FAO Lefty :D (you seem to be the guru lol)

[JustaTest]

Quick and easy here:

Got a laptop, had it a month (hp agreement signed on the 29th, so just over actually), dont wanna take it back as its a decent deal as i plan on paying the full amount in about 2 months (cheapest i can find my laptop online is 600 and thats with a smaller hd, 750 from bh, so 800ish after 2-3 months, sounds good 2 me in desperate times ). I have osc and dlc cover, i left these on incase of problems during the first months and planned on removing them if there wasnt any :/ . Reading your posts tho they will definatly be removed now as it doesnt seem to make a difference.

Now today, my laptop will no longer work without the power connector plugged in and i have no idea why, (everything else is fine) but obviously this is unacceptable.
All i want to know is can i ask for a direct replacement?
Or do i really have to go thru all this cack of getting it repaired and it taking a good month?
The reason i ask is cuz i want as little downtime as possible. I can use it plugged in, i am right now, all i want to clarify is can i demand a direct replacement (maybe after its been looked at by them or whatever) or do i HAVE TO allow them to repair it?

Thanks in advance

[Lefty]

Originally Posted by JustaTest

Quick and easy here:

Got a laptop, had it a month (hp agreement signed on the 29th, so just over actually), dont wanna take it back as its a decent deal as i plan on paying the full amount in about 2 months (cheapest i can find my laptop online is 600 and thats with a smaller hd, 750 from bh, so 800ish after 2-3 months, sounds good 2 me in desperate times ). I have osc and dlc cover, i left these on incase of problems during the first months and planned on removing them if there wasnt any :/ . Reading your posts tho they will definatly be removed now as it doesnt seem to make a difference.

Now today, my laptop will no longer work without the power connector plugged in and i have no idea why, (everything else is fine) but obviously this is unacceptable.
All i want to know is can i ask for a direct replacement?
Or do i really have to go thru all this cack of getting it repaired and it taking a good month?
The reason i ask is cuz i want as little downtime as possible. I can use it plugged in, i am right now, all i want to clarify is can i demand a direct replacement (maybe after its been looked at by them or whatever) or do i HAVE TO allow them to repair it?

Thanks in advance

Hi. And welcome to CAG.

Not sure about the Guru thing...

Firstly, I think I'd cut down on the medication slightly if you think your laptop from BrightHouse is a decent deal! LOL. Even if you do pay the agreement off early, you'll STILL end up paying a huge chunk in interest on the settlement figure!

Secondly, the laptop you are hiring (with an option to purchase) is subject to THE SUPPLY OF GOODS (IMPLIED TERMS) ACT 1973, and the "implied terms" contained within it are the same as those found in the SALE OF GOODS ACT.

As you have had the goods for longer than a month, I think it is fair to say you have "accepted" them, so therefore you cannot simply reject them. BrightHouse have a duty to repair, replace or refund (in that order) whichever offers the least inconvienience to you, and is most practical - exactly the same as if you had purchased the goods outright at, say, PC World. The £5.95 a week you are currently paying in Optional Service Cover is completely pointless, because these are your rights by law. (By the way, as I understand it, BrightHouse DO NOT supply loan equipment on laptops, so you're going to be without it for a while.)

However, by having taken Optional Service Cover, you DO have the opportunity to simply return the goods to BrightHouse (with no further financial penalty) and walk away. OK, you'll have lost out on a month of hire purchase payments - probably around £100 - but you could "take it on the chin" and look for a good cash deal elsewhere, and buy it with the money you were going to pay off the agreement with. You'll probably end up much better off.

Let us know what happens.


Cheers
Lefty

[Lefty]

...actually, having thought about this is a little, you'd be quite foolish in requesting a settlement figure (and paying the agreement off early) after only a few months. Here's what it says in your terms and conditions:

12 - EARLY SETTLEMENT
You may at any time settle all outstanding sums due under this Agreement, including those which would not be payable until later. You may be entitled to a rebate.

You MAY be entitled to a rebate!!!!

Remember, the outstanding sums due under the agreement include two years of interest at 29.9% APR!!!!!

If, in a couple of months time, you STILL think the laptop is a "decent deal" you would be better off just returning it (invoking your OSC policy) and then buying it back at their "cash price" as a "quality refurbished" product...

...Then again, you'll be shelling out around £700 for a "second hand" laptop with little (if any) protection under the Sale of Goods act!

Get you every time, don't they?


Cheers
Lefty

[patdavies]

Originally Posted by JustaTest

Now today, my laptop will no longer work without the power connector plugged in and i have no idea why, (everything else is fine) but obviously this is unacceptable.

On a technical note (as opposed to a Brighthouse note) this is usually because the battery is either not holding charge or is not properly inserted. Try re-seating it.

Batteries are considered consumable items on a laptop and are usually specced to last 12 - 18 months.

[Lefty]

Originally Posted by patdavies

On a technical note (as opposed to a Brighthouse note) this is usually because the battery is either not holding charge or is not properly inserted. Try re-seating it.

Batteries are considered consumable items on a laptop and are usually specced to last 12 - 18 months.

Good point, Patdavies!

In fact, once again referring to BrightHouse's terms and conditions, batteries are considered as "consumable" items. Of course, this should really apply to batteries in remote control unit for instance, but could - at a push - include laptop battery units.

Interesting note about BrightHouse and consumables:

I know of a case where a projection TV was refused a repair (within 7 months of purchase) where the "fault" was deemed to be with a "consumable" item - IE a projection lamp.

Now then, this particular TV was of the 3 lamp projection type (red, green, blue) and, although a lamp could be considered a consumable, there was no provision for the consumer to replace it. There were no instructions as how to carry out lamp replacement in the TV's manual, and on the back of the TV (in very bold letters) was:

NO USER SERVICABLE PARTS INSIDE. REFER ALL SERVICING TO A QUALIFIED TECHNICIAN

Of course, Trading Standards intervened and the TV was eventually repaired.


Cheers
Lefty