terms state that the £50 up-front service charge is "non-refundable unless we can't repair your product". They now won't refund the £50 because they say that the product is repairable, but plainly its not economically repairable. I told them that if they waived the fee I'd buy a new laptop then and there, but they won't shift.

What the Op is querying is the definition of repairable.

Could the OP would get anything back because they were not warned it could be expensive? I doubt it. The PCW employee said they thought it would be £10-£30. Clearly this employee had no idea of repair costs. However, they did only say "thought" according to the OP. I think this is the main point, they didn't say it would be.

Leo2020

naedanger wrote: »

The problem with PC World/Currys charging for diagnostics is their advert said they wouldn't - "Free in store diagnosis" [And the emphasis on "free" is PC World's.]

If they planned to charge for diagnostics they should not have given the opposite impression in the advert.

http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/laptop-repairs-171-commercial.html

You will see they also say "No fix, no fee".

"No matter where you bought it, simply bring your laptop into a PC World or Currys with a Knowhow service bar and we’ll give you a free consultation to determine what the problem is. If you are unable to come into store you can call our Knowhow team on 0344 561 1234.

If the laptop can be repaired we’ll attempt to fix it in store, but if it needs parts we’ll send it off to our specialist repair lab. We offer a fixed price for labour and delivery if it needs to be sent off. In the unlikely event that we’re unable to repair your laptop, it will be returned straight away and your fee will be refunded."

My bold.

It says free consultation - the consultation is store was free.
It mentions a fixed price for labour if it has to be sent off - not free.
Also says if they are unable to repair it the fee will be refunded. They can repair it the OP is choosing not to have it repaired.

Zandoni

Leo2020 wrote: »

The OP says in their first post that they were being charged £50.

Yes but we don't know if they were told it wouldn't be refundable and that there's no limit to how much they will charge for parts.

They were only told it should cost £60 to £80 in total by an employee.

naedanger

Leo2020 wrote: »

"No matter where you bought it, simply bring your laptop into a PC World or Currys with a Knowhow service bar and we’ll give you a free consultation to determine what the problem is. If you are unable to come into store you can call our Knowhow team on 0344 561 1234.

If the laptop can be repaired we’ll attempt to fix it in store, but if it needs parts we’ll send it off to our specialist repair lab. We offer a fixed price for labour and delivery if it needs to be sent off. In the unlikely event that we’re unable to repair your laptop, it will be returned straight away and your fee will be refunded."

My bold.

It says free consultation - the consultation is store was free.
It mentions a fixed price for labour if it has to be sent off - not free.
Also says if they are unable to repair it the fee will be refunded. They can repair it the OP is choosing not to have it repaired.

Did you see the five bullet points at the bottom, including the following two:

- Free in store diagnosis

- No fix, no fee

Seems highly misleading (indeed false) on both counts.

Leo2020

Well the OP does say that the terms say that it is non-refundable. It does seem to me, unless I'm reading wrong that the OP was aware that it was non-refundable unless it couldn't be repaired.

Not sure about the limit for costs? Do PC World legally have to state a maximum? I suspect not. The only choice I see for the OP is to complain to their Customer Service department and see if they offer a goodwill gesture. Nothing so far makes me think that legally PC World have done anything wrong.

Leo2020

naedanger wrote: »

Did you see the five bullet points at the bottom, including the following two:

- Free in store diagnosis

- No fix, no fee

Seems highly misleading (indeed false) on both counts.

Well the store bit was free. Sorry but I can't agree about the second count being false. Their is a fix, the OP just doesn't want to pay for it.

I suspect that PC World/Currys legal department will have written watertight T&Cs and these should have been given to the OP at the time they paid. As far as we know this happened, the OP mentions the T&Cs so likely they got a copy.

I'm trying to give the OP the best advice I can. I know PC World/Currys have a habit of peeing their customers off. And if I thought the OP had a chance of getting their £50 back I would tell them so. But I really think the OP and others on this thread are clutching at straws. I think their best bet is to speak to customer service - they might get something/they might not.