£1500 Laptop - Now faulty 13 months after purchase

cx6

Until we know the fault then there is no way of knowing what the best route will be.

prowla

Manxman_in_exile said:

But wouldn't the OP still be following exactly the course I have suggested?  So far all that has happened is that HP have said it's out of warranty - the OP so far as I know hasn't told them he's claiming under the legislation.  (That's why he's come here asking what to do).

When he tells them that, there is a possibility (albeit faint) that HP might accept it's an inherent fault and give him a remedy anyway.  If they don't accept it, he can then decide whether to go down the route of getting an independent report or not.

In my view, so long as the independent report says that there is no evidence of the OP having caused the damage, then it would be up to HP to demonstrate that it wasn't an inherent fault.  I think they would find that very difficult to do if there is no evidence that the OP caused the fault.

I don't see that the nature of the fault affects what action the OP takes.  Whatever the nature of the fault he shouldn't be paying to have a 13 month old laptop repaired.  (It might affect the outcome but it doesn't affect what the OP needs to do - ie challenge HP under the legislation).

What I don't understand from yesterday is that several posters seemed to be suggesting that because HP had told the OP that it was out of warranty, that therefore the OP should consider paying for a repair himself.  WHAT? 

I don't think anybody had spelled out for him to go down the route of the Consumer Rights Act.  (Although I'm happy to be correctd on that point.)

Some people might describe an OS issue, for example a failed update, as a "fault which makes the laptop unusable"; without the clarification, nobody can advise on the correct route to take.

cx6

Yes, or it could be a broken CD drive tray or USB port which could be argued the OP caused. 

More info is required before we can advise.

Alderbank

Repair guys will tell you that often the problem is neither hardware nor software but the wetware (the human being prodding the keys).
I was convinced that the camera on my new laptop was faulty. Nothing I did could get it to work. I read all the how-to guides, checked the BIOS, re-installed the drivers, checked Windows Systems settings, etc., without success.
Finally I rang the manufacturer. They directed me to the button on the top row with a picture of a camera...

Phantom151

Alderbank said:

Repair guys will tell you that often the problem is neither hardware nor software but the wetware (the human being prodding the keys).
I was convinced that the camera on my new laptop was faulty. Nothing I did could get it to work. I read all the how-to guides, checked the BIOS, re-installed the drivers, checked Windows Systems settings, etc., without success.
Finally I rang the manufacturer. They directed me to the button on the top row with a picture of a camera...

Don't get me started on whichever idiot decided to put a tiny switch on the front or side that turns the wi-fi off...

MattMattMattUK

Alderbank said:

Repair guys will tell you that often the problem is neither hardware nor software but the wetware (the human being prodding the keys).

I've also heard that part of the system referred to as "the meat". 

Alderbank said:

I was convinced that the camera on my new laptop was faulty. Nothing I did could get it to work. I read all the how-to guides, checked the BIOS, re-installed the drivers, checked Windows Systems settings, etc., without success.
Finally I rang the manufacturer. They directed me to the button on the top row with a picture of a camera...

At least you actually followed the instructions, often what makes these situations even worse is the person with the "broken" system refuses to follow the instructions properly from tech support. 

photome

Alderbank said:

Repair guys will tell you that often the problem is neither hardware nor software but the wetware (the human being prodding the keys).
I was convinced that the camera on my new laptop was faulty. Nothing I did could get it to work. I read all the how-to guides, checked the BIOS, re-installed the drivers, checked Windows Systems settings, etc., without success.
Finally I rang the manufacturer. They directed me to the button on the top row with a picture of a camera...

Wonder if that’s what’s wrong with mine 😂. I have tried all of the above except a camera button.

although the laptop has been doctored and bits added/ subtracted so just assumed that’s why it didn’t work after trying reloading etc

isplumm

Alderbank said:

Repair guys will tell you that often the problem is neither hardware nor software but the wetware (the human being prodding the keys).
I was convinced that the camera on my new laptop was faulty. Nothing I did could get it to work. I read all the how-to guides, checked the BIOS, re-installed the drivers, checked Windows Systems settings, etc., without success.
Finally I rang the manufacturer. They directed me to the button on the top row with a picture of a camera...

Hi

I had a similar issue - could not get the camera to work on my work laptop - spend ages googling it - lots of calls with helpdesk - no joy - eventually 3rd line support called me - the first thing he said to me - have you removed the privacy cover - boy did I feel an idiot!! 
Mark

Manxman_in_exile

So long as the OP has not damaged the laptop and thus caused the fault, I don't see what difference the nature of the fault makes as to what action the OP takes.

The action the OP takes is to go to HP and tell them he is not relying on their warranty, he is relying on his stautory consumer rights.  The laptop is not of satisfactory quality as it is self evident that a £1500 piece of kit needs to last longer than 13 months.

If HP are quite happy to accept that it is perfectly reasonable for one of their laptops to only last for 13 months before kicking the bucket and they want the OP to get an independent report, then the OP can do so.

Faced with having paid £1500 for a laptop that fails after only 13 months the OP really only has two options: the first is to complain initially to HP under the Consumer Rights Act that the product is not of satisfactory quality, as evidenced by its early failure, and if HP want an independent report then the OP can decide then whether it's worth getting one.  The second appears to be either to pay for a repair himself  or to rely on HP's goodwill for an out of warranty repair. 

Who* would choose to pay for the repair himself or rely on goodwill from HP before challenging HP under the Consumer Rights Act?

It doesn't matter what the nature of the fault is - you raise it with the retailer before you do anything else.


*Amazingly someone on page one did say:  "Send it back to HP for out of warranty repair. It seems to be a fixed price.  Ask for a goodwill payment towards it as it is not that old."  Don't do that - use your statutory consumer rights.

Phantom151

Manxman_in_exile said:

So long as the OP has not damaged the laptop and thus caused the fault, I don't see what difference the nature of the fault makes as to what action the OP takes.

The action the OP takes is to go to HP and tell them he is not relying on their warranty, he is relying on his stautory consumer rights.  The laptop is not of satisfactory quality as it is self evident that a £1500 piece of kit needs to last longer than 13 months.

If HP are quite happy to accept that it is perfectly reasonable for one of their laptops to only last for 13 months before kicking the bucket and they want the OP to get an independent report, then the OP can do so.

Faced with having paid £1500 for a laptop that fails after only 13 months the OP really only has two options: the first is to complain initially to HP under the Consumer Rights Act that the product is not of satisfactory quality, as evidenced by its early failure, and if HP want an independent report then the OP can decide then whether it's worth getting one.  The second appears to be either to pay for a repair himself  or to rely on HP's goodwill for an out of warranty repair. 

Who* would choose to pay for the repair himself or rely on goodwill from HP before challenging HP under the Consumer Rights Act?

It doesn't matter what the nature of the fault is - you raise it with the retailer before you do anything else.


*Amazingly someone on page one did say:  "Send it back to HP for out of warranty repair. It seems to be a fixed price.  Ask for a goodwill payment towards it as it is not that old."  Don't do that - use your statutory consumer rights.

The whole point is that the onus is on the OP to prove that the fault is not down to something they have done though.

It would help if we knew what the fault is. Half a dead screen is somewhat different to a camera not working due to a settings change.