The Nvidia Defect Forum

Hi
I bought a HP Pavilion dv2699ea Special EditionEntertainment Notebook PC from comet on 02/2008 and its screen went blank after the screen picture breaking up and having lines and artefacts eveywhere on 03/2009 (3 weeks after the warranty expired). I contacted HP, through emails, phones, they told, that the warranty period is over, so they could not help. I went to comet in person (they said, i should contact HP). I was soo frustrated I paid nearly 150 pounds to a local guy to repair the graphics card and again it broke down 3 times within 3 months. After that I thought, i can't do anything, just bought a new laptop. After reading many messages in this forum, i realised that i have a case. I am not sure, whether I have a bill. I paid through my debit card, so I have the proof through my statement.
Is there any way forward??

Thanks in advance

Cheers
Cadiffdude

Hello Cardiffdude and welcome to our forum.

Sorry to hear of the problems you have been experiencing with your laptop.

I got a bit giddy when I originally saw your post as it was in the "Success Stories" section of the forum. No problems but I have now moved it to the "Comet" section.

First things first, I did a quick check on the HP support website for your laptop and found this:- http://tinyurl.com/26q5y6o

This is a BIOS updated released by HP on the 8th April 2008. The purpose of this BIOS update, according to the HP website, was:-



So, proof if it were needed that as early as 8th April 2008 HP were well aware of the potential for your laptop to overheat. If not then why release a BIOS update that switches the fans on 25/7 to the detriment of your battery?



I am sick and tired of that company giving their customers incorrect information and for trying to reduce their statutory rights and their rights under the Sale Of Goods Act.

They are talking a load of baloney when they tell you to contact HP. It is Comet and Comet alone that are responsible to you. You have no contract with HP as your sales contract is with Comet.



Well, I am glad you have found us because we are going to help you get a refund, partial or otherwise.

You may also be able to claim the £150 that you have paid as a consequential loss though I cannot guarantee that you would get this back without court action.

Your first step is to send Comet a letter before action. There is a template available in this forum and that is here:- download/letter_before_action.doc

You should download that, edit it with your details and send it to Comet head office which is here:-



The letter gives them seven days to comply with their obligations in law. If they fail to respond within seven business days then you should move on to the next step which is an engineers report. We can help with that and have had great success with our reports.

For further details on that please take a look here:- need-an-independant-engineers-report-t62.html

Once you have the report you should send a copy along with a final letter before action. There is a template available in this forum and that is here:- download/letter-with-report.doc

You should download that and edit it with your details and send it along with a copy of the report to Comet's head office.

Please ensure that you send all communications via recorded delivery and please also ensure that you keep a copy of the letters and postal receipts.

If after seven days they have failed to respond then you should pop on over to http://www.moneyclaim.gov.uk and file a small claims action against them.

If your laptop is indeed inherently defective then you really cannot lose.

There is a step by step guide available on this forum that will help you reach a positive resolution and that is here:- post13.html#p13

If you have any questions or if you need any advice then please let me know.

Please keep us updated on your progress.

Good luck and best wishes

Paul
The Admin Team

_________________
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Calculate the minimum refund that you would be entitled to.
FAQ's
Why you should not accept a repair
Links to evidence
What is the Nvidia Defect?
Step by step help to getting a refund
Do you need an engineers report?
=======================================================

If you like what you see on this forum and would like to help then please post links to this forum in other forums or blogs. The more people we can help the better.


Please note that I am not legally qualified and I only offer my own personal advice. You are advised to seek professional legal advice for formal clarification of advice I give.

Hi Paul
Many thanks for the detailed reply. Apologies for posting in the wrong forum. I checked yesterday, I have the original bill with me. What worries me is, I have repaired the laptop from a nearby computer repair shop. Even after that it failed. Will that affect my claim? I have the proof that i contacted HP, I don't have proof that I went to comet in person.
Yesterday I wrote an email to comet, let me see their reply. Otherwise I will send the formal letter after a week.
Many thanks for your kind reply Paul. I appreciate your time and efforts
Regards

Hi Paul
When I repaired the laptop from the nearby repair centre, they changed the graphics card. Will that be problem when they "inspect" my laptop?
Cheers
S

Hi Paul
I got this response from Comet through email.
How to proceed now???

S

Response 27/08/2010

Thank you for your e-mail,

I was very concerned to learn of the problems that you have experienced with your product. Please let me say how sorry I am and thank you for taking the time to get in touch.

If a fault develops with your product, it is protected by a 12 month guarantee from the date of purchase, which covers the full cost of spare parts and labour. The length of the guarantee is usually sufficient for any technical problems with the product to materialise.

Comet will not charge you for repairs carried out under the guarantee period. However, if the manufacturers’ guarantee or extended warranty on your product has expired, repairs are chargeable.

To move forward in resolving this matter, I would ask you to take the laptop to your local Comet store and they would take the inspection payment, book the laptop on our service systems and the laptop would be sent to the local service centre for inspection and you would be advised regarding the repair costs once the fault has been determined.

Please accept my apologies for any inconvenience this may cause you and I am confident a member of our service team will be only too pleased to assist you.

Regards



Comet Customer Services

Hello Cardiffdude,

That is a standard response from Comet so nothing to worry about there.

I would however reject their offer of an inspection as the onus is on you, the customer, to prove the inherent defect in your laptop.

I would tell them that you will be supplying your own report and once you have done that then ou will expect either a refund or a replacement laptop. You should also tell them that a repair is out of the question due to unreliability of spare parts.

Your next step is to obtain an engineers report which we can help with. We have had great success with our reports as members of this forum will testify.

In order to proceed with a report please take a look at the following:- need-an-independant-engineers-report-t62.html

If your laptop is indeed inherently defective then you really cannot lose.

If you have any questions then please let me know.

Best wishes

Paul
The Admin Team

_________________
=======================================================
Calculate the minimum refund that you would be entitled to.
FAQ's
Why you should not accept a repair
Links to evidence
What is the Nvidia Defect?
Step by step help to getting a refund
Do you need an engineers report?
=======================================================

If you like what you see on this forum and would like to help then please post links to this forum in other forums or blogs. The more people we can help the better.


Please note that I am not legally qualified and I only offer my own personal advice. You are advised to seek professional legal advice for formal clarification of advice I give.

Hi Paul
Many thanks for the reply, what about the repairs I had done with some repair centre? Will it anyway affect my claim? Could you please refer my replies 3 and 4 in this post?

If it doesn't, then I will proceed with the independant report.

Many thanks for your time and efforts Paul

Regards
S

Hello,



Well, this shouldn't affect your claim as you were not to know that your laptop was inherently defective.

I have prepared a number of reports where the customer had a repair on their laptop and they were successful in their claim.

I would have to document in the report that a previous repair had been undertaken but would also document that this is not out of the ordinary as at the time of repair you were out of warranty and none the wiser as to the cause of the failure.

I hope the above helps.

If you have any questions then please let me know.

Best wishes

Paul
The Admin Team

_________________
=======================================================
Calculate the minimum refund that you would be entitled to.
FAQ's
Why you should not accept a repair
Links to evidence
What is the Nvidia Defect?
Step by step help to getting a refund
Do you need an engineers report?
=======================================================

If you like what you see on this forum and would like to help then please post links to this forum in other forums or blogs. The more people we can help the better.


Please note that I am not legally qualified and I only offer my own personal advice. You are advised to seek professional legal advice for formal clarification of advice I give.

Hi Paul
Many thanks for the reply. I will contact you soon. Today I am sending the "letter before action". Let me see their reply. I will contact you soon.

Kind regards

Hi Paul
I got a reply from Comet again

Quote
Thank you for your e-mail reply,

I am sorry to hear that you are unhappy with my previous response.

Having reviewed the entire matter, while I am of course very sorry that you disagree with the information in my previous e-mail, I am satisfied that it is correct.

You have stated that the product was outside the 12 month manufacturers warranty when you took it to your local store and then contacted HP and you have not contacted us back since early 2009 regarding this issue. You do have a duty of care to bring this to our attention again within a reasonable period of time, and 17 months later would not be classed as a reasonable period of time.

In the circumstances, we are unable you meet your request for a free repair or replacement. We would be able to advise you further regarding the repair costs once the product has been inspected and we would levy a inspection charge of £49.99. I would again advise that you take the product to your local comet store so that this can be sent to be inspected. We would look to offer a reduced repair charge based on the fault found, the age of the product and the parts required.

Please accept my apologies for the inconvenience you have been caused.

Regards


Comet Customer Services

I am sending a hard copy of the "Letter before action" tommorrow. Let me see their response.

Regards