PayPal dispute - help or advise urgently required!!!!!!!!!!

podonn1

Can anyone help or advise the best course of action please!!!

I sold a Dell laptop on Ebay at the end of July sent it off and the buyer received it OK, I have recently come back from a 3 week holiday to find that the buyer had filed a dispute via PayPal claiming that the laptop was not working properly. The dispute was closed in the claimants favour after 10 days without any input from myself (I was on holiday throughout the entire period and was therefore unable to reply!!).
PayPal are now asking for the monies (some £400!!) and the laptop is still in the hands of the buyer (he has so far not replied to my emails!). I know he is not on holiday because he is still buying goods on Ebay.
Furthermore, he had sent me an email (whilst I was on holiday) stating that he
"tried to install a wireless modem/router but after trying for about 8 hours yesterday i failed to get it to work with the laptop "

Therefore I am pretty sure he would have invalidated the Dell warranty.
I am currently stuck in a situation where PayPal are requesting I pay the money for a ‘closed’ dispute I had no prior knowledge of, or input in. A buyer who has kept hold of the laptop after PayPal has ruled in his favour and is not replying to emails. Even if he returns the laptop I will not be able to sell it again as new as he has used it and claims the CD writer is throwing out error messages.

Basically, does anyone know my rights in this type of situation? Can I refuse to pay PayPal and if so what chances do I have of succeeding?

The buyer claims the laptop was not in new condition…it was, and I have the Dell receipt to in someway prove it was (i.e. it was only a few days old when he received it). He additionally claimed that there was no warranty, this was sent under separate postage/email from Dell and I had not transferred it over before I had gone on holiday.

If anyone has any advise I would be very grateful!

danmanchester

Phone Paypal 0870 7307191 you might get a better response than those infuriating automated emails.

bleugh

basically, 'oh sh@t' i'd say here

the buyer clearly knows he can get the laptop free here, he's working the paypal system
keep ALL his emails, keep his address and phone number details on record, this unfortunatley may require a visit to him to get your goods and / or money

this is why i'll NEVER accept paypal for expensive (>£30 or so) items, its too easy to get screwed

https://www.paypalwarning.com
https://www.paypalsucks.com
https://www.aboutpaypal.org

you can try to tell paypal and forward them all the dell details
(i'm presuming that you bought these new a couple of months ago in their double discount offers)
paypal may then accept the unit was brand new and rule in your favour

emsil/ fax them ALL dell's emails for your invoices
email all pictures of the laptop
get an email / printed letter from dell linking the service tag to your invoice / order
paypal will hopefully then see it was brand new and the buyer is taking the pee

good luck, you'll need it

5bellies_2

He would not have invalidated the Dell warranty by trying to install a wireless modem/router as it's an external device.

If Paypal have reversed the transaction, then the buyer has to return the item to you or at least make the laptop available for collection - if they do not then it is theft.

You easiest solution to this is to send a recorded delivery letter to their address stating that if your property is not returned within XX days then the laptop will be reported stolen and a complaint will be made to the Police.

In the best case, you'll get the laptop back but you'll lose a few quid on postage charges. In the worst case, you'll have to issue a small claims procedure to recover your money.

Either way, it's going to cost you time and money to sort this out.

kirstyreanne

Have Paypal actually taken the money from your Paypal account? If not, do you have anything in there?

podonn1

PayPal have not actually taken money from my account, at this stage they are requesting that I add funds as I have a negative balance of £410 - the cost incl P&P of the laptop.
I have heard that if I do not pay they simply pass my 'debt' over to a debt collection agency, the thought of which does not exactly fill me with joy!

PS Thanks to everyone for there help & advice to date...it is greatly apprecaited!