Western Digital / Sandisk RMA Process has failed me

RS2OOO

Hi,

I hope someone can advise me what my next steps should be in this situation.

I purchased a Sandisk SSD Hard Drive for £178 which is the main boot drive for my computer. It died within the warranty period. Sandisk is now under the Western Digital Umbrella.

I submitted an RMA request on 18th January 2023, received shipping label and posted the drive off to a Czech WD warehouse address.

On 28th January I received confirmation the drive was unrepairable and my warranty request was approved with the notification a replacement drive will be dispatched that same day, or within the next 2 working days.

6th February I chased having not heard anything and was told there were some delays but the drive would be dispatched within the next week.

A cycle of chasing, excuses and being told the drive was being dispatched shortly continued through to 14th March when I received notification they were merging their Sandisk RMA website to the main WD website and I'd have to re-sign up to check the RMA  status. When I signed up I noticed all previous correspondance was gone, but the RMA is still showing as approved and awaiting dispatch.

A few more phonecalls chasing over the next few weeks, as well as submitting a formal complaint. I received various excuses in response, and the promise that my complaint had been escalated and my priority status was at the highest level for fast dispatch.

On 11th April I received another email saying the RMA process had been paused whilst all their resources are put into dealing with a service outage (They were very publicly hacked).

I raised another complaint on 21st April and haven't received any response since.

My Computer has been without a Hard Drive for almost 4 Months now. (I do have a spare PC, so not the end of the world).

I don't even know where to start with what to do next - WD are always polite and apologetic on the phone with promises the replacement drive will be sent out soon, but nothing happens.

Is there anywhere outside of WD where I can report this in the hope of getting a resolution?

Thanks for reading.

Alderbank

Who did you purchase the SSD from and how did you pay?

What date did you buy it and receive it?

RS2OOO

Alderbank said:

Who did you purchase the SSD from and how did you pay?

What date did you buy it and receive it?

It was purchased from Maplins before they closed down.
Paid by Debit Card.
Purchased July 2017 - The SSD had a 10 year warranty which I registered with Sandisk / Western Digital on the day of purchase.
I still had the receipt which of course matched the day I registered the warranty so WD accepted this as proof of purchase.

Alderbank

Sandisk was already WD when you bought your drive. WD bought them in 2015.

WD do lots of different warranties.
https://www.westerndigital.com/en-gb/support/store/warranty-policy
Which one is yours?

RS2OOO

Alderbank said:

Sandisk was already WD when you bought your drive. WD bought them in 2015.

WD do lots of different warranties.
https://www.westerndigital.com/en-gb/support/store/warranty-policy
Which one is yours?

The standard SanDisk warranty (not the SanDisk professional warranty).

WD have not disputed the validity of the warranty and have approved the warranty replacement, the status of which is "awaiting dispatch".

They just haven't dispatched it and each time I contact them they make promises that it will be dispatched as priority, but it never happens.

I have done some research and believe I know the real reason why it hasn't been dispatched, but that reason is not my concern.

My concern is that 4 months is an unreasonable wait for a warranty replacement and I would welcome some advice on what action I might be able to take to speed it up.

Is there a regulatory body I can send a complaint to etc?

Manxman_in_exile

There is no regulatory body.

The warranty might constitute a legally enforceable contract under which you could sue whoever the warranty is with - if they haven't complied with it.

Partly comes down to what the terms of the warranty are, who it's with, and whether it's subject to UK law.

You might have a problem with the 6 year limitation period fast approaching.  I'm not sure if the limitation period would commence from the date of registration of the warranty or from the date when they breached it.

Shirker_Bee

Just go an buy another SSD. They are cheap enough. 

When your WD issue a replacement you will have a hot spare. 

RS2OOO

Out of the blue and with no further correspondance from WD the warranty replacement SSD arrived today.

4 Months since the RMA was opened!

Manxman_in_exile

So it took a while but they honoured the ten year warranty.

Good for them.   (Although 4 months is a long time to wait...)