Returning TV to RGB Direct

Marozi

Hi,

I recently bought a TV online from RGB Direct, it was a Samsung Q9FN 65" which was their flagship model in 2018.

I have noticed an issue with dark areas on the screen which are glaringly obvious when watching anything with large open areas like grass, sea or sky, football is just awful to watch now.
Upon investigation I discover many people have reported the same issue with the Q8 and Q9 models, it is known as the Dirty Screen Effect (DSE), so I believe it is clearly a design flaw.

I am not happy to put up with this on a new TV as I notice it every single time I use it and it is very distracting so I contacted RGB Direct to see what my options were, I am still within 30 days - just.
I was told I would need to return the item myself (its a 2 man lift in a huge box and wont fit in car, a courier would cost a fortune too) at my expense and they would test it, if I wanted to exchange it for a different model I would have to pay a 10% charge "return to stock fee" (£210) as they dont consider this to be a fault and it is allegedly common on all TV's, I dont agree, there are specific video tests online for this exact issue on this exact model and many threads in forums complaining of this issue for the Q9's.

I really feel that they are avoiding my legal rights as I firmly believe this TV has an issue and is of unsatisfactory quality, why should I have to pay out extra to resolve an issue with a product that has a flaw? They are making it very hard for me to return it or at least very costly, the closest store is over 100 miles away.

If it gave a clear image as you'd expect from a new premium TV I wouldnt be wanting to return it, is this covered by the Consumer Rights Act as its not satisfactory quality? What are my options?

Thx in advance for any help

mattyprice4004

While they may want to test the item, if it's faulty they must cover all expenses associated with the return.

A courier isn't too expensive - at 180cm x 130cm x 20cm (rough dimensions for a 65" unit) and just under 30KG, Parcel2Go is showing £35 for ParcelForce.

They do have a right to test the item before refunding you, but it sounds like it is indeed faulty. It may help your argument if you can get a local 'expert' (TV repair man etc) to write a report saying the TV is indeed faulty.