Consumer law / trading standards advice

[Tossed and blown]

Bought the missus a new Dell laptop about 5 months ago, together with the windows / antivirus stuff from a major electrical chain shop. After about 6 weeks it started to malfunction with some sort of disc drive problem, they wiped it then it developed another fault, got sent off and repaired, then about a month ago it started doing this thing where the cursor just jumps somewhere else on the screen in the middle of typing. It doesn't get a lot of use so I took it back to get a refund, explaining that I'd be happy to get a credit note to use against another. They said simply "Repair only, company policy is not to refund after 28 days". The manager, who had the charisma of a dead mouse, repeated this glibly, adding that if the fault recurred within 28 days they may, at their own discretion, consider replacement.

 

Just got it back, having had the palmrest replaced, whatever that is, and it's doing exactly the same thing again. It certainly isn't unusable but it's a pain in the arse. I'm now of the opinion that it's a friday afternoon special and I don't think it's unreasonable to get my money back.

 

The question is, how do I go about this if I just get the stonewall company line? Is there some phrase you can quote at them or do you have to report them to trading standards, which sounds like a ball ache.

 

Anyone any expertise or experience of this stuff? Thanks in advance

[JagSquared]

[CaptainK]

You've given them more than ample opportunity to fix the various issues. You are within your rights to get a refund.

 

Call them back and tell them that the goods are "not fit for purpose", and if they want to piss you about, they can expect a phone call from the Trading tandards Office shortly.

 

Tell them to look up the "Consumer Protection Act 1987" and "Sale of Goods Act 1979" and then ask them to explain their policy to the Trading standards Office.

 

That'll sort the cunts out.

 

PS.

Don't forget to actually ring the Trading standards people.

 

PPS

And don't forget to contact the cunt's boss to complain, either.

[Hermes]

You've given them more than ample opportunity to fix the various issues. You are within your rights to get a refund.

 

Call them back and tell them that the goods are "not fit for purpose", and if they want to piss you about, they can expect a phone call from the Trading tandards Office shortly.

 

Tell them to look up the "Consumer Protection Act 1987" and "Sale of Goods Act 1979" and then ask them to explain their policy to the Trading standards Office.

 

That'll sort the cunts out.

 

PS.

Don't forget to actually ring the Trading standards people.

 

PPS

And don't forget to contact the cunt's boss to complain, either.

 

All good advice there, also tell them that it they don't resolve it to your satisfaction the whole process will be reported in the consumer affairs section of the local and a national newspaper.

[havarantagain]

In addition to the good advice above, I believe subject to my memory and trading standards confirming this. Such products have got to be fit for purpose for up to six years and not the basic 12 month guarantee that all manufactures use. No doubt our resident lawyer can look up the statute on this detail and make a fool out of me/or not.

[Original202]

Make sure also that they don't try and fob you off by sending you to the manufacturer.

 

Your contract is with the shop and it is their responsibility.