Monitor returned under warranty damaged in transit

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Sat 17 Dec 2022 10:32
Monitor returned under warranty damaged in transit - maz64

Hope you don't mind but I've already posted this on the MoneySavingExpert 'consumer rights' forum. Having had no replies... should have come here first :) (no pictures though)

£200 monitor bought online from LaptopsDirect, developed a relatively minor fault (I was still using it for work), sent for repair under warranty to the repairer who arranged the collection by DHL.

I've been informed that the monitor got damaged in transit 'due to insufficient packaging', which isn't covered by the warranty. It is now unrepairable, so did I want it back or shall they bin it.

They included a couple of pictures - one showing the monitor on but with a grey screen, and the other showing what they described as a crack in the corner - the damage in question - although it's not that clear.

I returned the monitor in the box it was delivered in, including polystyrene monitor-shaped inserts, and have asked (email) the repairer for pictures of the packaging to try to get some idea of what happened to it. They have ignored me.

I spoke to Citizens Advice earlier and they said that the repairer are responsible for ensuring the return reaches them safely, although I'm not sure how that works with me doing the packaging. Would it have been up to DHL to reject the collection if they deemed the packaging insufficient? Have they/the repairer accepted responsibility by taking it?

DHL do offer insurance cover (£12), but as the collection was arranged by the repairer, wouldn't it be up to them to include such cover if they thought there was a risk of the item getting damaged?

I'm not at all certain of getting anything back from this, but thought I ought to at least explore any options. If anyone has any advice, ideally with references to appropriate bits of consumer rights legislation, then that would be very much appreciated.

Edited by Xileno on 17/12/2022 at 15:53

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Sat 17 Dec 2022 11:19
Monitor returned under warranty damaged in transit - primus 1

Does your house insurance have legal cover?, might be worth trying them for any advice

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Sat 17 Dec 2022 11:28
Monitor returned under warranty damaged in transit - maz64

Thanks - that would be a very good suggestion, except I'm a cheapskate on my own in a flat that comes with building insurance, few worldly goods of any value, so no house insurance :)

But I'll dig out my car insurance documents, check whether I opted for legal cover, although I suspect not.

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Sat 17 Dec 2022 11:40
Monitor returned under warranty damaged in transit - Chris M

What does the warranty say?

If it's something like "Repairs under warranty should be returned to our authorised repair and any damage sustained in transit are at the customers risk". I'd guess tough, should have read the warranty before purchase. One of the risks of buying online I suppose. The seller may be trying to protect themselves from customers who may pop the monitor in a bin bag or similar.

Absolutely sure it's not the couriers responsibility to check packaging.

I'd get onto the seller and explain it was packaged in the original box and you can't see what else you could have done. You sent it to the authorised repairer who arranged collection.

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Sat 17 Dec 2022 12:08
Monitor returned under warranty damaged in transit - maz64

Thanks Chris.

>> What does the warranty say?

I think it's this:

Link removed

Can't see anything specifically about returns, just that it doesn't cover "Any damage of the product due to shipment" (E on the 2nd page), which could be interpreted as just shipment of the original new product, but I guess would cover returns as well.

>> I'd get onto the seller and explain it was packaged in the original box and you can't see what else you could have done

It's not the seller (LaptopsDirect) I'm dealing with - only the repairer. I have told them I used the original packaging, but the person who has been handling this has gone silent. I'll try using their online form; can't see a complaints process. I'll try a written letter if that fails.

I could also try contacting LaptopsDirect - perhaps I should have gone to them first. However the monitor is nearly 2 years old, and I just went straight to the repair's website.

Edited by Xileno on 17/12/2022 at 15:55

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Sat 17 Dec 2022 12:11
Monitor returned under warranty damaged in transit - maz64

>> But I'll dig out my car insurance documents, check whether I opted for legal cover, although I suspect not.

Not an option for my car insurance (only motoring legal cover), but I might have it through a work scheme - it's not clear. Won't be able to find out until Monday at the earliest.

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Sat 17 Dec 2022 12:44
Monitor returned under warranty damaged in transit - Adampr

If their courier damaged it, they should be claiming from the courier. They're trying it on.

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Sat 17 Dec 2022 12:54
Monitor returned under warranty damaged in transit - sammy1

If as you say it was delivered back in the original packaging that you received it in then surely this should have been OK to return it. I think the case lies between the carrier and the company who arranged the collection. Every day in the news there are bad stories of how goods in transit are handled and delivered The company you are dealing with sound like a load of rogues! I expect the cost of a monitor to them is peanuts!

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Sat 17 Dec 2022 13:03
Monitor returned under warranty damaged in transit - maz64

>> If their courier damaged it, they should be claiming from the courier. They're trying it on.

I'm tempted to think the last bit, but I can see how they can't be responsible for people sending stuff back in bin bags or whatever (as mentioned above).

And DHL were terrible - I actually tried returning this with the same fault about a year ago, but gave up after DHL claimed to have come to collect and found no one in 3 or 4 times, despite me being in. I haven't had this problem with anyone else.

But the problem seemed to be getting worse recently. Only 2 missed 'no one in' DHL pickups this time, 3rd time lucky.

I've emailed the repairer 3 times asking for photos of the (possibly) damaged packaging, but no response.

Edited by Xileno on 17/12/2022 at 15:56

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Sat 17 Dec 2022 13:08
Monitor returned under warranty damaged in transit - Chris M

"I could also try contacting LaptopsDirect"

Absolutely. Your contract is with the seller (assuming this is the manufacturers/seller's warranty), not the repairer.

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Sat 17 Dec 2022 23:25
Monitor returned under warranty damaged in transit - Andrew-T

And DHL were terrible - I actually tried returning this with the same fault about a year ago, but gave up after DHL claimed to have come to collect and found no one in 3 or 4 times, despite me being in. I haven't had this problem with anyone else.

But the problem seemed to be getting worse recently. Only 2 missed 'no one in' DHL pickups this time, 3rd time lucky.

We have had similar trouble recently. After 3 alleged attempts to deliver, always when someone was in, the package eventually arrived with a screenshot of a Bing map containing two pieces of very inaccurate detail. So it may not always be the courier's fault entirely.

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Sat 17 Dec 2022 16:02
Monitor returned under warranty damaged in transit - Xileno

To be safe I've removed the name of the repairer. Anonymising it does not reduce the quality of advice given by members.

Mod

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Sat 17 Dec 2022 16:29
Monitor returned under warranty damaged in transit - maz64

Apologies - won't mention them again.

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Sat 17 Dec 2022 19:15
Monitor returned under warranty damaged in transit - Palcouk

The monitor is 2 years old, the supplier, LaptopsDirect has no liability

Your claim is against the repair shop you sent it to, and if they ignore you then its small claims ct

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Sat 17 Dec 2022 21:12
Monitor returned under warranty damaged in transit - maz64

Thanks - I did have a quick look at the MoneySavingExpert page on that earlier:

www.moneysavingexpert.com/reclaim/small-claims-cou.../

Got to try to settle it first - write them letters etc. If that doesn't work then I'd have to decide whether it's worth pursuing, which includes trying to work out what the chances are of winning. Don't feel confident of that at the moment.

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Sat 17 Dec 2022 22:05
Monitor returned under warranty damaged in transit - Chris M

"monitor is 2 years old, the supplier, xxx has no liability"

Are you sure? OP has said it's nearly 2 years old and if the supplier included a 2 year warranty, I'd be contacting them.

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Sat 17 Dec 2022 23:01
Monitor returned under warranty damaged in transit - Ethan Edwards

How much is a 2yr old monitor worth? 50 quid?

Pick your battles m8.

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Sun 18 Dec 2022 08:24
Monitor returned under warranty damaged in transit - maz64

Yeah, I know. However it's still galling that I had a working monitor that I was happily using every day, which is going to cost £200 to replace. So I think it's worth spending a bit of effort writing the odd mail/letter, it might work. But no, I'm not going to bust a gut over it.

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Fri 6 Jan 2023 11:21
Monitor returned under warranty damaged in transit - maz64

Well that's a nice surprise - the repair company have sent me an email saying they're going to send me a replacement monitor.

I wrote a letter to the company MD just before Christmas giving my point of view, explaining why I felt pretty unhappy about the situation, and asking if he could help. No demands or threats. He must have had a nice festive break :)

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Fri 6 Jan 2023 11:58
Monitor returned under warranty damaged in transit - Xileno

Excellent news and thank you for updating us with the result.

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Fri 6 Jan 2023 18:50
Monitor returned under warranty damaged in transit - Ethan Edwards

Well done indeed. Persistence paid off.

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