Asking too much for repair? - laptop faulty

[TeeSee]

Hi,

I bought a laptop in June 2010 online from a well known manufacturer and it failed 2 months out of warranty.

I got a local repair centre to take a look and they diagnosed a motherboard failure. I was told the cost of the repair could approach the original cost of the laptop and therefore would be uneconomical to repair.

They suggested I spoke with the manufacturer to see if they would be prepared to offer a 'good will' gesture to help toward the cost of repair since it has only just gone out of warranty and the failure was a major event.

I spoke with their escalations team who've kindly agreed to waive the £55.15 courier and assessment fee, but I'm told the repair will be fully charegable. This doesn't help me much as I know already what the fault is and what the costs' likely to be.

I understand the manufacturer is perfectly within their rights to charge the full amount for the repair once it's outside the warranty period, but for the price I've paid and the fact it's failed just outside, plus the fact that the motherboard should last a lot longer that this and in my (and the repair company's) opinion is not 'fit for purpose'

I paid £550 for the laptop and as a consumer don't expect to pay another £550 every 14 months or so to replace it 'ad nauseum'.

I was hoping for a bit more help toward the cost of the repair something like 50% of the cost would be nice.

What's your opinions, am I asking too much, Is it worth pursuing, or do I just chuck the thing away and chalk it up to experience.

Cheers in advance

[honeybee13]

Hello there.

 

I can't answer your question directly, but I would be extemely fed up if this happened to me. I shall be interested to see what the experts here think about a computer that you and I would think wasn't 'fit for purpose'. I think it's called saleable quality under the Sale of Goods Act and I wonder how long that should apply for in your case.

 

You certainly don't buy a laptop expecting to have to replace it the next year, do you?

 

My best, HB

[Debtbutt]

Have you paid them by credit or debit card? Some debit/credit card provides exteded warrenty check with your bank.

[TeeSee]

Hi,

thanks for your reply - I paid with a debit card but unfortunately the card doesn't cover extended warranty on electrical goods.

Thanks anyway.

[dx100uk]

good morning

 

your 'beef' is with the shop that sold it under SOGA

 

nothing to do with any warranty or manu.

 

go get 'em

 

if its failed within say 3yrs

then its NOT lasted a 'resonable time'

 

it should be repaired by the retailer FOC and your inspection fee refunded

 

dx

[silverfox1961]

I heartily agree with the above comments.

 

I assume the warranty was for 12 months and it failed at 14 months. This is not acceptable for laptops.

 

No doubt the SELLER will try to get out of their responsibilities under SoGA but if you persist, you should get something. You won't get a full refund but if the laptop is unecomical to repair, you should get a partial refund as you have had 'enjoyment' of the product.

[dx100uk]

here you go:

 

http://www.oft.gov.uk/business-advice/treating-customers-fairly/sogahome/

 

dx

[TeeSee]

Thanks folks for all your help, I will contact Acerdirect now and keep you posted.

Cheers!

[perplexity]

I understand the manufacturer is perfectly within their rights to charge the full amount for the repair once it's outside the warranty period, but for the price I've paid and the fact it's failed just outside, plus the fact that the motherboard should last a lot longer that this and in my (and the repair company's) opinion is not 'fit for purpose'

 

 

The manufacturer may charge to the extent that a buyer concedes that the goods conformed to contract when delivered.

 

If you fancy the chance to prove that there was something inherently wrong when the goods were delivered, this obliges the seller (not the manufacturer) to cover the cost of a repair, replacement or refund.

 

From there on it is a question of fact and the issue is the fault; the fitness for purpose when the goods were delivered is beside the point.

[Surfer01]

You are covered byh SOGA however thre is an EU directive whereby all electronic goods sold in the EU are covered for TWO years! You are well within that time frame.

[perplexity]

You are covered byh SOGA however thre is an EU directive whereby all electronic goods sold in the EU are covered for TWO years!

 

 

I have no idea of what that would be, apart from 1999/44/EC which applies to the sale of consumer goods and associated guarantees in general, and is implemented by the Sale of Goods Act.

 

Part 5A, in particular, follows from Article 3 of the Directive whereby

 

The seller shall be liable to the consumer for any lack of conformity which exists at the time the goods were delivered.

which was not so much of an improvement to UK law, whereby the right to make a claim extends to six years.

 

Whether or not it is feasible to prove the claim is another matter. You would have to do that for yourself. The legislation does not provide a right, to appoint yourself as the judge and jury of your own cause. The way to make a claim is determined by national law.

[labrat]

hmm acer? isnt the dc socket failed by any chance?

[TeeSee]

It could be, It seems like a power issue - the laptop switched itself off, then stayed on for a couple of minutes after reboot. Then failed again. From time to time it does light up briefly when you start it up, but goes off again before it has time to load up BIOS and stays dead for a day or so.

Why? is this a common problem with these?

[TeeSee]

Hi Surfer, thanks - do I chase the manufacturer or retailer on this directive. Also do you have any info about the EU directive?

Thanks in advance.

[dx100uk]

the eu thing is in ADDITION to SOGA

soga is far far better.

 

you chase the retailer under soga.

 

http://www.oft.gov.uk/business-advice/treating-customers-fairly/sogahome/

[perplexity]

the eu thing is in ADDITION to SOGA

soga is far far better.

http://www.oft.gov.uk/business-advice/treating-customers-fairly/sogahome/

 

 

No, "the EU thing" is not "in ADDITION to SOGA", in the present tense, because there is no part of "the EU thing" that is not implemented by the UK legislation. The UK legislation does not diverge from the EU thing and if it did, the UK legislation would be subject the authority of the European Court of Justice.

 

If you compare the wording with the "the EU thing", you will find that when the Sale of Goods Act was amended by The Sale and Supply of Goods to Consumers Regulations 2002, to implement "the EU thing", the wording was cloned, for the most part, directly from "the EU thing".

[labrat]

dc socket would be it not always drecognising adaptor some thing i see alot

[Kraken1]

You are covered byh SOGA however thre is an EU directive whereby all electronic goods sold in the EU are covered for TWO years! You are well within that time frame.

 

This is irrelevant for UK stuff. In the UK we get six years to pursue a claim.