Absolutely crazy! Things are going backwards? Plasma tv @ currys!

[harmio]

Ok. So I spent £999 on a 37" plasma tv from Currys as a replacement for a previous faulty model from LG ( also from currys ). I bought this on Monday ( just gone ) ...The TV has built in freeview, and when you switch over to sky, you get the SOUND from the freeview channels playing underneath the sky sound, as if its leaking through ( making for a very annoying experience) .

So I assumed, OK I just take i tback. Apparently not, I need to get a panasonic engineer to CONFIRM the fault, as they cant prove it in store, and there is no freeview reception in store. . . .and then i can have a refund. This means I need a day off work, or someone to come and visit. . which I cant do for another week. This is crazy . Surely , I remember in the older days if a tv was faulty, within 4 days, you'd not think twice about taking it back. You'd take it, the manufacturer says ok, then you get a new one.

Am I wrong in assuming this?? I can understand if it was a bit longer , but no t4 days, surely not?

[Bookworm]

You don't need an engineer, and yes, you can take it back, after 4 days, it is reasonable to say you haven't accepted the goods as defined by SOGA.

HOWEVER!
Before you do that, can you follow through the instructions and different settings? I used to have the same problem, and all that was needed to solve the problems was switch some of the output cables around in a different configuration. I can't be more specific at is was a few years back, and we haven't had a problem since, and in fact, it's only your post that reminded me of it. So you might want to try that before going through the trouble of taking the TV back, and finding out that it wasn't the TV that was faulty after all.

[gyzmo]

The presumption is that, within the first six months, any fault existed at the time of sale, and it is for the seller to prove otherwise (you do not need to prove anything except to show the fault).

Sellers are allowed a reasonable opportunity to examine them and determine any fault. Tell them to either get a replacement or to refund the cost. But remember the emphasis here for you and Currys is reasonableness.

Alternatively, did you order this over the internet or by phone? If so the Distance Selling Regulations will apply, and you will have additional rights.

BTW, I have heard from those wonderful guys at Richer Sounds (No, I don't work for them!) that buying a TV with built-in freeview is a bad idea. The said:

1. the system is due to change and current freeview models will be obsolete (don't really understand this, but three different advisors said it. there you go.)
2. Having more "built in" stuff means more potential for things to go wrong - and affect the whole system of equipment.

No. 2 rings true to me. I would get your freeview separate.

I'm not an expert on TV's (and I'm not suggesting you are as daft as I am when it comes to these things), but could it be that it is not set up correctly? My TV, DVD, Video, set-top box (Virgin for my sins) are all interconnected, and I have experienced similar problems when the connections are not done properly, or when one particular item is on the wrong setting. Many a time have I played a DVD, watched TV but activated the Video and heard what was playing on that. But that's me!

[harmio]

I had thought that surely under the sale of goods act If I buy something and its not fit this soon, then I should get a replacement without hassle.

The thing is that the store manager is saying "we need to see the fault", and there is no freeview reception in the currys store for us to try the situation.

Also, we have thrown away the box ( my dad, dont ask why!!) .... but even so, this still seems absurd. But we have the receipt etc.
..

As for trying other configurations we have tried varying set ups, and have determined that even without anything connected, as soon as a scart lead is connected to any of the 2 AV inputs on the TV, ( even without a device on other end!) we get the sound from the freeview leaking through, at varying volumes, and with very high frequency, as if there is a leak within the internal circuits.


What angers me more is when you buy products you are told "if anything ggoes wrong within the first 28 days come back and we sort it out"

It shocks me that the government is not making people more aware of their rights, or at least slapping these con merchants' wrists for taking advantage of people's lack of technological /consumer rights knowledge. I'm damned if im going to let them do this to me!

I used to work in a "discount" store, where people often complain about service, but I was always told faulty product + receipt + reasonable use= refund . . . and if ever anyone came with this, I'd refund / replace without hassle. This applied to fridges, and keyrings! These "higher class" retailers have a thing or two to learn.Makes me so angry

[Bookworm]

Yes, that's what I said in my first sentence to you, under SOGA, you can take it back!

[smed]

Just a thought when I've had similar problems in the past its been due to the sacrt leads being of very poor quality / cheap, have you got good quality scart leads (gold plated) with shielded cables?

[dx100uk]

have you got the thick and very chunky scart lead?
cross talk in the cheap ones will cause this, esp if you do noy have you sky box on the tv's av1 scart socket and have switched scart control ON in the skybox config menu.
to test this. turn off you skybox [into standby] set your tv to a freeview or normal tv channel.
switch your skybox on and the tv should autoswitch to the skybox.
if not, check above advice and that your tv is on the tv [2nd] scart port on the skybox. try reversing your scart lead end for end also.

dx100uk

[ForestChav]

Originally Posted by harmio

I had thought that surely under the sale of goods act If I buy something and its not fit this soon, then I should get a replacement without hassle.

The thing is that the store manager is saying "we need to see the fault", and there is no freeview reception in the currys store for us to try the situation.

Also, we have thrown away the box ( my dad, dont ask why!!) .... but even so, this still seems absurd. But we have the receipt etc.
..

As for trying other configurations we have tried varying set ups, and have determined that even without anything connected, as soon as a scart lead is connected to any of the 2 AV inputs on the TV, ( even without a device on other end!) we get the sound from the freeview leaking through, at varying volumes, and with very high frequency, as if there is a leak within the internal circuits.


What angers me more is when you buy products you are told "if anything ggoes wrong within the first 28 days come back and we sort it out"

It shocks me that the government is not making people more aware of their rights, or at least slapping these con merchants' wrists for taking advantage of people's lack of technological /consumer rights knowledge. I'm damned if im going to let them do this to me!

I used to work in a "discount" store, where people often complain about service, but I was always told faulty product + receipt + reasonable use= refund . . . and if ever anyone came with this, I'd refund / replace without hassle. This applied to fridges, and keyrings! These "higher class" retailers have a thing or two to learn.Makes me so angry

Yes, but as gyzmo said, they are entitled to look for the fault. Otherwise you could be making it up, or there might be another way to solve it.

An item is presumed inherently faulty if a fault occurs within six months of purchase, but the retailer has to be allowed the chance to investigate whether it is or not.

[patdavies]

Originally Posted by ForestChav

Yes, but as gyzmo said, they are entitled to look for the fault. Otherwise you could be making it up, or there might be another way to solve it.

An item is presumed inherently faulty if a fault occurs within six months of purchase, but the retailer has to be allowed the chance to investigate whether it is or not.

The point is that they have to prove that the fault is not a manufacturing fault; that they are unable to test it is their problem, not the buyer's - if Currys are unable to prove that it is not faulty - then it is.

It matters not a jot whether the buyer is lying or not; the burden of proof lies squarely with Currys.

[ForestChav]

Originally Posted by patdavies

The point is that they have to prove that the fault is not a manufacturing fault; that they are unable to test it is their problem, not the buyer's - if Currys are unable to prove that it is not faulty - then it is.

It matters not a jot whether the buyer is lying or not; the burden of proof lies squarely with Currys.

Yes, and they are well within their rights to inspect the unit to assess that, how else are they going to prove otherwise.

It's considered faulty by default, so they have to be given appropriate access in order to prove it isn't a manufacturing defect, surely.

A court would probably throw a case out if they were not permitted to do so by the buyer.

[gyzmo]

Whoah! All I was saying is that, before faults are mentioned or presumed to be the cause, make sure it is not a simple operational setup that could be fixed by any old fule.

I for one would be slightly red-faced finding (as incompetent as I am come to technology) that I had connected the wrong bits to each other.

[patdavies]

Originally Posted by ForestChav

Yes, and they are well within their rights to inspect the unit to assess that, how else are they going to prove otherwise.

It's considered faulty by default, so they have to be given appropriate access in order to prove it isn't a manufacturing defect, surely.

A court would probably throw a case out if they were not permitted to do so by the buyer.

But they are not being refused by the buyer. He has expressed a willingness to return it to the store as he is entitled to do. Curry are demanding that he takes time off work for a manufacturer's engineer to attend at his home.

Currys are saying that they cannot test it because they have no freeview (ie aerial) feed in store - this is entirely their problem and not grounds to refuse the OP or refute his stance that it is faulty.

[retailerspointofview]

Originally Posted by patdavies

But they are not being refused by the buyer. He has expressed a willingness to return it to the store as he is entitled to do. Curry are demanding that he takes time off work for a manufacturer's engineer to attend at his home.

Currys are saying that they cannot test it because they have no freeview (ie aerial) feed in store - this is entirely their problem and not grounds to refuse the OP or refute his stance that it is faulty.

two things to note.
one under the first 28 days the store should by own policies deal ith the issue. call their helpline and ask them for their policies and ask them for a reference number for them to contact that you can use as ammo which tells the store that they have the authority to deal with it,

secondly there is a satisfaction guarantee period in most retailers. forget the fact that its faulty tell them also that you are unsatisfied and just with to return it.

thirdly the contract is with the company no solely with the local store. so the company not just the store have to check that the product is faulty.

so call their customer service line and without hinting you want an engineer sent out just ask about their own policies. then tell them of your issues and they should give you a reference number to use as ammo to return straight to the store as the customer service have done telephone diagnoses. and the store will class this as proof of fault.

this is why i say to call the customer service department each time on expensive items as they have the authority to deal with bigger more expensive products.

[gyzmo]

Or alternatively, require teh store to perform its duties under the Act without you having to run round like a bluebottle with it's ar*e on fire whilst the seller laughs at you doing what they should be doing.

RPOV - Give it a rest and STOP MISINFORMING PEOPLE.

[StormWarrior]

thirdly the contract is with the company no solely with the local store. so the company not just the store have to check that the product is faulty.

Oh NO !!!

Here he goes again Another thread of crap