pls Help _cought between Samsung and PC world customer service

[Hgruber]

Hello,

I need some help and advice how to get out of this situation.

We bought Samsung Laptop from PC World (Camden Shop) end of November 2012.

After not quite 6mnth , on the 14 May the screen showed a fault, an LCD leak. The the surface of the screen is fine and has no scratches but something must have been broken. (I took pictures)

We used the laptop only at home, handled it well, it didn't fall or suffer any shock or such.

I showed this to the employee at the Camden Shop, he phoned the PC world helpline, they referred him to Samsung and he handed me in the shop the phone and i spoke to the Samsung Customer service. I made clear, that we did not not mishandle the computer and that it didn't suffer an accident, and that I expect it to get fixed without cost. She organised the pick-up with their London IT partner, and they came and picked-up the computer.

The IT firm the texted me to phone them back, to tell me they can not repair it under warranty and they could only if Samsung will authorize it,
I phone Samsung Customer Service and explain again that the computer wasn't misshandled and ask if they can give authorization to the IT Center.
The Samsung representative asks me to send in Photos I made to the technical team, and i e-mail the photos along with a round up and a request to get this problem solved.

Today I follow up by phone. Samsung is not prepared to cover the repair,
I ask her to return the computer then and make her call the IT Center, am on hold, she then asks me to call them directly to orgnaise the return.

I call the IT Center, and they require £40 Service fee (the are genreouse usual service fee is £80) or can not release the computer.


WHAT DO I DO NOW.

I now realised that i should never have spoken to Samsung myself, and
should have demanded Repair Replacement or refund in the shop not under warrant but jnder my statutory rights.

I will need to contact PC World, because they are the seller.
However, the computer is now with the service center, who demand £40,
and surely PC world will refer me back to Samsung.


ANY Advice Pls

 

[ALewis]

Tell the service centre to return it to you (you'll have to pay return carriage costs), or if you're able to - go and collect it. They can't charge you £40 for doing nothing to the laptop.

You're absolutely right, your point of contact is PC World, not samsung, not a service centre, not the bloke down the road.
You can either go in to PCW and request your repair / replacement or partial refund under S.14 of the Sale of Goods Act, or instead write them a letter.

There's no point of us advising beyond this point as we would have to list all possibilities of response by PCW.
However do note; you deal with PCW, if you write a letter - photocopy it and send it by a recorded means, don't take any 'you have to ring samsung' waffle.

That's all we can say for now.

 

[Hgruber]

Hi ALewis,

thanks for the advice.

"They can't charge you £40 for doing nothing to the laptop."

a small complication, if you can give me some advice in case the Service Center are stalling (should i name them here?)

at pick-up my neighbor signed the receipt and they put the following disclaimer on the receipt:

"BY SIGNING ABOVE YOU ARE ACCEPTING OUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS. A MINIMUM SERVICE CHARGE (MSG) FOR JOBS DEEMED OUT OF WARRANTY BY US ID £60.00INC VAT. NOT INCLUDING PARTS OR DATA BACKUP. COLLECT AND RETURN FOR OUT OF WARRANTY SERVICE JOBS THE CUSTOMER IS LIABLE FOR THE (MSC) AND COURIER CHARGE OF £25.00 INC VAT. [Name of Service Center, I am itching to name them sic ] IT SOLUTIONS LTD ACCEPTS NO RESPOSIBILITY FOR CUSTOMER DATA, OR LOSS OF EARNINGS. ALL PERSONAL OR SENSITTIVE DATA AND PASSWORDS SHOULD BE REMOVED. PARTS HAVE A 90 DAY WARRANTY. IF THE MSC IS UNPAID YOUR GOODS ARE HELD FOR 28 DAYS FROM BOOKING DATE AFTER WHICH TIME ARE SOLD TO RECOVER OUR COSTS."

This is on a the sheet headed "CUSTOMER RECEIPT" ,
It is Samsungs on service partner. ?!

I presume T&C like these are void, but can you tell on which basis they would be void to recover my laptop. (I would pick it up).

 

[ALewis]

Well it's quite simple. They don't have a contract with you. Your neighbour has agreed to the terms & conditions. This doesn't make you bound to them - unless your neighbour is your authorised representative?
Just go and turn up, they can't enforce T's&C's that you haven't agreed to. There is no contract.

 

[Hgruber]

Thanks,
letter to PC world is going out today.