Timescales after complaint

Totalguitar2

I was in a big supermarket a few weeks back and wanted to use my phone to scan my loyalty card.  The checkout operator took the phone off me to scan the app but dropped my phone damaging the screen. The manager didn’t know how to handle the situation so I contacted head office by phone and got a reference number with a promise I would be contacted within 3 days. This didn’t happen. I rang again and was told the same thing but still no reply. I send in a letter before claim giving them 10 days to respond before I initiated court action and on the 11th day got an email saying my complaint was been looked at and they had 90 days to respond. Is this correct or should I continue to court. I feel I’m getting nowhere.   Thanks. 

davidmcn

Court action isn't likely to get far in 90 days either, given current backlogs. But no, there's no rule saying you must give them 90 days to respond, a court isn't likely to require more than a letter before action and say 14 days.

Spank

Take the phone to a repair shop & ask how much a new screen will cost (get a written quote) & go back to Tesco (either online or instore) and get them to cover the costs.

KatrinaWaves

How did this occur? They just came up and took your phone off you, or did you request assistance and give them your phone? 

Aylesbury_Duck

It's one of those things.  An accident. Presuming you gave them the phone rather than them forcibly taking it from you.

Court action...give me strength.  People complain about compensation culture because this is exactly the sort of nonsense that goes on.

They'll probably pay for your screen to be repaired as a matter of goodwill.  Just be patient. 

Totalguitar2

KatrinaWaves said:

How did this occur? They just came up and took your phone off you, or did you request assistance and give them your phone? 

I'd never used the app before and asked the checkout operator where to scan the code on my phone, she reached and took the phone off me saying she would do it.  I guess she was trying to help but the screen repair is over £300 and they must have public liability insurance I would have thought.

Totalguitar2

Aylesbury_Duck said:

It's one of those things.  An accident. Presuming you gave them the phone rather than them forcibly taking it from you.

Court action...give me strength.  People complain about compensation culture because this is exactly the sort of nonsense that goes on.

They'll probably pay for your screen to be repaired as a matter of goodwill.  Just be patient. 

Yes 100% an accident, the checkout operator simply dropped my phone.  Of course I don't want to take them to court but the repair by Apple is over £300 and why should I pay for them dropping my phone.

KatrinaWaves

Totalguitar2 said:

KatrinaWaves said:

How did this occur? They just came up and took your phone off you, or did you request assistance and give them your phone? 

I'd never used the app before and asked the checkout operator where to scan the code on my phone, she reached and took the phone off me saying she would do it.  I guess she was trying to help but the screen repair is over £300 and they must have public liability insurance I would have thought.

I’d probably be a bit more patient in the circumstances then. You’re currently threatening to take them to court because you asked for help because you were clueless and someone tried to help. Chill out. 

Aylesbury_Duck

Totalguitar2 said:

Aylesbury_Duck said:

It's one of those things.  An accident. Presuming you gave them the phone rather than them forcibly taking it from you.

Court action...give me strength.  People complain about compensation culture because this is exactly the sort of nonsense that goes on.

They'll probably pay for your screen to be repaired as a matter of goodwill.  Just be patient. 

Yes 100% an accident, the checkout operator simply dropped my phone.  Of course I don't want to take them to court but the repair by Apple is over £300 and why should I pay for them dropping my phone.

Firstly, I think you jumped the gun by threatening court action so early in the process.  It was an overreaction.  Secondly, it turned out to be an empty threat because you didn't initiate court action when they missed your deadline, as you said you would.  

Why don't you go to the store and ask to see the manager?  Ask him/her to speak to head office there and then.  The manager can vouch for the situation.  I suspect they'll ask you to get a couple of quotes for repair and once you have it done and present the receipt, they'll pay the lower of the quotes.  If you choose to get it repaired by Apple when an equivalent repair can be done elsewhere cheaper, then their payment will contribute to that.

Were_Doomed

Depending on the phone model, a 3rd party repair may void any Apple warranty and/or impact some functionality. (I'm think of the fingerprint sensor/home button issue).

Aylesbury_Duck

Agreed, hence "equivalent repair".