John Lewis trying to blame me for TV fault **SETTLED**

[Smith1976]

Hi. I’m looking for some advice as I’m looking now to take JL to the small claims court after they are trying to blame me for a TV fault.

I’m honestly shaking as I type this as I can’t believe the faith I had in the store up until this point, for them to turn around and say they will not take responsibility for something that wasn’t my fault, instead trying to blame us.

 

My TV (costing £800) lost power after 18 months.

It has a five year guarantee and JL sent a local repair shop out to collect it a few days later.

 

I had to chase the TV, but it was finally returned about 10 days later.

Due to covid, I stayed in my kitchen with the children and my partner asked the delivery man if he needed a hand out of the van, which he did.

 

They both entered the house and laid the TV screen side down (as advised) on a double layered blanket.

My partner asked if we could check it to sign the fault repair off and my partner was told he couldn’t stay due to covid and within 30 secs had left the house and driven away.

 

About an hour later, when we had time to do so, we lifted the TV up onto the wall and switched it on.

We immediately noticed horizontal and vertical lines on the screen when powered and a very very small indentation to the screen, hard to see without close inspection.

 

I immediately called the repair shop who tried to blame my partner saying he placed it down on a plug or cable and we’re very rude and defensive telling me to phone JL.

 

JL were originally fine and had my back but then tried to also blame me and although we didn’t sign off the TV, there are no photos of the TV when it left the repair shop and no photos or video of it having been repaired - apparently they still believe we are at fault. We didn’t leave that TV after its delivery and I can be 100 per cent sure it wasn’t us. They can’t be.

 

JL have washed their hands of it - even with members of their own team apologising to me as they can see my side, but have to take the ‘expert report’ filed from the repair team. Their own view of our images of the damage apparently show it can only have been done by the customer - how???

 

I’m so, so upset to be treated like this.

I wouldn’t go to these lengths if I thought I was at fault.

I’d claim on my household insurance, but I can’t, as I didn’t do this damage - they did.

 

Am I right to go to the small claims court?

 

Thanks so much for advice

[BankFodder]

welcome to the forum and I am sure that we can help you but you have posted your story in an extremely long solid block of text.

 

This makes it very difficult for people to read.

 

Please will you repost your story properly spaced so that it is more accessible and you will get much more enthusiastic support for the people who can help you solve your problem.

 

Thank you

[dx100uk]

i've spaced the post.

 

dx

 

[BankFodder]

John Lewis is the responsible party here. They arranged or authorised the repair.

You haven't told us what the original fault was.

 

[Smith1976]

Thanks for responding the fault was that the power wouldn’t turn on

[BankFodder]

Okay so it's not a fault related to the screen problem. It would have been helpful if it was.
When I think you're going to have to write a letter to John Lewis and and tell them what has happened, remind them that first of all they agree with you and they supported you and mysteriously they have now changed their mind and they are no longer prepared to support the product which they sold to you on XXX date.

Make sure you include any reference numbers of the repair et cetera.

I think you should say to them that you are considering taking legal action if they won't change the position. Tell them clearly the damage to the screen and the screen problem has been caused by the negligent handling at some point of your television by their appointed repairers.

Point out to them that you did actually refused to sign for the television indicating that it was received in good condition. Point out to them that although you offered the repair company an opportunity to check with you that the television was functioning correctly, they refuse to take this opportunity and left the premises.

Explain to John Lewis that there is no doubt that they are responsible for the television.

Tell them that if you don't hear a positive response within seven days then you are likely to send them a letter of claim.

Presumably you are prepared to bring a legal action. If you aren't certain then let us know. The steps for bringing a small claim in the County Court are well explained in many places on this forum. We will help you all the way.

I consider that it is most unlikely that John Lewis will force you to hearing. You may need to issue the claim papers – but after that I can expect that John Lewis will put their hands up at some point.

Under the consumer rights act you would only be entitled to recover the value of the remaining portion of the normal life expectancy of that television.

This means that if the light of the television it's expected to be 10 years. You have used it successfully for 18 months and that means that you would be entitled to the replacement value less 15%.

However, if you have a five year warranty – it may say that in certain circumstances you are entitled to have a full replacement.

You will need to check this.

Anyway, in the meantime send the letter I have suggested if you think you're prepared to take legal action and then start understanding the steps involve taking a small claim.
 

[Smith1976]

Thank you SO much for your response - that has been extremely helpful! I will let you know how I get on. I have said something similar to them this morning and they have quite rudely told me to proceed with the claim, which I have already started to write. I will indeed use your advice. 

I have also reviewed all my Ring device footage last night which thankfully shows the lack of care taken with my TV and lack of protection by the representative. Quite unbelievable that they can even suggest I have done the damage myself. Chat soon - wish me luck.
 

I spent six years working for BBC Watchdog some time ago - we could have done with you on the team! I felt I needed to ask for advice as I’ve been away from Consumer Law for so long now I wasn’t sure what changes were in effect since the Sale of Goods Act. Thanks again!

 

[BankFodder]

You said that you were speaking to them – you should make sure everything is in writing. It will only delay things by about seven days so I suggest that you send the initial letter which I have recommended – and it's extremely important to lay down a paper trail.

We can help you all the way including drafting a letter of claim and your particulars. We recommend that you post up letters of claim here so that we can check and also particulars of claim. We tend to find that people become a bit verbose and is not necessary.

On the matter of BBC Watchdog, I'm afraid that we regularly attempt to provide them with information about interesting stories and we never ever receive a response. It's very disappointing – but I suppose they have their agenda and their policies. I sense also that they really don't like referring to or plugging a website such as ours on their programme. That's unfortunate because of course we would like a plug but even if they didn't give us a plug, the whole point would be to get some of the stories out into the public because that is a good way to get companies to change.

If you still have contact with BBC Watchdog then you might like to point them this way and if you ever feel that you have contacts which will allow you to pass information on to them, maybe you'd like to drop me a note to our admin email address and that could be very helpful to us, the people who come to us for help – and maybe even to the BBC.

It's worth emphasising that everything we do here is completely free. We don't make any money – we don't get paid – and we barely meet our expenses. Maybe the BBC has taken the view that were in it for the money – I wish!


 

[BankFodder]

If you do end up bringing a small claim, you might find yourself going to mediation. Especially with the covid crisis there are a huge number of cases now which you are being settled some way or other at mediation.

If this is where you find yourself then then you can usefully have a look at some of the stories on the sub forums involving postal and delivery services. I'm talking about the cases involving Hermes where so far we have probably helped people to sue Hermes part of delivery on at least 25 occasions. We win every time. That pretty well everyone of those cases goes to mediation and some of the people we have helped have put up excellent summaries of what happened during the mediation journey and you may find it very interesting.

We had quite a number of people now who I have referred to those stories in preparation for the mediation of their cases and they have reported back that these accounts of how it works has been extremely useful to them and given them a lot of confidence.

https://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/183-postal-and-delivery-services/

 

BBC Watchdog could do well to do a program where they describe the small claims process and take people through it – and also take people through the mediation process.
I think it would do the general public a lot of good to see it and it would increase the level of courage and confidence – because I feel that many people are not prepared to challenge companies which let them down simply because they don't understand how it works and they are a bit frightened.

 

[Smith1976]

Thank you so much for this.

Unfortunately I left the team some years ago and no longer have contacts there. You are correct in saying people need to be made more aware of their rights and simply need to know what to do next. I’ve been left out in the cold by John Lewis and to be honest that hurts as much as anything having been a loyal customer for years. What you are offering here is an amazing service.

 

I have written up the events in detail, down to timings, dates, case reference numbers etc. I also have emails and reference these in my case. Should I post this here (it includes representative names, which I can delete)? Or is it best to private message this to you? 
 

I really don’t mind if you are too busy to look at this - honestly! I was only ever looking for someone to reinforce in a few words that I was justified in raising a case against them.

 

Thanks again!

[dx100uk]

you post it here as a pdf

please redact names of reps you've spoke too or p'haps just use their 1st name only.

 

if we did everything in private they'd be nothing for the 1000's of people that simply read here and never post.

[BankFodder]

If the account that you have drawn up is in a bullet pointed chronological style so that it is light on narrative then please post it up.

Don't worry about redacting the names of the John Lewis people but you probably don't want any of your own personal identifiers on view.

I don't think we need to see the exchange you have had. Just the chronological summary.

[Smith1976]

John-Lewis Claim_V2.pdf

 

Hi I hope this uploads okay. We have spent some time documenting the events and working our way through any video evidence to support our case. Apologies it is lengthy. I am now going to slim this down somewhat for the Small Claims Court (and can post this here), but will hopefully be given the chance to provide full details to the court.

Thank you in advance for any advice you can offer

 

[dx100uk]

all that is for your witness statement later in the court process.

not what you put in the claim particulars.

 

 

have you sent john lewis a letter of claim under the pre action protocol yet by royal mail?

 

 

 

dx

 

 

 

[Smith1976]

No I haven’t. Is this not for a business claiming a debt from an individual? 
 

thanks

Edited February 2, 2021 by Smith1976

[dx100uk]

no.

 

you must issue a Letter of claim ..

 

use our search top right

 

type in 

hermes letter of claim.

 

ok you are not claiming on a parcel but many threads there give you the format

 

dx

 

[Smith1976]

I see. I’ve read the entire Hermes thread and see what you mean. I’ll get onto that tomorrow and post here first if that’s ok? Thanks.

[dx100uk]

[BankFodder]

Please let us see the letter of claim before you send it off.

Same with the particulars of claim.

 

[BankFodder]

I've just looked at the document which you've uploaded. I asked for a chronological bullet pointed account – but in fact you produce an extended summary running over four pages.

It's far too long and it would be much more helpful if you could simply do some bullet points.

We don't need to know all about that the staff of the mishandling et cetera blah blah blah blah.

The Sydney need probably about 10 lines – when you bought it, when it went wrong, who you contacted, what they said, how it is returned, how you found the damage, who have you talked to since then, what has been said in return, – all with dates.

A bullet point chronology would help us and also it would inform anybody else who comes to this thread if they have had their own bad experience and they want to see how others have dealt with it.

 

[Smith1976]

My apologies. I will make a chronological bullet pointed account and also type a letter of claim and repost.

[Smith1976]

Please find a summary below. I am working on the letter of claim now and will upload here.  Thanks.

• I purchased a Sony Bravia TV on the 15.09.2019 from the John Lewis store in Southampton, costing £775.  It came with 5 year warranty.

• The TV lost power on 09.01.2021. John Lewis technical support line arranged for a repair team to take the TV away for repair the following week.

• The rep arrived on 12.01.2021. He took the TV and carried it to his van for repair at his workshop 20 miles away, but first making other stops on his way.

• The TV was returned on 20.01.2021. Our home security shows very little protection to the TV in the van.  TV delivered to house and placed on our dining table.  We were not allowed to check the TV repair or sign to say we had accepted the TV.  Rep left swiftly.

• TV was mounted on wall with existing bracket and found to have very slight damage to the screen - resulting in horizontal and vertical lines throughout picture.

• Immediately phoned rep who denied all knowledge and fabricated a story that it was damage caused by us. Phoned John Lewis who said they would investigate.  

• Further phone calls and emails exchanged on 23.01.2021, 25.01.2021, 28.01.2021 and on 29.01.2021 John Lewis decided they would not pursue this any further (having previously told us they would look to compensate) as it is “damage caused by the customer”.  A statement which is false. There is no evidence of it leaving the workshop undamaged, or arriving at our house undamaged and no sign off from us as acceptance of a fully functioning TV.

Edited February 2, 2021 by Smith1976

[Smith1976]

Hi - I have attached my letter of claim, basing it on the Hermes letter you referenced.  I have attached a pdf, but if a word document is better, just say.  Thanks!

Letter of claim John Lewis.pdf

[Smith1976]

Hi - I have reread some of the earlier posts and included some more of your points so hopefully this letter of claim reads better, apologies.  Thanks.

Letter of claim John Lewis (2).pdf

[dx100uk]

thats not a letter of claim

 

far too much details

 

you do not need any history.....

 

simple that they failed to take reasonable care of an item under their control

 

Letter before action

 

Dear Sir/Madam,

 

On 20th May 2017 your company contracted to transport my parcel and to deliver it to .

 

You have informed me that you have lost the item in your care, and are therefore in breach of your contractual obligations (regardless of your unfair T+Cs).

 

The content of the parcel was a glass splashback and I enclose documentary evidence of the value of the parcel.

 

I require repayment of that sum in full, the wasted delivery fee, and the cost to reclaim the amount (this letter), which amounts to £54.64, broken down as follows:

 

Item Cost

Wasted delivery fee £7.99

Value of item £44.99

Cost of postage of this letter (second class signed for) £1.66

 

If I do not receive reimbursement in full within 14 days then I shall begin a Small Claim in the county court to recover the money, plus interest and without any further notice.

Yours faithfully

 

(Me)