Laptop repair store dumped my laptop

Pompey Magnus

They have just told me that I had no right to inform the owner of the hdd that they had given it to me.

"You have no right to do that! We only gave it to you by mistake! Careful about that! Hdd was in storage and had your name on it by mistake written by own hand! You need your laptop or what?"

and then...

"Before anything else we need that hdd back! Or proof that you handed to the rightful owner!"

So now they are holding the laptop hostage .

Do I tell them that I won't accept that it is mine if there is corrosion present as this should have been noticed on the first examination and it was working fine prior to being dropped?

miss no stars

Pompey Magnus wrote: »

They have just told me that I had no right to inform the owner of the hdd that they had given it to me.

"You have no right to do that! We only gave it to you by mistake! Careful about that! Hdd was in storage and had your name on it by mistake written by own hand! You need your laptop or what?"

and then...

"Before anything else we need that hdd back! Or proof that you handed to the rightful owner!"

So now they are holding the laptop hostage .

Do I tell them that I won't accept that it is mine if there is corrosion present as this should have been noticed on the first examination and it was working fine prior to being dropped?

Honestly now that they're threatening you I'd be heading down to the local garda station at a nice quiet time and explaining what happened and that now you're being threatened and your property being held against your will.

wicklowwonder

Pompey Magnus wrote: »

They have just told me that I had no right to inform the owner of the hdd that they had given it to me.

"You have no right to do that! We only gave it to you by mistake! Careful about that! Hdd was in storage and had your name on it by mistake written by own hand! You need your laptop or what?"

and then...

"Before anything else we need that hdd back! Or proof that you handed to the rightful owner!"

So now they are holding the laptop hostage .

Do I tell them that I won't accept that it is mine if there is corrosion present as this should have been noticed on the first examination and it was working fine prior to being dropped?

Gardai or solicitor I think would be best after the last exchange.

whippet

feckin' mexican stand off.

You can not hold on to someone else's property as a ransom ... that includes the shop and your notebook and you and someone else's hard drive.

Simple solution to this OP:

Go down to shop ask to see your notebook, verify it is yours. Hand back the HDD that is not yours and of which you have no entitlement to.
Look for refund for monies paid - probably won't happen.

Go to another repair centre and get a quote to fix. The reality is that you left a broken notebook in; it is still broken; and you will have an impossible task trying to convince a court or anyone objective that they damaged it more than what you did.

Either get it repaired or buy a new one,

Forget about the experience.

RangeR

Hold on. Take a minute.

Tensions are high on both sides. Their response may not be a threat. I don't read it as so but it can be construed that way under duress.

Thread carefully. It's not really a Garda matter at the moment and I wouldn't involve them. They have enough to be doing. However, I wouldn't go in alone to the Repair shop either. Bring at least two other men with you.

From here on, record every communications, just in case.

beauf

whippet wrote: »

...You can not hold on to someone else's property as a ransom ... ...

There is the concept of lein

http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Lein

D3PO

The OP should have called the data protection commision the second he realised the hdd wasnt his. He still should do that now regardless of the consumer issue.

is the laptop a Dell I read others say ? If so make sure its yours.

the tag number is a good start, yes it can be changed in the BIOS but should be on a label underneath too.

Also if its a Dell the hardware can be identified as being Dell. All Dell hardware has a label on it with a seriel number that begins DS/N then a number.

if in doubt if you call Dell support with the numbers they can verify if they are Dell parts as part of each individual bit of hardware contains the Dell part number so its very easy to know if this is a chop shop job or a genuine system.

PS OP I work for Dell so I will happily help you identify anything you need. PM me if you want to get in touch.

beauf

Tell them you've lost the hard drive they gave you (joke)

4~5 months for a laptop repair. Some outfit. Bring your HD caddy/enclosure with you, and a working laptop. Check the HD they give you back. I would want to test the laptop to see it still has all the parts it was left in with, and its the same spec.

Someone asked me to look at a laptop I had bought from them a couple of years previous. When I looked at it, I found the RAM had been swapped for a lesser amount. I still had the receipt and I knew what I had ordered originally. The only other place it had been was in the college IT dept to be set up for their network about a year previous.

Of course the only way to catch this is to check the spec of your laptop before you drop it in, and again afterwards. Most people won't do this. I'd also not leave a HD into a repair shop unless I'd wiped it.

The Dell tag will give you the original spec, and it will be on your original receipt.

username123

What does the owner of the hdd want you to do with it? I would not give it back to the shop.

Go down without the hdd, view the laptop, if it is not yours leave and do not deal with them again by text message, simply lodge your case with SCC and get on with it that way.

If it is yours, ask for it back. If they refuse to give it back unless you give them the hdd, leave and do not deal with them again by text message, simply lodge your case with SCC and get on with it that way.

Pompey Magnus

username123 wrote: »

What does the owner of the hdd want you to do with it? I would not give it back to the shop.

He wants to meet me to collect it off me in person, as he is in Kenya at the minute he hasn't arranged for when. The store says that I either have to give them back the hdd or else give proof that he has it before they will return my laptop.

username123

Pompey Magnus wrote: »

He wants to meet me to collect it off me in person, as he is in Kenya at the minute he hasn't arranged for when. The store says that I either have to give them back the hdd or else give proof that he has it before they will return my laptop.

Tell them you'll see them in court so.

beauf

username123 wrote: »

Tell them you'll see them in court so.

+1 thats what I'd do. The Laptop is probably trashed anyway.

Pompey Magnus wrote: »

H....The store says that I either have to give them back the hdd or else give proof that he has it...

Why not give them "a" hard disk. They obviously have no records to know one from another.

Pompey Magnus

beauf wrote: »

4~5 months for a laptop repair. Some outfit. Bring your HD caddy/enclosure with you, and a working laptop. Check the HD they give you back. I would want to test the laptop to see it still has all the parts it was left in with, and its the same spec.

I asked them how are they sure that it is my laptop, they replied: "We can be sure if we look at your data! On hdd.".

Me "So the hdd works? That's good. Last time I was told 'we don't think data can be recovered'."

Them: "Same as I said. We don't think data can be recovered judging by the state of the laptop."

So the way they are sure it is mine is by looking at the data they say they can't look at.

Axwell

I have to ask why are you even in conversation with them, especially over text messages. It ridiculously unprofessional and I wouldn't be engaging them in any conversation or debate over the hdd or anything else.

Step back and look at some of the facts

They told you that your laptop was damaged beyond repair due to corrosion, now they have magically found the laptop they threw out because they don't have room to hold on to laptops and its now going to work perfectly?

Considering you sent it in to be repaired and they said it wasn't possible to repair it are you just getting back your laptop put back together and back where you started?

They gave you the wrong hdd so have clearly messed up someone elses laptop.

What are the chances of you actually getting back your own laptop, will you recognise its your for sure if they give it to you. Do you have a serial number, do you know how much ram was in yours?

What do you actually want at this stage? You are going back and forth with them and its just spiraling into a farce at this point. If you get your laptop back with the hdd in it and it works are you going to be happy with that? I dont see how this is likely to happen anyways if it was initially broken and apparently beyond repair. You don't seem to be asking them the right questions or getting the right answers. My very first question would be how is my laptop fixed when originally they said it was unrepairable and the reason all this happened. I would be waiting for an answer in person or them to phone and explain, not sending texts back and forth with little barter demands. I would want that answered first and then would discuss anything else. If they cant answer that and confirm it in writing then I would cease communication and continue with the scc.

Edit: Just seen your last reply - they are saying you can know its your laptop by the hdd? NO, that means you know its your hdd, not your laptop. As I said do you have a serial number, do you know the makeup of your own laptop internally or some marks to identify it.

Pompey Magnus

Axwell wrote: »

My very first question would be how is my laptop fixed when originally they said it was unrepairable and the reason all this happened.

I get the impression that is hasn't been fixed. They are giving it back unrepaired I believe.

Edit: Just seen your last reply - they are saying you can know its your laptop by the hdd? NO, that means you know its your hdd, not your laptop. As I said do you have a serial number, do you know the makeup of your own laptop internally or some marks to identify it.

All I have is the order confirmation with the specifications listed and the various documents and manuals provided originally. I don't have the serial number (do Dell give it on any of the documents or would it be only on the laptop?), also there wasn't any particularly distinguishing features about the laptop itself.

beauf

Pompey Magnus wrote: »

...After about 2 weeks I went back to the store, the laptop was completely disassembled...

Untouched, unrepaired or disassembled?

Pompey Magnus

beauf wrote: »

Untouched, unrepaired or disassembled?

Unrepaired and disassembled. I brought it in in one piece.

D3PO

Pompey Magnus wrote: »

I get the impression that is hasn't been fixed. They are giving it back unrepaired I believe.



All I have is the order confirmation with the specifications listed and the various documents and manuals provided originally. I don't have the serial number (do Dell give it on any of the documents or would it be only on the laptop?), also there wasn't any particularly distinguishing features about the laptop itself.

I work for Dell.

Drop me a PM if you want some assistance and I will help if I can.

Axwell

Pompey Magnus wrote: »

I get the impression that is hasn't been fixed. They are giving it back unrepaired I believe.



All I have is the order confirmation with the specifications listed and the various documents and manuals provided originally. I don't have the serial number (do Dell give it on any of the documents or would it be only on the laptop?), also there wasn't any particularly distinguishing features about the laptop itself.

You get the impression? Sorry but why haven't you rang them and asked them straight out what they are giving you back. Why are you texting and getting snippets of information and sorting out the other hdd, you need to focus on your own laptop and get some proper answers. Phone them and ask them what they are giving you back, 1. Is it your laptop (not just the hdd in another laptop) and 2. Is it repaired or not? These are the two most blatant things you need to find out at this stage, the answer to those two questions would make my mind up if I was you on whether i was continuing to proceed to the scc or not. If they say it is your laptop with your hdd and repaired ask them to confirm that in writing and then go collect it. So if/when it isn't you have some written proof they said what you were getting back.

username123

Axwell wrote: »

I have to ask why are you even in conversation with them, especially over text messages. It ridiculously unprofessional and I wouldn't be engaging them in any conversation or debate over the hdd or anything else.

^^ This.

Stop texting with them. Carry on to court. It's not going to be your laptop. This is just becoming ridiculous.

DesperateDan

OP can we have the location of this place so we can warn others not to go near them?!

I hope everything is sorted out. For the duress and amount of time wasted I would be seeking damages of some kind as well - but I haven't a clue what the law would be regarding something like this. Surely you are entitled to a fixed, identical laptop + compensation for the inordinate time frame and unreasonable hassle / lies

metroburgers

DesperateDan wrote: »

OP can we have the location of this place so we can warn others not to go near them?!

No these are all allegations = defamation.

rovoagho

They're only defamation if proved false. You need the word potential in there somewhere.

DesperateDan

metroburgers wrote: »

No these are all allegations = defamation.

Interesting, so if I have a bad experience somewhere I can't come on here and warn people about it? They have every right to come on themselves and try and explain their actions.

I can see why businesses need protection in-case someone with a serious vendetta comes along, but how come the endless threads complaining about all of the phone companies or chains etc. are all fine - same principle no?

dudara

The company is not to be named.

dudara

metroburgers

DesperateDan wrote: »

Interesting, so if I have a bad experience somewhere I can't come on here and warn people about it? They have every right to come on themselves and try and explain their actions.

I can see why businesses need protection in-case someone with a serious vendetta comes along, but how come the endless threads complaining about all of the phone companies or chains etc. are all fine - same principle no?

I agree but OP's allegations are extremely serious re: data protection.

Allyall

DesperateDan wrote: »

how come the endless threads complaining about all of the phone companies or chains etc. are all fine - same principle no?

Most of those have a "Talk-To" forum, and can reply to allegations here, and/or they are big enough to deal with any other problems that may arise.

As for a small Company that has a missunderstanding with a customer, and as far as we know, it may be their only mistake, - being named and shamed online could shut them down, rendering a few people unemployed and possibly ruining someones reputation for life.

They are trying to sort it.

I am interested to hear the outcome, but I don't need to know the name f the Company.

L1011

Allyall wrote: »

and as far as we know, it may be their only mistake

Pretty clear there's at least two, extremely serious, mistakes so far from this thread alone.

Allyall

MYOB wrote: »

Pretty clear there's at least two, extremely serious, mistakes so far from this thread alone.

Yes, but related to the one. I'm not defending them. I think the way they are dealing with it is appalling, I'd be hammering their door down and demanding my old HD, I would see if anything on it is salvagable enough to prove it's my drive.
I would not believe anything they fobbed me off with, was from my original PC, especially not if the OP's PC was only damaged less than a week and was as completely borked as they say.

But.

I do think they deserve not to be 'named and shamed' for the World to see.
Not yet anyway.

L1011

Any country with less antiquated libel laws and there'd be zero reason not to name them. They're clearly incompetent to a level that they do not deserve to be in business, so not naming to "protect" them is a disservice to everyone.

Unfortunately we're stuck in the Victorian era here.