Faulty TV, followed retailers instructions, not getting anywhere.

I bought a TV from a well known Irish retailer on Dec 30th 2007.
Mid April 2008 the TV developed an intermittant fault. Beginning of May 2008 I phoned retailer and reported fault. They gave me the number of the manufacturer (in the UK) and told me to call them and they would arrange for a service engineer to call.

Rang the manufacturer. They took details and told me that they would process service request and that I would receive a call from a company in Dublin who takes care of their Irish repairs to arrange an engineer to call.

A week passed. No call. Meanwhile intermittant fault has become permanent fault. I phone back manufacturer. Re-open case, same solution offered. A week passed. No call.
I ring manufacturer again, this time they give me number for Irish repairs and I call. Number not in use.
Ring manufacturer. New number given for Irish repairs. I ring it and am told computer system down so original service details not available but no matter, the girl will take down info. Go through spiel again and am told I will be phoned by service engineer in approximately 20 minutes and he will arrange with me when he is calling out.

And then - you guessed it - no call. Have phoned back and number ringing out. So now, 2 days later I have had enough!

So now I have been watching a faulty TV for 1 month, I have tried to no avail to follow instructions from retailer to have set repaired.

Rang retailer - you cannot ring the store direct, spent 1 whole day ringing the service centre number which kept making the number not in service noise. Finally yesterday got through to automated system that only allowed me to leave my phone number for someone to call me back. And guess what? No call back.

I am now ready to physically present myself at the store I bought it from and dump TV on the floor of the retailers showrooms and tell them to sort it out.

Advice anyone?

Contact the NCA on www.consumerconnect.ie for advice on your rights?

Hi TruthSeeker,
Absolutely go and present yourself in the store, with TV.
Your contract is with the store that sold you the product initially, not the manufacturer.
Is the telly small enough for you to transport in yourself?
Nicola

Thank you both for replies.

Clubman - I will go look over that website.

NicolaM - Yes. I could bring it. Its not that big, but my concern is that they will stand their ground and tell me they are legally obliged to provide repair before considering replacement. My issue is that a month has passed waiting on said repair and theoretically this could get pushed from Billy to Jack for long enough for any warranty to run out or for the retailer to entertain me at all.

Tell them you're happy to leave your tv behind for them to organise a repair, but that you want a loan set until yours is repaired.

Update: Received a call from the Irish service people telling me someone would collect the tv on monday evening, no info onto how long it will be gone etc...

So the tv gets collected on monday. I phone today and am told they need to put in a new screen and that it will be over a week from now, but they cant say exactly how long. A ball park guestimate was made of 2 weeks from today.

So now, Ive been watching faulty tv for a month and it gets taken away for repair on monday, no one can give me a date it will be ready and the best guestimate means im without a tv over 2 weeks.

Now perhaps Im being silly but this all seems a little ludicrous to me!!! Im not upset at not having a tv for 2 weeks, but the principle of it has me annoyed. Surely they should have offered me a replacement while repair is happening (when I queried this the girl told me she has no 'loaners' available).

Hi
That's very patient of you. I think I'd be upset if I didn't have the TV that I paid for, for 2 whole weeks! (not that I watch that much telly, but I like to have the choice to, if I want to)
Perhaps you should suggest you get something from them ,as a gesture of goodwill, seeing as they cannot offer you a replacement telly? ie maybe you should now put your concerns/ annoyance in writing, and write to the store manager? (suggesting a goodwill gesture, in case they don't have the nous to come up with it as a plan to appease an annoyed customer?)
Surprisingly bad customer service, isn't it?

Nicola

Head back to the store where you purchased the Tv and ask them for a spare. If this isn't provided then stand outside the store with a sign explaining their poor customer service - this I'm sure will get the manager to sort something out for you.

BTW - I think most of the larger stores operate this system of dealing with faulty goods and if I'm not mistaken it's not entirely within the consumer rights laws as your contract is with the store and not the manufacturer.

I don't get the point of the previous posters in demanding a loan TV...it doesn't happen if your car goes faulty, or your mobile phone, or your washing machine...
The retailer is obliged to sort out the faulty product, not provide 24/7 TV service in your sitting room. (not excusing the bad service)
I happen to rent my TV which is totally different as I get loan TV if it breaks down and a new one every 2yrs when I ask...

ok update on the situation - my blood is really starting to boil now.

so tv was faulty for full month after I reported it, was collected from me 10 days ago for repair.

Phoned repair place today, not only has nothing changed, they tell me they are waiting on new screen and the CANNOT give me ETA on it as the manufacturers cannot give them one. So the tv could be gone for another week, a month, a year and although they are 'terribly sorry and know I must be frustrated - sure what can they do if the manufacturers cant give them an answer'?

So now Im going into my second weekend with no telly, after a month of watching faulty telly, and still no clue as to when it may be fixed. Only bought tv on Dec 30th!!!

Phoned retailer a couple of times, but you can only phone a helpline and leave a voicemail with your number for them to call back and they are not returning my call.

Have not physically presented myself to retailer yet, am thinking I might pay them a visit this evening, am not happy with the situation at all.

truthseeker - you are the most patient person I've heard of in a long time. I wouldn't buy anything from that shop ever again, it's a awful pity you can't name it (I guess) as I'm sure lots of us wish to avoid it.

Had a similar story a couple of years ago, again, they had no idea when the required part would arrive, so I ended up playing hardball and threatened legal action stating I had been more than reasonable to that point and they had repeatedly failed to meet their commitments. They backed down pretty quickly and I went back to pick out a new TV.

It is very important that you take notes of every single conversation, get them to commit to calling you back with updates etc., as when they inevitably fail to do so it will look worse for them.
Leo

I dont mind naming the retailer - dont know if Im allowed - perhaps mods would tell me?

For now lets just say that its one of the countries biggest retailers of electrical goods. Ill never buy from them again, not being able to phone the actual store you made the purchase from is a major pain!!

Does anyone think it will be worth my while physically calling to the retailer and kicking up a fuss about it at this stage or will I just be told that 'aw well if the manufacturer cant give an ETA then our hands are tied'?

Is there a reasonable amount of time Im expected to wait while knowing nothing? I waited a month for it to be addressed at all, now Im 10 days with no tv and no ETA.

8till8 said:

I don't get the point of the previous posters in demanding a loan TV...it doesn't happen if your car goes faulty, or your mobile phone, or your washing machine...

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Not quite true. A lot of retailers will offer you a replacement on loan if you are willing to pay a refundable deposit. I'm thinking of cars and phones specifically here but I don't see any reason why televisions would be different.

Presented myself at the retailers, explained the story.

Basically got nowhere. Guy said he will pass complaint onto the salesperson who sold us the tv, who will get onto the manufacturer, find out what is going on and phone us tomorrow.

I told him that wasnt good enough, I wanted refund, a new tv or a loaner tv - he said he couldnt do any of that. I asked to speak to someone higher than him, there was no one higher than him.

The argument ensued for roughly 20 minutes. He kept shaking his head sadly saying he would get someone to get on the case tomorrow, I kept shaking my head saying I wanted something done tonight. He told me that legally all I am entitled to is repair. I told him Id first reported fault 6 weeks ago and not only was repair not done within 6 weeks but no ETA - did he consider this a reasonable amount of time to await a repair? He kept saying 'well tv was collected 10 days ago', and ignoring that fault was reported 6 weeks ago.

I came away extremely frustrated and still no tv.

Im at a loss now really cos I have no doubt the call tomorrow will contain more rubbish about it going to take another 10 days, 2 weeks, 6 months or whatever and there seems to be no definition of what is a reasonable time for me to wait.

What are my options?

Threaten to sue him in the small claims court unless he sorts it out.

Hi Truthseeker,
What a pain in the head!!!
1)What time did you go into the store at?
If it was out of hours, the chance is that there was nobody senior there that could make a decision.(hence the sad head shaking etc)
It is better to go if you can, in the middle of working hours (and not at lunchtime). You are more likely to get someone who can authorise a resolution during the day time. Before you go, phone and ask what time the store manager will be there.(don't say why, just in case that prompts a swift exit from the store)
2a)Have you put any of this in writing to the store manager yet, explaining time frame and exactly what you have been told etc? If you haven't you need to do so. Send it in person, or registered post, so you can confirm it was received. Get the name of the manager, and address the letter to him/her (not: To whom it may concern)
2b)Give a time frame for resolution.
2c)State you will take this matter further if not resolved to your satisfaction in 7 days. Quote Consumer legislation in the letter (eg "if this is not resolved as per the Sale of Goods and Supply of Services Act 1980..") and then follow Leo's advise as below.

Leo said:

I ended up playing hardball and threatened legal action stating I had been more than reasonable to that point and they had repeatedly failed to meet their commitments.
Leo

Click to expand...

3)As I am sure that this is a large-ish amount of money, if this does not end up getting sorted out with this, then say you will take them to the small claims court. Point out that they will not be able to defend against your claim, and that it will end up costing them a reasonable amount of money trying to do so.
Hopefully it will not go to that, and it will be resolved after sending a very firm letter/discussing with the store manager in person
Hope this helps
Nicola

Thanks for the replies.

Just to respond - I DID threaten small claims court AND local newspaper publicity and was told 'well you are welcome to go down that road if you wish'.

The guy WAS the store manager (apparently) but store managers do not have the authority to resolve these matters, it must go through head office - apparently.

Yes I went at 7.30pm - it was out of hours.

Excellent point about putting in writing and quoting consumer legislation.

I left on the note that if I have not received a call back from them tomorrow with some resolution satisfactory to me (i.e., I am not accepting 'it will take another month to repair') that I will be back in the store after work and I will be expecting a full refund - but he just shook his head sadly at that and continued to tell me that only head office can issue refunds.

They dont care about their customers - thats why you cannot even ring the store, only a 'customer support' line. And thats also why when and IF they do ring you back youre just given a manufacturers number to ring and sort out yourself - pass the buck til the customer gets sick of it.

Right then. Here's a plan:
Send the letter as above,registered post, giving stated time frame for resolution. Keep a copy (v important, and receipt from An Post)
State (in the letter) that after this date, you will submit a claim via the small claims court.
Small claims court will cost you €9 to set in motion.
Proceed with this if you haven't a satisfactory resolution by the date you have stated.
The store will have 15 calendar days to reply once the claim is sent to them by the court.
You probably know this, but here's the process for small claims.
Chances are they will give in at this stage.
If not, follow the process through.All you have to lose is €9, considerably less than them, in terms of irritation, wasted time etc, as it does not appear you are getting anywhere with them.
Nicola