Thread: Laptop Problems, little useful help from Comet

Hi folks

I purchased a laptop from Comet last September. Salesman went through the routine, I did my best to get a deal, ended up with a discounted wireless router if I took a warranty package, which at £99 for 2 years seemed OK, my first laptop and I know they can be delicate! He made a big point of saying how great the cover was- damage, parts, labour, accident and so on, and how they had the service desk instore who would fix or replace anything whilst I waited.

A few months ago, the HDD failed. I though it would be better to call in advance and ensure they had one in store before rolling up- trying to help them to help me. But wait... they don't do repairs in store. My laptop would be sent away, for 4 weeks! No no no I said, your mate told me blah blah blah. No no no he said, we always send them away, we don't have technicians in store- never have. I see.... not happy at all.

I bought a new HDD myself, refitted it and loaded up Windows. 1 day for the HDD to arrive, 2 hours for the fitting and loading. 4 weeks my backside! Worked fine- until last week, when the Blue Screen of Death appeared. Several times.

So I go to comet.co.uk and look for an email address for the Head Office. There isn't one, only a 'contact us' forum. I posted a message asking for a contact email address and name of someone I could complain to. They don't give them out and I have to either call 0870 numbers or use this forum. I post a few details, not really trusting the security. They wanted all the details, so I reluctantly posted them. I asked for a refund of the warranty as it was mis-sold, and either a replacement machine or a refund. I told them I would be keeping both HDDs, as I have confidential commercial data on both (I monitor my company's websites and I'm sure that sensitive info could be gleaned by someone with better knowledge than I have, not willing to risk it). I told them they could deduct the cost of a HDD from the refund and the price I paid for it. I offered to be at home for an engineer visit, this is mentioned on the warranty leaflet, and gave them over a week's notice of a time and date I could make.

After giving over all this info, receipt number, address, etc, they then said 'go to the store'. I had to get a prorata refund of the warranty from another company, even though I paid Comet for it. I told them I wasn't satisfied with this as the store had, in my opinion, misled me about their capabilities with regards to aftersales.

The next response was 'sorry this is all we can do, everything we have said is correct but we can't help further, go to the manufacturer'.

I feel that Comet have not only sold me a warranty under false pretences but failed to honour both their legal obligations and their dodgy warranty. I don't wish to be without the laptop for 4 weeks, and I simply don't trust them not to delve through the HDD even if out of curiosity. (No, I'm not Gary Glitter if you think I'm making a cover story!!).

I'll ring the manufacturer who can apparently do a diagnosis via phone, shame Comet can't. Where do I stand with both matters, ie useless warranty and ridiculous repair time, can anyone give me any tips? I understand that my contract for the warranty is with the people I paid, ie Comet, and who they use to service items is their choice. I feel misled by the promise of super aftersales care- this was genuinely one of the things that made me buy.

I'd accept a new machine, I can transfer the data, but I simply won't give up the HDD, unless they destroy it in front of me. Not willing to risk my business. I think the warranty should be refunded in full. I'd like the cost of the HDD I bought refunded too but guess there's no chance of that!

Any and all advice, opinions, gratefully received.

Thanks-
Adam

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What about putting in a new HDD yourself & then sending it away?

You might need to install a little general "info" first via another machine so as not to give the game away that it is unused.

Hi folks

Thanks for the reponses, much appreciated.

Understand your point about not telling them I'd replaced the HDD but I opted for the honest approach- "your service was cr*p and not what you promised/sold, therefore I undertook the repair myself. Now there's a bigger problem and I want what you promised".

Am I right in thinking they are obliged to help me (OK I'm not happy with their offer) but by now washing their hands of the problem they've breached their legal obligations?

I might find a way to totally wipe the old HDD, reinstall it and send it off, that way I'll get a new HDD and be happy in the knowledge that they can't find anything.

And for the record yes, I'm permitted to have my company's data on the machine. It's not NASA, just stuff about our website and in all honesty it's worth little or nowt to anyone but a competitor, however it's a perk of the job isn't it, having a gander through the data, like photo processing shops used to run off extra copies of photos when you took your film in. I just don't trust them, I'd have a good look through to see what I could find! There's also photos from holidays, not sure the girlfriend or her friend would take too kindly to the thought of them in their bikinis being pinned up in Comet tech support's office!

To be honest for what it costs, I'll probably buy a new machine, grind this one up and scatter it liberally around Comet's car park!

Cheers
Adam

Originally Posted by dpax

i myself am having some trouble with comet! (never agian will i buy anything from that place) i purchased a toshiba 17" laptop paid £480 cash 6 mnths and 2wks ago! yday the keyboard wouldnt work n then that dreaded blue screen iv heard of came up asking for a pass word??? i had no idea what the password was? i then took the laptop back to comet with the reciept and warranty, i was greeted by a lad off the shop floor, i told him what the problem was only to be bombarded with questions ' have you spilt something on to it?' erm no i have not! have you dropped it? nooooo!! it just happened suddenly! the next thing to come out of his mouth (and i was waiting for it) its a virus you have downloaded! nope it definatly is not! i said! what is it with these people? they are happy enough to take our money but when there is a problem they back heel it on to us! he then said that i had to take it up with toshiba, i sternly told him 'look i know my rights i purchased it from comet not toshiba now i eitha want a refund or it replacing!!! but apparantly that doesnt happen and in the ten years he has worked at comet he has never seen a refund or a computer replaced! doh!!! i left it with him over night with the promise he would look at it and ring me the next day (today). did i get a phone call?? did i eckers! i had to go back to the store to find he hadnt looked at it and it was just sat there collecting dust!! i was then told to come back in 2hrs while he did what he said hed do yesterday. well i have just went back to be told it needs to go to toshiba to be investigated, it is not a virus and nothings been spilt (his words) so it is faulty, he then told me that it takes longer for the courier to collect the laptop and bring it back than it does for the repair (iv also in the mean time done some research and read alot of stories of ppls laptops just lying around for a while in comet before they get took away) so i have taken my laptop home and will be arranging for a courier to collect it from myself. i am not happy at all, i didnt expect the laptop to break after just 6mths and expected a replacment to be honest i need my laptop for work and am now up the creek without a paddle! what is the point in taking out a warranty? they only try to blame you! im also wandering will i be charged for the courier? and the work that needs to b done? i definatly will not be purchasing anything from comet again! it just makes me angry as i have a couple of friends that have purchased electrical items from tesco/asda and within the 12mth warranty things have went wrong and they got a replacement no problems!! hope that you get yours fixed soon!