repair shop has broken my phone, refuse to repair/offer compensation - small claims??

Christo

Christo

Christo

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I dropped my phone in water at over the Christmas period - dried it, and it has worked 100% ever since. I took the phone to an official Nokia service centre (run by carphonewarehouse) and they broke my phone - and will not fix it/offer compensation. Do I have a leg to stand on??

Monday around 13:00
I had a fully functioning N95 8Gb with a loose volume button that needed fixing. (Apparently this is a common fault on these types of handset.). I went to carphone warehouse and asked the customer service desk. The operative mentioned that it would cost £10 to repair and that I would need to backup it up before giving in the phone for repair.

Thursday - 11th Sept 11:07
Handed in the phone for repair - said the volume button needed soldering and the cost would be £10. The customer service operative accepted the phone typed in the code to get the IMEI number (note - proof that the keypad was working) and noted it down on the system. The assistant said the phone would be available for pickup in 30-40 mins. I returned during the lunch break to pick up the phone, the assistant mentioned that the phone couldn’t be be repaired due to water damage. I asked it it could be repaired out of warranty, and how much it would cost for soldering of the volume button. He said it would be better if I claimed on the insurance for the phone, which I found a little strange considering only the volume button wasn’t working. I brought out the phone and said that actually the volume button had been soldered. I was quite pleased and paid £10 for repair and left the shop. Turing on the phone whilst in the street I noticed none of the buttons on the phone worked. I went back into the shop to demand they fix my phone - which had been working perfectly before handing in the phone - as the assistant agreed. The manager refused to repair the phone citing water damage. How would water have damaged the phone in the hour it was with the shop? Why did the phone shop fix the volume button, charge me £10 and give it back to me with no mention that it no longer worked?

Do you think I have a leg to stand on considering it was working fine beforehand (as aknowledged by the assistant?)
 
Well you handed them a working mobile phone, which was acknowledged to be working at the time of receipt from the shop.

Upon them handing it back to you it doesn't work, so I would say yes. Even if you had mentioned that you dropped it in water last year, I would still expect them to fix the phone.

Claim total ignorance about the water damage and keep on their case, they will buckle eventually.
 
The problem is I have been completely open about the water damage - its completely irrelevant to the issue but all the manager did was repeat it was due to water damage. (Which is a complete lie)
 
Chrisp7 said:
The problem is I have been completely open about the water damage - its completely irrelevant to the issue but all the manager did was repeat it was due to water damage. (Which is a complete lie)
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Basically you handed them a working phone, water damage or not.

They returned it you broken, your rights as a customer shouldn't be affected. Basically you didn't ask them to fix water damage you asked them to fix a loose button and in doing so they broke the phone.
 
adamph said:
Basically you handed them a working phone, water damage or not.

They returned it you broken, your rights as a customer shouldn't be affected. Basically you didn't ask them to fix water damage you asked them to fix a loose button and in doing so they broke the phone.
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I mean that is the bottom line mate!

Come on even mentioning water damage yourself was a bit naive but the point is it didnt stop your phone working. They are basically claiming something you done months ago has been lingering in your phone and all of a sudden when they went to repair a completely different part.....it decided to strike.....:rolleyes:

Anyways just keep getting on at them and complain as much as you can, their fault not yours :)
 
Hi m8,

I have worked in an approved repair centre at a decent level.
Unfortunately I would have to say you don't have a leg to stand on (or phone to call on!:o) sry

The repair engineer will have found liquid ingress on the mainboard of your phone. Most approved centres will simply stop any work/repair and declare the phone 'beyond economic repair' (customers fault for allowing liquid to enter phone)

You could keep pushing for a working phone to be returned to you, but they would only get a 'just about working' mainboard from there scrap stock.
 
course he has a leg to stand on

they broke his phone :/


if you took your car that had been crashed but still drove fine, into a garage and they gave you it back with a new wing/headlight but a broken engine you wouldnt be too happy... this is pretty much the same
 
Actually yes he does have a leg to stand on, if he has insurance (that covers water damage obv)


And you will find he broke the phone when he allowed water to enter it.
 
Yes.


He has mixed water with an electrical mainboard (not good & validates any warranty/won't be repaired by most service centres, even if you pay)



Basically, the water will have corroded the unit over time. It was going to die at some point, and it happened now because he took it into a centre, the phone probably got put on the test rig & sizzle:eek:
 
rokerij said:
Yes.


He has mixed water with an electrical mainboard (not good & validates any warranty/won't be repaired by most service centres, even if you pay)



Basically, the water will have corroded the unit over time. It was going to die at some point, and it happened now because he took it into a centre, the phone probably got put on the test rig & sizzle:eek:
Click to expand...

The phone was 100% fine after 8/9 months, absolutely no issues with it whatsoever (no lockups etc). They soldered the phone - and in effect broke the phone. Had they not touched it and gave it back broken, I probably wouldnt have a leg to stand on - but the onus surely is on them? They should have noticed the supposed water damage first and not damaged it.
 
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They will have done what you asked them, repair the volume button. You did not ask them to check for water damage or check if any water damage could kill the phone while they soldered your button back on.

It would be 'good practise' for them to check every phone for water damage first, but I don't think they necessarily have to.

You can try to use that to get a replacement board/phone out of them (but as said it will be from scrap)

Insurance tbh if ya can mate.
 
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