Broken mobile phone

AndyWhite

Just looking for a little advice here. I bought a phone in december last year so it's only a few months old. Had no problems at all with it untill today. The screen just stopped working. Im going to bring it back to the shop and ask for a refund or a replacement. I dont want to get it repaired because im afraid the problem is just going to happen again.
The phone is otherwise in decent condition. A few minor scratches but it was never water damaged or anything. It was actually just sitting on the table in front of me when i was just after sending a text when it broke.

Just wondering has anyone any experience bringing a faulty phone back to a shop? if so how did they get on. Im guessing im probably going to need to at least quote a few parts of the sales of goods... act when i go in so any other help would be appreciated. thanks!

theteal

unfortunately all i can see happening is that they will offer you a repair. the unit is approx 8 months old, i don't know of any retailer that will offer you a replacement before sending it off to be looked at.

could you describe the fault, please? is there any sign of an internal crack to the LCD? can you see the backlight coming on?

Davy

It could be a few things. Chances are just the lcd needs to be replaced which is no big deal. Once its not cracked or the housing in bad shape it wont cost you.

They wont give you a refund or replacement. o2 used to provide a swap service on the spot for faulty phones in the first 12 months but that has been phased out.

AndyWhite

the problem is actually the backlight. You cant see anything on the screen normally but if i press the buttons to go to a brighter screen eg. the compose message screen, if im in a well lit room i can just about make out the outlines of things.
i was lookin at the consumer rights website and it says that with any faulty goods the consumer has the right to a repair, refund or replacement but its kinda shady as to who gets to specify which.
I want to just get another phone of the same value in the shop so im hoping theyl let me swap it. i still have the receipt and box for it.

thanks for the quick replies btw!

EDIT: There isnt any cracks at all on the screen. also, the battery was just charged last night and i usually get a week out of it so thats not the problem. tried turning the phone off and on, plugging it in, etc but no luck.

Kensington

You won't get a refund or a replacement on the spot. You will be offered a repair.

Once the store offers you a repair, then they are fulfilling their obligations under the Sale of Goods and Supply of Services Act 1980, since they must offer you one of the three R's (Repair, Replace, Refund).

If you're not happy with what the store offers you, you are quite entitled to take your case to the Small Claims Court who will then decide the most reasonable resolution (since the SOG&SOS act doesn't specify who gets to choose the chosen resolution). However, with an 8 month old phone, in all likelihood, the SCC will NOT rule in your favour (refund) for the first fault but will instead agree with the store's offer of a repair.

foggy_lad

go for a repair because in a lot of cases repairs are deemed too costly and a replacement is given anyway but if there are any more problems you could reasonably seek a refund

AndyWhite

Thanks. not what i was really hoping to hear haha! i dont really want to be without my phone for the four weeks or whatever that its away and then have all my stuff deleted when it gets back! That happened me before.ah well. ill see hwat they say in the shop anyway.

jor el

Go for the repair, and if it's not successful, or the problem re-occurs, then try for replacement or refund. They will likely refuse, citing their policy of three repairs before a refund, but you don't have to accept that, as a repair should be permanent.

If you refuse the first offer of repair, things would probably not go in your favor if you take it further.

A repair generally takes 1 week.

Mimikyu

This post has been deleted.

AndyWhite

Just brought it in there. The girl in the shop first offered me 20 euro off anything in the shop (for a 130 euro phone) then ttold me if it was over a year old she wouldnt take it (despite the minimum warranty on goods bought in Ireland being 2 years) and then said she could send it away for repair. Its sent off anyway now.

Does anyone know if the repair is covered by warranty from the date of repair or from the date of origional purchase?

Thanks again to everyone for replying!

Nody

Original purchase I'm afraid and you're wrong on the two year warranty; that is a EU requirement (can't remember the right word so requirement will have to do) which is not ratified by Ireland (and UK) as it was seen as having better protection with existing legislation. Your protection is up to a "reasonble time" taking into consideration "the price of the product" when used "as most would use it" (i.e. if you buy a 5 EUR phone and use it for football you have no come back after 3 months).

Kensington

The warranty is, and remains, from the date of original purchase. Consumer Law does entitle you to argue a product shouldn't fail prematurely and should be expected to last a reasonable length of time, regardless of manufacturer warranty lengths. Quite often, you'll have to allow the small claims court determine what a reasonable length of time is.

AndyWhite

Ah, i see. I was just going from the quick bit of research i did by googling "consumer rights" and clicking on a few links. I never really was good at business studies in school! well we'll see how long it holds out anyway. thanks again!

Greenman

Just to add, I bought a mobile in Belgium a €50 Sony, it died after a month, I was offered a repair, waited 3 weeks, went back and got a replacement as a repair was not possible.