Currys....problems with my 42" TV

[burrie]

Hi was wanting to know if anyone has had similar problem.We purchased a philips 42" lcd tv from currys in january.We have just noticed that the front casing is seperating from the lcd screen(a gap has appeared all round the set)After contacting tech team they arranged for a engineer to call.He phoned us on the day he was to come out and told us that he has had similar problems with other customers and the fault cannot be fixed.Philips have accepted that its a manufacturing problem but have no solution at the moment.He reffered us back to the shop.They told us that they have had similar problems with other customers but as far as Philips are concerned it is not a set fault but cosmetic.I have contacted currys customer services head office but they say that they are unaware of the problem and will look into it.I know from experience with currys that this means tough.... I will just have to put up or shut up.........The shop are still selling these tv's so be warned.The model no is Philips 42pf5421 lcd.£1000.00.Anybody have any ideas where I can go with this?
Thanks.

[MARTIN3030]

Welcome to the site.
I think this is best answered in the main Consumer forum.
I will move it there for you now.

[MARTIN3030]

I would definitely get my local Trading standards involved.
If they are still selling these TVs I would ask themif they are prepared to go with you and see for themselves.
Good thing to keep a record of ALL communications you have with Currys.
TS will want copies of anything you have too.
Keep us updated on this.

[burrie]

Thanks for the info and moving the thread.I have had currys on to me today saying that they have had so many complaints about this that they will resolve the matter in 7-10 days whatever that means........
I will keep u updated

[LivingForever]

Wow, I have the same TV with exactly the same problem!

I can cope with the fascia coming away but it seems to cause the backlight to get brighter in the corners where it's coming away, which isn't acceptable.

I'm on my second one now which seems okay so far (touch wood) but Curry's agreed it was faulty and replaced it so you should be able to do the same!

James

[voodoo1102]

I work on the customer service desk of a Currys store, and I've come across a couple of these Philips TV with dodgy fascias. I don't know if it's just a bad batch we've had into our main warehouse, or if it's a manufacturing defect on the model. I know how messed up Currys returns policy is - it's extremely difficult for us as normal staff members to actually resolve issues like this. The company requires us to report faults like this to the manufacturer, who then either a) advise us to book an engineer, either through them or through our own engineer service, or b) give us an exchange authority number.

This exchange number is the manufacturer's permission to return the TV to them, whereupon they reimburse the company for the stock price of the TV. Which is pretty much what Currys policy boils down to. We'll give you your money back or exchange the TV, but only if it doesn't leave us out-of-pocket. And believe me, I don't like that any more than the customers do. I'm the poor sap getting shouted at and threatened, for minimum wage, whilst the policy makers sit in the Ivory Tower at head office.

I got put on a disciplinary recently for exchanging a TV for a customer, a month or two outside of its 12month warranty - the TV cost the guy £1800, and our repair centre wanted to charge him £900 to get it repaired...a 14 month old TV! I didn't know at the time they wanted to charge him - I did the exchange because our repair centre had failed to repair the TV within our 28 promise on repairs (which I was told doesn't count for Out-Of-Warranty repairs). You'd think they'd be happier with the customer spending more money with us, rather than going through the courts and what-not...

As for our central Customer Service dept. being unaware of the problem, this could be true - half the time they don't know the companies own policy, let alone anything else. If you speak to anyone there, get their name and team number if they have one.

Going back to the original point - the Philips seems to be a bit dodgy. I'd be wary of buying one myself, but fingers crossed for the posters here. Hopefully the OPs TV has been exchanged, and the poster above me doesn't have any problem with his.

[burrie]

Hi finally I have had some good news about my tv.The tech guys who repair the tv's for currys eventually after a lot of persuasion and persistance on my part agreed to order me a new casing which they did.They picked up my tv 2 weeks ago and returned today with the replacement casing which they had fitted.You wont beleive it when I tell u that the tv still had the same fault as originally.They had told me that philips where ordering a different case which would solve the problem but they didnt they just ordered the same one.I refused to accept the delivery and away they went with my tv.The engineer told me that he had just picked up the same set as mine before he came to me from another customer with the same fault.You couldnt make this up if you tried how incompetent this outfit are.Anyway i contacted customer services at currys at let rip.The customer services agent could not beleive how this had happened and how long it had been dragging on for.He contacted the shop where I purchased the set from and finally the manager agreed to let me exchange the set for another.He could have done this 3 months ago and saved us all a lot of heartache.Anyway our new set comes on sunday an LG 42" plasma.Fingers crossed we dont get any probs with this one.A word of warning to anyone thinking of going to currys to buy a new tv.BEWARE of Philips tv's.This is the second philips i have had bother with funally enough both bought from currys.Im either very unlucky or there is a lesson to learn here.(philips do not consider Cosmetic faults with your set as a fault even after they had admitted that it was Faulty.Work that one out if you can cause i cant.Anyway got there in the end thanks to all who posted replys your advice helped big time
Cheers
Burrie.

[indebtstudent]

Unrelated perhaps but I know of at least one person who is taking them to court because they refused a refund. The call centre staff seemed unaware of the sale of goods act. Astonishing...