Advice re faulty Toshiba laptop.

[Tillys Mum]

Hi, just hoping for some advice. I bought a Toshiba laptop via PC World's web ordering in June this year. About 3 weeks ago it stopped working so it was sent back to their Tech Guys. After 2 weeks it was returned to me and showed on their service sheet that the repair had cost around £250 (obviously free at my end and the laptop was only around £450 to buy). Turned the laptop back on and got a message saying 'Operating System Not Found' and after 4 calls to different departments within PC World all offering different advice, and one very rude attitude from Phillipa in Complaints who told me at 18:01 that I was stopping her from going home which was not a good thing to do, I rang Toshiba. They advised me of a website where I could order a recovery disc at £30 which would solve the problem.....although they did say that they would expect PC World to help me with the disc problem. I decided to just order the disc and pay the money to avoid more contact with PC World. Disc arrived yesterday and it was not so easy to install so I rang Toshiba again. Spoke to the most helpful guy there and 40 minutes later, I was told that basically the laptop is still faulty and they will arrange for it to be collected and go back to Toshiba for a proper repair.
Basically, my question is, for a laptop only around 3 months old going back for its second repair, bearing in mind the first repair was a shambles by PC World's tech guys, do I have any right to ask for a new machine??? Just wondering. Can't bear the thoughts of another huge battle with PC World though. Thanks.

[Hurtwood Dogs]

I'd say definitely try and do that...

You do have to fight for stuff - I've had horrendous problems with my 3.5 yr old Honda (that I've owned from new) this year. Although it's  a car it's a similar story to yours - went in under warranty for a failure to start repair then I got it back for a few months then just after the warranty ran out it suffered the same failure. It cost me a  tow charge but with a fight and having to go directly to Honda UK and falling out with the dealership that was repairing it, I avoided over £3k worth of back to chassis 're-wiring' costs.

If items are sold with a warranty and they fail so badly so early on then I think it's reasonable for the manufacturer to properly compensate you through a replacement or extensive repairs and renewed warranty. Unfortunately, you do have to be prepared (mostly) to get your hands dirty and make a massive fuss to make these things happen. It's not personal, but sadly all too often, unless you shout you get worse treatment than those that do.

Good luck, really feel for you - an official 'customer complaint' to PC Worlds HR department should help too

Hannah xxx

[JaspersMum]

As I understand the Sale of goods Act, you have a right to goods that work, sometimes accepting a repair accepts the laptop that you have unless you specifically accept the repair with a proviso if it doesn't work, you want replacement.

look here for more info http://www.tradingstandards.gov.uk/cgi-bin/calitem.cgi?file=ADV1016-1011.txt

[Tillys Mum]

That's great advice, thanks.

[MegandMolly]

I had a laptop have the same repair 3 times with currys, then they 'allowed' me to have a replacement

[Sharon]

We recently bought an American fridge/freezer with water/ice dispenser, after just 5 days the Ice dispenser didn't work, the online company we bought it from wanted to send out an engineer to repair it.  Ended up a very heated conversation, where I told them to come and collect/replace it, or I wanted a full refund.

It did take them about 10 days to get a new one sent - then couldn't collect the faulty one on the same day because the carriers hadn't received the paper work in time, so the faulty one was put in our front garden (we told them we were doing it) for 2 weeks before they finally collected it.

Stay firm with them, tell them you want a replacement or refund.

[hamfam]

my next door neighbour is a pcworld tech guy - last year when he ran out of space on his hard drive he took it to a local independant pc repair shop for them to fit a bigger drive enough said i think!

[SimonandMandy]

Yep, Si's cousin has had his desktop replaced twice now by PC world because it was faulty and they were more than happy to do it - so much so he still has one minus the hard drive...

[cazza]

my next door neighbour is a pcworld tech guy - last year when he ran out of space on his hard drive he took it to a local independant pc repair shop for them to fit a bigger drive :shades:enough said i think!

sorry but that made me laugh 

[annG]

I work in retail, No repair you get down and dirty. money back  or replacement. your local trading standards will help. find them in your  county council.    they will advise you phone them.  good luck.