iphone fault, returned to MPD, they couldn't replicate so returned phone with fault. what do i do ?

pcste

I have an iphone XS (as new), bought from Mobile Phones Direct last December.
the phone was fine for a couple of months then started with a screen fault.
screen ghosting, typing letters on its own, opening apps on its own, typing wrong letters, even rung people on its own (when screen unlocked)

I tried updating software, removing apps, resetting , but still the fault continued.
it got so bad that it took ages to be able to type my password in to reset it.
i then searched the internet and found that the iphone XS suffered from  this issue when the battery started to get warm on some phones...and that when the phone first came out. apple
would repair the phone for free.
I turned the phone off for a while and the fault went away for a short time, then came back the longer the phone was on.
So i rung MPD and told them of the issue,  i was told to send it back for mending or replacement.
i was told it would take 10 days from them receiving the phone to return it.

it took 9 weeks!!! after about 6 weeks they said they couldnt replicate fault so was returning it to me.
they sent it back without informing me. i wasnt in, so it went back to MPD. then took several more weeks to come back again.

during the time they had the phone, i emailed them to ask who was their ombudsman? what were their complaints procedure, and what is the procedure if they send my phone back with same fault? i even asked if i could get it mended at an apple bar and send them the bill?
ive had no replies.

So what do i do now?
do i risk sending it back again and wait for possibly another 9 weeks for it to be returned broken again?
what are my rights?
currently ive paid for an iphone thats useless.

Mark_d

MPD couldn't replicate the replicate the fault.  Is there a fault or could your issue be caused by something you have...maybe you've been using the phone in a specific phone case, or maybe you have a magnetic ring on your finger that causes the strange behaviour etc?

Maybe an Apple dealer can identify fault for you?  You might have to pay but you could then try to claim costs back from MPD if you can prove the the phone really was faulty.