Laptop guarantee??

[netibiza]

I bought a Samsung laptop in England and now it needs repairing, am I entitled to have it mended under guarantee here in Spain. I have the (very faint) original receipt. I called Curry's where I bought it, and they said get in touch with Samsung directly.

[wilkesneil]

usually the guarantee would only be acceptable in the country the laptop was purchased in. companies will try and avoid repairs on laptops by saying you've put something on there to make it faulty.

[netibiza]

Cheeky beggars!! Oh dear that is what I thought. I have to phone samsung on Monday to se eif they will agree to repair it under guarantee, but wanted to know my European rights so I could shout them down!!!! Thanks.

[wilkesneil]

what is up with the laptop?

[Buenchico]

The problem with a guarantee is that it is completely separate to your statutory rights (which apply across the EU). A guarantee is a 'gift' from a manufacturer and, as such, that manufacturer is entitled to determine their own conditions. (For example, it's perfectly lawful for a guarantee to say that it's only valid if you return the goods, in person, to the factory in Japan, between the hours of 0301 and 0302 on the third Thursday after a full moon).

However, while many manufacturers will refuse to honour guarantees on 'grey imports' (i.e. on goods which were never actually intended for sale in the country in which they were eventually purchased), that's rarely the case with goods which were bought 'through regular channels'. Most manufacturers will honour such guarantees worldwide (or, at least, in any country where they have arrangements for servicing their own products).

So Samsung may well agree to honour the guarantee.

However, depending upon how long ago you bought the laptop, Curry's may well still have a statutory obligation to fix your laptop (even if that means that they'll have to pay for shipping to and from the UK). You're consumer rights, with a retailer, exist throughout the whole of the EU.

Chris

[wildwood]

Most claims require proof of purchase. Before the thermal paper used in cash registers has faded, scan it and store on computer, as well as a printed hard copy.

[netibiza]

Thanks, well the receipt is terribly faded and just legible if one peers at it long enough. I bought the laptop in August o9. The usb ports won't recognise an external mouse although it works fine for a while and then refuses to work. I have spoken to Currys and they say they only guarantee it for 1 year and to get in touch with samsung, which I have but they are not sure about the guarantee so I have to call a central office tomorrow, I just wanted to blind them with my knowledge of the law!! (and all this in a foreign language which throws me somewhat!)

[Buenchico]

Curry's are being a bit naughty. They (like manufacturers) are free to give a guarantee (under whatever terms they choose) with a product. But that guarantee remains separate to your statutory rights. See my post here:
http://www.theanswerb.../Question1035018.html

However they might say that it's probably a software problem, which wouldn't be classed as 'inherent fault'.

Chris

[emmie]

I don't think guarantees are worth the paper they are written, or printed on. And the companies have you over a barrel when it comes to proving fault with the item. A manufacturer, shop can say fair wear and tear, and get away with it, most only have 1 year warranty after that you are b***ered.

[hc4361]

No you are not, em10!
You have rights for up to 6 years under the Sales of Goods Act.
And very good it is too.

[ChuckFickens]

You don't automatically have rights up to 6 years.

You have right up to an amount of time the item might reasonably be expected to last and several factors would be taken into account in determining a reasonable amount of time, including the perceived quality of the brand... i.e. it would be more reasonable to expect a high quality brand like sony to last longer than a cheap, budget supermarket own brand.

[emmie]

Oh yeah, without giving anything away details, we had to fight with the outlet for refund, they would only repair at huge cost, and their stock reply to any entreaty was it was out of its guarantee, which was one year only, and that was repeated over and over, and it took a lot of letters, phone calls and other stuff to finally get recompense.

[emmie]

i would never believe anything any retailer tells me about guarantees, warranties, its bunkum. Ask the local trading standards about this, and they will tell you much the same.

[wildwood]

View the retailers obligations for extended warranties here...

http://www.oft.gov.uk...FE729B615399B4B60A7F.