PCWorld and faulty computer

[ostell]

Someone I know has aa Apple laptop where the space bar stopped working after 8 months. Took it back to PCWorld for repair and found she had to pay £59 for a new keyboard. PcWorld's excuse was that keyboards are not included in any warranty.

I challenged PCWorld on their Facebook site and their excuse is:
"generally speaking, as the keyboards are manufacturer to EU standards, any damage to the keyboard itself would be classed as accidental or unintentional. This is not covered by any warranty we provide or UK legislation and as such we would charge for replacement - one of the many reasons we offer our Support Agreements"

I know what I think and have said so in a reply on the site, and mentioning "Merchantable Quality" and Sale of Goods etc. I have asked what this EU standard is that overrides legislation.

What's the feelings of every body else?

[anmarj]

Re: PCWorld and faulty computer

EU Standard to me is not about the quality of goods but manufactured to a european standard. The sale of goods act trumphs the "secret 2year euorpe" as our Sale of goods act is superior to that, HOWEVER, what the sales of good acts states is that after 6 months the burden of proof is down to the buyer to prove that the fault is inherint, and would have to come from an independent person to state that the fault was present at the start but only showed now. This costs but if found in your friends favour then the report would be refunded. They then have the choice to refund, replace or repair. If they refund, they can refund a partial amount for use, how that is worked out is any ones guess.

warrenties are seperate to the Sale of goods act, and they can include whatever they like. They could tell you that they could only deal with it if the month starts with a D. (that sort of stuff)

[ostell]

Re: PCWorld and faulty computer

I think PC world are in a cleft stick here. PCWorld have already replaced the keyboard, at a cost of £59, so I would take it that this is an acceptance that it was defective.

It was just the fact that PCWorld have declared this unknown EU standard as an excuse to get out of their liabilities. The keyboard is manufactured in the middle/far East to Apples spec. EU doesn't come into it.

[Fred]

Re: PCWorld and faulty computer

Goods must last a reasonable length of time.....................

The EU specs will relate to charging/PAT tests & equipment CE which are strict.

The Equipment sold as a package recommended by Apple & used as per recommendations should, last a little longer than eight months. Apple have fail-safes built into their devices that detect any excessive humidity, knocks or other types of extremes beyond their warranties.

How long do you think it should last ?

[FlamingParrot]

Re: PCWorld and faulty computer

Goods must last a reasonable length of time.....................

The EU specs will relate to charging/PAT tests & equipment CE which are strict.

The Equipment sold as a package recommended by Apple & used as per recommendations should, last a little longer than eight months. Apple have fail-safes built into their devices that detect any excessive humidity, knocks or other types of extremes beyond their warranties.

How long do you think it should last ?

I used the same Apple keyboard for four years and I think it was already two years old when I started using it and was still in perfect working order when I moved on so six or seven years. I've had an iPhone for nearly five years and the iPad two and a half. Apple products are generally manufactured to a high standard unlike other brands. A Samsung laptop I bought in PC World lasted just under two years, the battery died months earlier and I was quoted £95 to replace it. :scared: :mad2: :mad2: :mad2:

[ostell]

Re: PCWorld and faulty computer

It is the PCWorld statement on their Facebook page that gets me. They state that because of "EU standards....... the keyboard is not covered by warranty nor any UK legislation". a neat move to attempt to bypass UK consumer law.

I would think that on equipment as expensive as Apple stuff then it would be expected to last many years, not just 8 months.

I was involved for many years in the production of computer equipment for many years for distribution round the world. I know what is involved.

[FlamingParrot]

Re: PCWorld and faulty computer

It is the PCWorld statement on their Facebook page that gets me. They state that because of "EU standards....... the keyboard is not covered by warranty nor any UK legislation". a neat move to attempt to bypass UK consumer law.

If you buy a computer with one year warranty, I would expect the whole thing to have a one year warranty, including the keyboard, unless it could be shown (by their engineers) that the reason it failed was because you did something to void the warranty such as spilling coffee over it. :ranger:

It would be interesting to see what Trading Standards have to say about such statements. :mmph:

I would think that on equipment as expensive as Apple stuff then it would be expected to last many years, not just 8 months.

I was involved for many years in the production of computer equipment for many years for distribution round the world. I know what is involved.

So would I, as per my post above, I'd expect Apple stuff to last 8 years, not 8 months.

[FlamingParrot]

Re: PCWorld and faulty computer

Someone I know has aa Apple laptop where the space bar stopped working after 8 months. Took it back to PCWorld for repair and found she had to pay £59 for a new keyboard. PcWorld's excuse was that keyboards are not included in any warranty.

I challenged PCWorld on their Facebook site and their excuse is:
"generally speaking, as the keyboards are manufacturer to EU standards, any damage to the keyboard itself would be classed as accidental or unintentional. This is not covered by any warranty we provide or UK legislation and as such we would charge for replacement - one of the many reasons we offer our Support Agreements"

I know what I think and have said so in a reply on the site, and mentioning "Merchantable Quality" and Sale of Goods etc. I have asked what this EU standard is that overrides legislation.

They make you pay for what should be included under the standard warranty with those agreements. When I bought the infamous Samsung laptop that lasted less than two years they somehow brainwashed me into signing up for one of them for £9 a month, which I did only because of their promise to honour the agreement if something went wrong anywhere in the world including OZ/NZ where I was going shortly after buying it, and I think it also included some kind of theft and damage insurance as well. Of course nothing went wrong while the agreement was in place for a year, during which I paid over £100 for nothing, I should have saved the money instead to buy a £95 battery when it died, right after the end of the agreement.

What's the feelings of every body else?

As this forum doesn't allow swearing and abusive language, I would probably get banned if I expressed my true feelings about PC World so let's just say I went and bought the replacement laptop I'm using from John Lewis instead, who offer a two year warranty as standard, they didn't offer me an extended warranty or any 'support agreement'. I wonder whether they would argue the same thing about keyboards not being covered, especially with laptops where the keyboard is an integral part of the unit.

[ostell]

Re: PCWorld and faulty computer

One of the comments from PCW was that this sort of situation is what their support services are for. ie pay us some extra money or we will not honour the warranty or the law.

[Fred]

Re: PCWorld and faulty computer

My Sony PC developed a fault.............it was over 12 months young but I explained the "reasonable length of time" on the on-line form.

The PC was collected via courier next day along with the correct packaging, sent to France for repair & was back in perfect working order in two days with a fault description & invoice for £0.00.

That is what should happen, good service not rip-off service contracts. :tinysmile_twink_t2:

[ostell]

Re: PCWorld and faulty computer

I have given PCW the branch name and the job number for the repair on their facebook page but they can't find the information ! It was within the last week for goodness sake ! They have asked that the owner of the laptop contact them. At least that's a start,

Perhaps I've discovered a sting by staff ? Charge for a repair but it goes through the books as a freebie.

[FlamingParrot]

Re: PCWorld and faulty computer

I have given PCW the branch name and the job number for the repair on their facebook page but they can't find the information ! It was within the last week for goodness sake ! They have asked that the owner of the laptop contact them. At least that's a start,

Perhaps I've discovered a sting by staff ? Charge for a repair but it goes through the books as a freebie.

Uhmmm, that sounds very interesting! opcorn: