Warranty return terms [Lenovo]

SmallHat56

Hi,

Almost a year ago I bought a laptop online from Lenovo. At first a couple of the keys would occasionally need to be pressed twice to respond and I thought nothing nof it. Eventually a large subset of the keys stopped responding entirely. The laptop is still under warranty but only for a few days.

Lenovo agreed to receive the laptop for repair but their return process is quite convoluted, skip if not relevant: Lenovo suipport contact the Lenovo Depot UK (who appear to be a third party flex dot com) and they email me a FedEx label and insturctions on how use FedEx UK's website and book a collection. It is then my job to book a collection (no idea what the time window is here) and FedEx UK then collect from me either the next business day or the one after that. It's probably the worst system I have ever interacted with.

FedEx emailed me to say they would collect on a certain day and they never did. I emailed "LenovoUKDepot" who sent me the FedEx label and got no reply. I emailed Lenovo customer support and they want me to book another delivery date. I am of the view that I should not be expected to lose one or more extra day's work to return a faulty item. I have asked for a drop-off option and they have refused. I have asked for a weekend collection and they have refused. I have asked to send the laptop to the UK depot myself (not ideal I know) and they have refused. I feel like they are not making a reasonable effort to honour their warranty, but I am unsure how to proceed.

Would prefer a refund at this stage but think it unlikely. Would greatly appreciate any advice or opinions on this, broad or wide.

Aylesbury_Duck

Since you're trying to return it under warranty, your rights are described in the warranty terms and conditions.  What do they say about the return process, and is Lenovo abiding by them?  What resolution do they offer in these situations, assuming you get it back to them?

Warranty rights are different to your consumer rights.  You could exercise your consumer rights instead, but Lenovo might ask you to jump through a few hoops to do so.

SmallHat56

I think the relevant section of the warranty is this:

D.1. Depot Service: If a problem with your product cannot be resolved via telephone or through the use of a CRU, your product will be repaired or replaced at a designated service center. You are responsible for disconnecting the product and packing it in the shipping container along with any other parts or information required by Lenovo, and return product to the designated service center. Shipping expenses will be paid by the Service Provider. Upon resolution, Lenovo will ship the product at your registered location. You will be liable for the cost of any parts not packaged and mailed with the product. 

The wording to me suggests I should be able to send it to the service centre myself, without having to go through their chosen courier?

born_again

SmallHat56 said:

I think the relevant section of the warranty is this:

D.1. Depot Service: If a problem with your product cannot be resolved via telephone or through the use of a CRU, your product will be repaired or replaced at a designated service center. You are responsible for disconnecting the product and packing it in the shipping container along with any other parts or information required by Lenovo, and return product to the designated service center. Shipping expenses will be paid by the Service Provider. Upon resolution, Lenovo will ship the product at your registered location. You will be liable for the cost of any parts not packaged and mailed with the product. 

The wording to me suggests I should be able to send it to the service centre myself, without having to go through their chosen courier?

If you do, then make sure you take out enough cover & that laptops are covered for this. In case it gets lost or never arrives.

RefluentBeans

SmallHat56 said:

I think the relevant section of the warranty is this:

D.1. Depot Service: If a problem with your product cannot be resolved via telephone or through the use of a CRU, your product will be repaired or replaced at a designated service center. You are responsible for disconnecting the product and packing it in the shipping container along with any other parts or information required by Lenovo, and return product to the designated service center. Shipping expenses will be paid by the Service Provider. Upon resolution, Lenovo will ship the product at your registered location. You will be liable for the cost of any parts not packaged and mailed with the product. 

The wording to me suggests I should be able to send it to the service centre myself, without having to go through their chosen courier?

Can you not arrange for delivery from a neighbour or from your work? 

Or ask for the postal address to send it to, but it may be an international address (as I know, for example, Apples Repair Depot is in Europe). As said before, be sure to select the right cover as if you ship it yourself and it gets lost/further damaged it’s on you to claim for it. 

SmallHat56

RefluentBeans said:

SmallHat56 said:

I think the relevant section of the warranty is this:

D.1. Depot Service: If a problem with your product cannot be resolved via telephone or through the use of a CRU, your product will be repaired or replaced at a designated service center. You are responsible for disconnecting the product and packing it in the shipping container along with any other parts or information required by Lenovo, and return product to the designated service center. Shipping expenses will be paid by the Service Provider. Upon resolution, Lenovo will ship the product at your registered location. You will be liable for the cost of any parts not packaged and mailed with the product. 

The wording to me suggests I should be able to send it to the service centre myself, without having to go through their chosen courier?

Can you not arrange for delivery from a neighbour or from your work? 

Or ask for the postal address to send it to, but it may be an international address (as I know, for example, Apples Repair Depot is in Europe). As said before, be sure to select the right cover as if you ship it yourself and it gets lost/further damaged it’s on you to claim for it. 

No, I'm not able to do either of those. As for the address, I have asked and they have refused, saying
[quote]Unfortunately we would not be able to accommodate that request as the transportation is handled solely by the courier service. [/quote]
Which to me doesn't even particularly mean anything. They don't seem to have a separate complaints department to escalate things to. 

I may have to bite the bullet and lose another weekday, because if it goes on any longer I'm worried they will start saying the warranty is expired, even though I believe they are already not acting according to its terms.

RefluentBeans

SmallHat56 said:

RefluentBeans said:

SmallHat56 said:

I think the relevant section of the warranty is this:

D.1. Depot Service: If a problem with your product cannot be resolved via telephone or through the use of a CRU, your product will be repaired or replaced at a designated service center. You are responsible for disconnecting the product and packing it in the shipping container along with any other parts or information required by Lenovo, and return product to the designated service center. Shipping expenses will be paid by the Service Provider. Upon resolution, Lenovo will ship the product at your registered location. You will be liable for the cost of any parts not packaged and mailed with the product. 

The wording to me suggests I should be able to send it to the service centre myself, without having to go through their chosen courier?

Can you not arrange for delivery from a neighbour or from your work? 

Or ask for the postal address to send it to, but it may be an international address (as I know, for example, Apples Repair Depot is in Europe). As said before, be sure to select the right cover as if you ship it yourself and it gets lost/further damaged it’s on you to claim for it. 

No, I'm not able to do either of those. As for the address, I have asked and they have refused, saying
[quote]Unfortunately we would not be able to accommodate that request as the transportation is handled solely by the courier service. [/quote]
Which to me doesn't even particularly mean anything. They don't seem to have a separate complaints department to escalate things to. 

I may have to bite the bullet and lose another weekday, because if it goes on any longer I'm worried they will start saying the warranty is expired, even though I believe they are already not acting according to its terms.

I don’t think it’s unreasonable to ask for you to send the product off to them. I appreciate its frustrating. I’m not sure how you think they’re not acting called into their terms. Make a complaint and see what comes from it.