Any experience with DRG legal dept?

[yesitisme]

It looks like we will not resolve our differences and a failed computer will be taking myself and DSG retail to court.

 

My gut feeling several months on is that the (maybe unwritten) policy is to make any complaint processing as difficult as possible, wear you down and eventually you will go away. This applies to both the shop and cust services dept. The legal department prefer to bully with their superior knowledge of the law...

 

I just wonder if anyone has experience of taking them all the way to sitting in front of a judge?

 

-

 

As an interesting addition to this post my daughter had a very interesting conversation with a PC world employee in a shared taxi.... he said it was company policy to sell computers and not tell the customer that they would need to buy plugins etc to do what they required as once they had bought the computer and found out they needed another gismo they would be back and have to buy it.

[rory32]

How has the computer failed?

he said it was company policy to sell computers and not tell the customer that they would need to buy plugins etc to do what they required as once they had bought the computer and found out they needed another gismo they would be back and have to buy it.

Or simply return the goods as not fit for purpose as in Durkin v DSG Retail Ltd.

[curofone]

It looks like we will not resolve our differences and a failed computer will be taking myself and DSG retail to court.

 

My gut feeling several months on is that the (maybe unwritten) policy is to make any complaint processing as difficult as possible, wear you down and eventually you will go away. This applies to both the shop and cust services dept. The legal department prefer to bully with their superior knowledge of the law...

 

I just wonder if anyone has experience of taking them all the way to sitting in front of a judge?

 

-

 

As an interesting addition to this post my daughter had a very interesting conversation with a PC world employee in a shared taxi.... he said it was company policy to sell computers and not tell the customer that they would need to buy plugins etc to do what they required as once they had bought the computer and found out they needed another gismo they would be back and have to buy it.

 

 

Can i actually ask what you problem is and why you are wanting to take them to court?

 

Also as what that pc world member of staff said does not really make any sense. If I machine was miss sold to the person then they can take can simply take the machine back and get a refund. Plus i have no idea what you mean by pluggins? As if it software then there is free alternative software to all the major brands (anti virus, security programs, office appliactions, burning software etc) on the internet and all computers come with the same basic hardware so that makes no sense either, and if it is addition hardware like printers and scanner then you have to be pretty foolish not to realise that a computer can not do them without another bit of kit.

[yesitisme]

Yes the computer has failed and they have the requested engineers report to back it up. I feel that I have done all they have asked and they still keep dragging their feet and making it more challenging. There comes a point when you have to stand your ground. Thanks for the previous court case info, it is all good stuff when trying to put a case together. Any more stuff like that will be gratefully received.

[curofone]

Yes the computer has failed and they have the requested engineers report to back it up. I feel that I have done all they have asked and they still keep dragging their feet and making it more challenging. There comes a point when you have to stand your ground. Thanks for the previous court case info, it is all good stuff when trying to put a case together. Any more stuff like that will be gratefully received.

 

well saying the computer has failed does not really help me, what is wrong with it, does it not turn on, does it not boot up, does it keep blue screening, will it not connect to the internet, has the optical drive failed, do the usb ports not work etc etc. How old is the machine? do you have the extended warranty? what have both you and them done to sort the problem out? and now where is the disagreement? In some situation pc world are well with in their rights to ask you to get and independent report done on the machine.

[gyzmo]

I have had several experiences with DSG (and beaten 'em before court on all occasions). They are renowned for their hostility, vehemence, and as you say, "bearing down". They do however have a tendency to relent at the last second - if you know what you are doing.

 

In court, it will, or should, be acknowledged what you are up against. If they cannot demonstrate that their actions are reasonable, such as responding to queries within a reasonable length of time, keeping you updated, providing correct info, then they will more likely fail - a judge will not be sympathetic to them usually.

 

Keep a list of all contacts you have had, all correspondence, telephone calls, including names, dates, times etc. You can put an anonymised summary here if you want and we can guide you through the legal bits.

[yesitisme]

Sorry I was not too clear, I am happy with the technical aspects of the case and have had proffessional advice to get me to this point. I am looking for experiences other people have had in case I end up in a room with me, DSG and a circuit judge. I am happy to post any outcome win or lose, also with detials of the soap opera assocciated with it... I just don't want to jepordise any further progress by identifying myself with details. If I was DSG legal department or customer services dept this site would be the first thing I would get the office junior to check each day!

[yesitisme]

Gysmo, that info is just priceless!

[Renzokuken]

The reason we ask for details, is because you could stand to win, or lose varying upon what you situation with DSG is.

 

For example, if your computer is over a year old, they have every right to ask for an independant engineers report. Taking them to court over this will surely result in you losing the case. The same can be said for accidental damage, where the fault is proven to rest with you... and well, you get the picture.

 

On the other hand, if you've been into store, rang the customer services line, and sent letters to head office in hemel via recorded delivery, and still no action has been taken. And they're not playing by the book, then you stand a very high chance of success in court, provided you've got the evidence to back your claims up.

 

DSG rarely let things get to the legal stage, I should know, I work for them. They always back down at the last second if they are even slightly in the wrong. So I doubt there are many people on here who've been in a courtroom with them. If they've actualy agreed to go to court and not caved in, I'd be pretty worried, because they must be 100% sure they're in the right, and be able to back it up. For the cost of a new computer, usualy it isn't worth their time and money to go to court.

Edited January 9, 2009 by Renzokuken

[curofone]

wow i am glad that someone got the reason why i actually asked for a bit more info, one reason is becuase i like to hear horror stories about dsg and secondly becuase you actually might be wasting your time and money by going to court and there are plenty of people on this forum that know a lot about consumer law who could actually tell you if you had a case.

 

also the excuse that you do not want to go into any detail in case DSG checked this website is a pretty poor one as they have no way of poving who you are unless you start using your real name, start listing and start listing things that are unique to your case .

[gyzmo]

We have already had reports of such trolls on here. And the OP is not asking for legal advice - merely what DSG sols are like. It is quite feasible to presume that the OP has got as far as they can without having to resort to court, and therefore does not require legal advice.

 

Further, the OP is free to publish as much or as little information as required, if any at all. It is not a requirement to put details on these forums. Even if the OP does need advice, it is not for CAG or its members to seek to put this forum as the sole guardian of advice. The lack of provision of advice based on the lack of detail provided may possibly be a detriment, but that is the OPs choice.

 

Now can we please try to give our experiences (if any) rather than trying to bully the OP into a unwanted revelation?

[yesitisme]

Thank you Gyzmo once more, and spot on.

 

I feel that the specific facts relating to this case would easily identify me and may put me at a possible disadvantage. I have too much time, money and effort wrapped up in this to consider any disclosure at this point.

 

I am very grateful for any experience folk can pass on if they have completed this journey and I will be more than willing to pass on my experiences when I have reached some kind of resolution.

[mitch161]

so if it is company policy to not tell the buyer they might need plug-ins to do things . this is illegal? i dont think so.

 

you buy a computer. they sell you a computer. if you ask for a computer and a printer, they sell you a computer and printer.

 

its up to the customer to tell the shop what you want. they are not psychic.

 

computers can do wonderful things, or just basic things. it all depends on your needs.

 

if you said you wanted a computer that can handle printing photos and going on the internet. and they supply you with a computer with enough ram to handle the antivirus and music downloading software most people use today. and the computer can take a usb ported printer. job done.

 

you asked for a computer.. they gave you a computer.

 

if i bought a car and wanted it to do 100mph in 6 seconds. theyll find me one. its up to me to realise i need a driving licence, tax, insurance, and petrol and a non police patrolled, on speed camera'd road to do that in.

 

think about it...

 

i hope your not trying to sue because they not tell you that you need to have an electric supply to run the pc or a printer to do printing, i mean .. come on... common sense...

 

they could spend hours checking that you have a house, with electric, and a vacent electric socket or two to use it on. also to ask you about each piece of software in the world you might need. each type of printer, each desk to put it on, each computer chair, each time of paper tto use on printer, each type of internet,

 

maybe you should have listed your demands at time of purchase better they aint psychic, the sales guys aint even technically trained.

[Renzokuken]

so if it is company policy to not tell the buyer they might need plug-ins to do things . this is illegal? i dont think so.

 

you buy a computer. they sell you a computer. if you ask for a computer and a printer, they sell you a computer and printer.

 

its up to the customer to tell the shop what you want. they are not psychic.

 

computers can do wonderful things, or just basic things. it all depends on your needs.

 

if you said you wanted a computer that can handle printing photos and going on the internet. and they supply you with a computer with enough ram to handle the antivirus and music downloading software most people use today. and the computer can take a usb ported printer. job done.

 

you asked for a computer.. they gave you a computer.

 

if i bought a car and wanted it to do 100mph in 6 seconds. theyll find me one. its up to me to realise i need a driving licence, tax, insurance, and petrol and a non police patrolled, on speed camera'd road to do that in.

 

think about it...

 

i hope your not trying to sue because they not tell you that you need to have an electric supply to run the pc or a printer to do printing, i mean .. come on... common sense...

 

they could spend hours checking that you have a house, with electric, and a vacent electric socket or two to use it on. also to ask you about each piece of software in the world you might need. each type of printer, each desk to put it on, each computer chair, each time of paper tto use on printer, each type of internet,

 

maybe you should have listed your demands at time of purchase better they aint psychic, the sales guys aint even technically trained.

 

Errrrm.. her issue was with a broken computer, not a mis-sold one.

[gyzmo]

Just to address that point, if I want to buy a computer and state I want it to do such and such, then I would expect the computer sold to be capable of that without the need of buying further equipment. It would otherwise be like buying a car and told "oh you want a steering wheel? That's extra". But yeah - completely off topic...

[labrat]

really i remember one computer being sold as wireless capable on the fact it had usb ports to plug an adaptor in (adaptor sold seperatly) thought it twas cheeky at the time

[mitch161]

...

Edited February 24, 2009 by mitch161

[gyzmo]

If you are a complete idiot, you might. However, we are assuming that a reasonable person exists here and not someone with an IQ somewhere below that of a DCA.

 

The conversation was clear enough until you jumped in.