Electronic repair shop broke my phone

Margicar

Hi,
I'm looking for some advice.

So my Mrs dropped her iphone 6 a few times, the structure of the frame became bent, and the screen crack along with the digistizer, how ever the phone still worked, just seeing what you were doing became difficult, and sometimes you would cut your fingers on the glass.
So i set out to get it repaired at a company called Duotech in Smethick Birmingham.

6th July Wed - They started by taking £25 for a diagnostic fee, (never heard of it before but paid anyway), and said they would call me back and let me know if it could be fixed when the technician gets a look at it, I had no warnings that it could not be fixed or that it may be damaged further.

8th July Fri - I was wondering how long it would take to look at a phone, so i called up, He said it was repairable but would need to remove all components and send the frame off to get re bent back into place. (me not having a clue said if that is what you have to do then okay, how much is that going to cost? £15-20, okay then) he then proceeded to tell me the parts for the screen repair had been ordered and would take a day or two to arrive, fine.

11th July Mon - I had to check in once again to see what is happening, said he had some packages but yet to open so don't know if part had arrived.

13th July Wed - he called me at 8pm and said he has fitted it all back together and it doesn't work, will try again tomorrow to refit everything and make sure nothing is out of place, said he would call me back tomorrow.

14th - No call back

15th - Again I have to check in to see what is happening, He said there is nothing more we can do, we have done all the checks and it doesn't work, he claimed that because the frame was bent the motherboard was bent as well and that after it was reset back the motherboard put into the reset frame had been damaged in the process of being put back together. He said there is nothing more i can do it doesn't work. I said but you have broken it, can't you do something, he said no, you can get it tested somewhere else if you are not happy. I said but surely this is something you have done wrong can you not do something? he said no, you can come and collect it tomorrow. I ask for a full written report of what he has done to it, I can collect it tomorrow.


There was no warning of further damage or any terms and conditions.
I just don't know where i stand, what can i do?
I mean the phone was working and all that needed to be done was the screen/digitizer to be replaced, now that he put it back together and its not working is he not to blame and to be held account able to repair or replace it?

I really need some help, thank you anyone that provides any advice on where to go or who to call.

Thank you
Josh

Margicar

Since I didn't sign a waiver or anything excluding him self of liability of damage, does this make him liable for repair or replacement?

Jon_01

To claim against him you'd have to prove that he damaged the phone. You'd need an Independent report stating that. With that much damage to the unit before you give it to him I would have thought that no phone tech would be able to state that he caused the phone to stop working rather then the damage caused before he started to work on it.

The 'burden of proof' (the legal term) is on you to proof that he caused the damage. By the looks of it, you'd have an uphill struggle to get that proof... But get the phone back and take it to another repairer and see what they say. . .

Margicar

That is not what i wanted to hear, but okay I will have to do that, thank you for the input, will report back when there is more news.

Frozen_up_north

Looking at their web site, they look to be a jack of all trades type of operation, even offering Three iPhone unlocking for £85 :rotfl: it's free in a Three shop!

Given the price of an iPhone 6, I would have thought you would have taken it to either an Apple Store, or an Apple approved repair shop. It's probably too late now, as Apple won't touch something that's been to an unofficial repairer.

Margicar

So as it goes, I spoke with Citizens Advice, they advised me to draft a letter noting the Consumer rights act 2015, what the situation is, what I want and how long he has to do it, added with the threat of going to trading standards and or small claims court.

I went to see Duotech yesterday, he tried to give me the broken phone back and even brought a prop circuit board with him to explain how his technician bent the motherboard and cause the circuit board plate wires to be damaged. Brilliantly I asked for a full report and diagnosis of what they have put the phone through. The report clearly shows that they had removed the motherboard from the bent case, and tried to put the motherboard back into the straightened case and damaged it.
After pointing out that he has clearly damaged the phone further, as the report explains and as he acted out with his prop, he still refused to fix it or pay for damages, so as it stand he has been served with the letter and has 7 days to repair or replace the damage he has caused.

I feel that this should not of gotten as far as me having to serve him a written letter in order to force them to repair the damage they have caused.

Hopefully in the next coming week it will be repaired, if not, it will be taken to small claims court.
Not the best option, nor do I want to go down this route, I just want the phone fixed, but how is this fair custom.

MrIanWright

Stripped it back to the point of being able to send the frame off? They without a doubt would have broke vital components. This would be an incredibly difficult task to break it down to the frame only.

sudored

She dropped it a few times?
seriously buy your Mrs a good case next time.

loofer

Margicar wrote: »

So as it goes, I spoke with Citizens Advice, they advised me to draft a letter noting the Consumer rights act 2015, what the situation is, what I want and how long he has to do it, added with the threat of going to trading standards and or small claims court.

I went to see Duotech yesterday, he tried to give me the broken phone back and even brought a prop circuit board with him to explain how his technician bent the motherboard and cause the circuit board plate wires to be damaged. Brilliantly I asked for a full report and diagnosis of what they have put the phone through. The report clearly shows that they had removed the motherboard from the bent case, and tried to put the motherboard back into the straightened case and damaged it.
After pointing out that he has clearly damaged the phone further, as the report explains and as he acted out with his prop, he still refused to fix it or pay for damages, so as it stand he has been served with the letter and has 7 days to repair or replace the damage he has caused.

I feel that this should not of gotten as far as me having to serve him a written letter in order to force them to repair the damage they have caused.

Hopefully in the next coming week it will be repaired, if not, it will be taken to small claims court.
Not the best option, nor do I want to go down this route, I just want the phone fixed, but how is this fair custom.

This is best course of action but don't get your hopes up. Even if the SCC rules in your favour, it's still not straight forward getting the money, all at once too.

DCFC79

sudored wrote: »

She dropped it a few times?
seriously buy your Mrs a good case next time.

Or buy a cheaper phone ?

Margicar

It had a screen replacement before from apple, I put a protective glass over the screen and a sturdy case, she went out with work, woke up in the morning broken. I think she needs a 3310.