"There are no simple questions".
I purchased a high-end Sony laptop from Harvey Norman, the last one HN had in the country.
This was a rushed purchase, as I was in a consumer tribunal about my previous Sony Vaio when I found out Sony was pulling out of Australia. As the outcome of NCAT was uncertain, I chose to purchase this as I did not want to be left without a computer I liked.
My previous VAIO was damaged by a 'repair' by a Sony Service Centre (under previous 'extended warranty, pre Australian Consumer Law), where they destroyed the fixings between the screen and keyboard, rendering the laptop a desktop as the only way it would work was with an external monitor.
The new VAIO had heaps of problems. It was sent in for repair under warranty by HN and it was in repair for almost three months but finally came back having had the motherboard replaced. However, it came back without an operating system and with a product key that didn't work. Months of communication and no resolution but I was able to get the system working again when the free windows 10 came in.
Then more problems, now outside of the 1 year warranty, and Sony agreed to repair it under ACL. Sent it back to repairer telling them it would NOT be ok to keep it for three months again. They did! Claimed the motherboard that needed to be replaced again was lost, delayed, etc.
Finally, with Sony agreeing to cover the cost of the motherboard, it came down to a dispute over a $150 labour charge. HN said they would cover the labour cost, but this was not in writing.
I gave notice to fix it and return it or I would go to NCAT and claim the cost of new laptop (Lenovo Yoga). No joy.
The crux:
Six months in, the repairer said if they did not hear from me they would return the unit to me in its broken state.
They never returned it.
I would like to recover the cost of replacing the laptop as it was a major failure. I've been to NCAT and it is difficult with the consumer having the burden of proof. I was not able to prove that the original repair that started this whole thing was dodgy.
Comments?
I purchased a high-end Sony laptop from Harvey Norman, the last one HN had in the country.
This was a rushed purchase, as I was in a consumer tribunal about my previous Sony Vaio when I found out Sony was pulling out of Australia. As the outcome of NCAT was uncertain, I chose to purchase this as I did not want to be left without a computer I liked.
My previous VAIO was damaged by a 'repair' by a Sony Service Centre (under previous 'extended warranty, pre Australian Consumer Law), where they destroyed the fixings between the screen and keyboard, rendering the laptop a desktop as the only way it would work was with an external monitor.
The new VAIO had heaps of problems. It was sent in for repair under warranty by HN and it was in repair for almost three months but finally came back having had the motherboard replaced. However, it came back without an operating system and with a product key that didn't work. Months of communication and no resolution but I was able to get the system working again when the free windows 10 came in.
Then more problems, now outside of the 1 year warranty, and Sony agreed to repair it under ACL. Sent it back to repairer telling them it would NOT be ok to keep it for three months again. They did! Claimed the motherboard that needed to be replaced again was lost, delayed, etc.
Finally, with Sony agreeing to cover the cost of the motherboard, it came down to a dispute over a $150 labour charge. HN said they would cover the labour cost, but this was not in writing.
I gave notice to fix it and return it or I would go to NCAT and claim the cost of new laptop (Lenovo Yoga). No joy.
The crux:
Six months in, the repairer said if they did not hear from me they would return the unit to me in its broken state.
They never returned it.
I would like to recover the cost of replacing the laptop as it was a major failure. I've been to NCAT and it is difficult with the consumer having the burden of proof. I was not able to prove that the original repair that started this whole thing was dodgy.
Comments?