Lenovo Laptop - Rights To Know Cause of Problem Under Warranty

mike_302

I am wondering what my consumer rights are, as an owner of a new Lenovo laptop with a potential hardware problem.
I have on-site warranty support, and am still in the first year of warranty, although I purchased an extended warranty -- up to 2 years total.
I contacted Lenovo about a problem, and briefly explained the troubleshooting I conducted, but they immediately decided to arrange on-site support (and they secretly arranged a new motherboard to be delivered to me). The phone support tech has continued communicating with me by email. When I found out about the replacement motherboard that was delivered, he said the on-site tech would do troubleshooting on-site, replace the motherboard if he needed, and all would be sorted. However, the on-site tech says he doesn't do any real troubleshooting, and his responsibility is solely to install the part that Lenovo sent to me.

My main concern is for either of these possibilities:
(1) Lenovo knows of an inherent hardware problem with this laptop build; in particular, they are finding that the laptop gets too hot and burns out a weak motherboard component. Lenovo would rather just replace a part a few times than fundamentally fix the problem at greater cost. Or less nefariously, (2).
(2) Lenovo replaces the hardware component and I never know what causes the hardware failure in the first place, potentially causing it to recur -- either inside or outside the warranty term.

What consumer rights do I have for Lenovo to identify the cause of a hardware problem?

BoGoF

Did you buy direct from Lenovo?

If not, you have zero customer rights with them and are bound by the warranty terms.

Your consumer rights are with the retailer.

And for the avoidance of doubt - was this a business purchase. Just with the reference to on site support.

mike_302

For clarification: Bought direct from Lenovo. Purchased early October, and it was delivered late October.

And it was a personal purchase, not a business purchase.

mike_302

So if I bought direct from Lenovo, and it's for personal purposes; what are my rights in such a case?

I've just read a long Lenovo forum thread (70 posts over 4 years) which shows this is a multi-generational laptop issue that hasn't had much troubleshooting luck. Many people around the world have had the same problem on different Lenovo machines since 2015, and Lenovo replaces their motherboard -- sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Clearly Lenovo has no idea what's going on. Other people in the Lenovo threads seem to give up after 1 motherboard replacement -- I don't want Lenovo to win that easily though. Either I get a laptop that works properly, or I get my money back and I go elsewhere. Likelihood of that now?

LilElvis

They have the right to repair - if that fails then you look at requesting a refund.

mike_302

Thanks.

In that "right to repair" process, do / don't they need to tell me what the issue is?

Then finally, can you help me understand the "you look at requesting a refund" option? I have only been able to satisfy myself that this is an option within 30 days of purchase, with an unopened box -- so if it's still a consumer right for an unfixable product, within the first year, then I'm hoping to get that background information.

Cheers

davidmcn

mike_302 wrote: »

In that "right to repair" process, do / don't they need to tell me what the issue is?

It's the other way round - the onus is on you to prove that it's an inherent fault. You have no right to be told what (if anything) they know about e.g. design problems.

mike_302

OK, fair. So the way forward, as I understand it:
1. Let the on-site tech replace the motherboard and see if it fixes the problem.
2. If it does not fix the problem, or it recurs within the warranty period, "look at requesting a refund"

It's that "look at requesting a refund" process I would like to know a bit more about (as per my last post -- it's not laziness on my part; it's a problem getting past return rights beyond 30 days, when Lenovo's "right to repair" is used up)

wealdroam

mike_302 wrote: »

It's that "look at requesting a refund" process I would like to know a bit more about (as per my last post -- it's not laziness on my part; it's a problem getting past return rights beyond 30 days, when Lenovo's "right to repair" is used up)

Have a look at Sections 19 - 24 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015.

In there you will see that after one repair, if the thing fails again you have the right to reject the goods for a refund - which may be reduced to take account of the use you have had.

Unfortunately the waters appear to have been muddied by the first repair being apparently carried out under warranty rather than consumer rights.

unholyangel

mike_302 wrote: »

Thanks.

In that "right to repair" process, do / don't they need to tell me what the issue is?

Then finally, can you help me understand the "you look at requesting a refund" option? I have only been able to satisfy myself that this is an option within 30 days of purchase, with an unopened box -- so if it's still a consumer right for an unfixable product, within the first year, then I'm hoping to get that background information.

Cheers

For peace of mind, why not ask lenovo if you will be entitled to a refund in line with the consumer rights act if you agree to the repair and either the repair doesn't fix the issue or a new (inherent) problem presents itself?

The reason I suggest this is because sometimes its the path of least resistance - getting them to adhere to something they agreed to. They've been trained in customer service. What they haven't been trained in is law. So more likely to understand one than the other.

davidmcn wrote: »

It's the other way round - the onus is on you to prove that it's an inherent fault. You have no right to be told what (if anything) they know about e.g. design problems.

I think its a moot point as OP doesn't seem to have indicated lenovo are disputing its inherent.....but the OP said its still within the first year and was delivered October - meaning they're still within the first 6 months and its for the retailer to prove the fault isn't inherent (if they dispute that the goods fail to conform) rather than the OP to prove it is.

mike_302

Thanks both.

Those section of the consumer rights act were exactly what I needed! I will use your advice accordingly.