Sale Of Goods Act
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stitched

Original Poster:

3,813 posts

197 months

Friday 1st April 2011
quotequote all
My stepdaughter has a mobile phone on contract.
The port to which the charger connects has become detached inside the phone, it appears this is a common fault with the model.
As the phone is less than 12 months old she returned to the shop from which she received the phone.
On inspection the plastic cover over the battery was missing a clip, a totally unrelated problem.
The company contend that as the phone has 'cosmetic damage' the warranty is void and she will have to continue paying for an unworkable phone.
Cosmetic damage is any scratches etc.
Legally are they able to use this defence to avoid the sale of goods act.

Soovy

35,829 posts

295 months

Friday 1st April 2011
quotequote all
stitched said:
My stepdaughter has a mobile phone on contract.
The port to which the charger connects has become detached inside the phone, it appears this is a common fault with the model.
As the phone is less than 12 months old she returned to the shop from which she received the phone.
On inspection the plastic cover over the battery was missing a clip, a totally unrelated problem.
The company contend that as the phone has 'cosmetic damage' the warranty is void and she will have to continue paying for an unworkable phone.
Cosmetic damage is any scratches etc.
Legally are they able to use this defence to avoid the sale of goods act.
She pays the contract for access to the network, so yes, she has to pay. She's committed to a 12 month connection so she'll have to pay for it.


They should repair the phone FOC really, though.

Why not buy another handset for a few quid?

Stoofa

959 posts

192 months

Friday 1st April 2011
quotequote all
I would personally argue that the cosmetic issue is totally unrelated to the main issue - broken charger.
Unless of course they are using the cosmetic damage to indicate that the phone has been mistreated.
So it was "mistreatment" that caused the charger to break off inside the phone.

As the phone is less than a year old it might well be worth speaking to the phone manufacturer.
What make of phone is it?

PintOfKittens

1,336 posts

214 months

Friday 1st April 2011
quotequote all
Phone has 2 years warranty:

The EU directive in question is 1999/44/EC. The full wording is contained here (open the word documtent and scroll to page 7) but the important bit is this: 'A two-year guarantee applies for the sale of all consumer goods everywhere in the EU. In some countries, this may be more, and some manufacturers also choose to offer a longer warranty period.'

http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/bargains-and-rip-offs...

stitched

Original Poster:

3,813 posts

197 months

Friday 1st April 2011
quotequote all
Stoofa said:
I would personally argue that the cosmetic issue is totally unrelated to the main issue - broken charger.
Unless of course they are using the cosmetic damage to indicate that the phone has been mistreated.
So it was "mistreatment" that caused the charger to break off inside the phone.

As the phone is less than a year old it might well be worth speaking to the phone manufacturer.
What make of phone is it?
It's a blackberry pearl.
Girl in the customer services dept (ha) said her notes from the shop it was returned to indicated it was not economically repairable ,presumably this is phonespeak for a write off, and was not covered by the warranty due to cosmetic damage. When I asked what constituted cosmetic damage the reply was cracked or scratched screen or case.
FFS find me a phone more than a week old with no scratches.

JM

3,170 posts

230 months

Friday 1st April 2011
quotequote all
stitched said:
The port to which the charger connects has become detached inside the phone, /
As the phone is less than 12 months old.
My understanding is that the sale of goods act requires items to be able to be used for their intended purpose for a reasonable period (5 yrs? ) or something along those line.

As the phone is broken internally and it cannot be charged, then it is not 'fit for purpose' and should be covered.
Any manufacurer warranty etc should not affect that basic principal.


eybic

9,212 posts

198 months

Friday 1st April 2011
quotequote all
JM said:
My understanding is that the sale of goods act requires items to be able to be used for their intended purpose for a reasonable period (5 yrs? ) or something along those line.

As the phone is broken internally and it cannot be charged, then it is not 'fit for purpose' and should be covered.
Any manufacurer warranty etc should not affect that basic principal.
The problem with the wording "reasonable amount of time" is that you may have a different idea of what is considered reasonable.

I would ask Blackberry to show you where in their warranty it states as soon as there is any cosmetic damage the warranty is void, I doubt they would be able to show you anything like that.

LukeSi

5,780 posts

185 months

Friday 1st April 2011
quotequote all
this wouldn't happen with android.

In all seriousness SOGA them.

zcacogp

11,239 posts

268 months

Friday 1st April 2011
quotequote all
eybic said:
I would ask Blackberry to show you where in their warranty it states as soon as there is any cosmetic damage the warranty is void, I doubt they would be able to show you anything like that.
This, and maybe also ask what they consider to be 'unreasonable use'.

I think the EU two-year-warranty (as posted above) would be a good thing to wave at them. And don't stop 'till you get the right answer (and an apology).


Oli.

Viperz888

560 posts

182 months

Friday 1st April 2011
quotequote all
LukeSi said:
this wouldn't happen with android..
Android don't make phones. silly

LukeSi

5,780 posts

185 months

Friday 1st April 2011
quotequote all
Viperz888 said:
Android don't make phones. silly
But google who make android do :P


JM

3,170 posts

230 months

Friday 1st April 2011
quotequote all
eybic said:
JM said:
My understanding is that the sale of goods act requires items to be able to be used for their intended purpose for a reasonable period (5 yrs? ) or something along those line.

As the phone is broken internally and it cannot be charged, then it is not 'fit for purpose' and should be covered.
Any manufacurer warranty etc should not affect that basic principal.
The problem with the wording "reasonable amount of time" is that you may have a different idea of what is considered reasonable.

I would ask Blackberry to show you where in their warranty it states as soon as there is any cosmetic damage the warranty is void, I doubt they would be able to show you anything like that.
The SOGA is not worded "reasonable amount of time", I said that and think the time allowed is 5 years, but I'm willing to be corrected on that.

Agree, get in touch with Blackberry with ref to cosmetic damage voiding the warranty.



Toni896

2,188 posts

250 months

Friday 1st April 2011
quotequote all
LukeSi said:
Viperz888 said:
Android don't make phones. silly
But google who make android do :P
Not they dont they use HTC and Samsung hardware

Mr Whippy

32,254 posts

265 months

Friday 1st April 2011
quotequote all
Buy an iPhone. Blackberry are clearly not so good in customer support wink

Deva Link

26,934 posts

269 months

Friday 1st April 2011
quotequote all
PintOfKittens said:
Phone has 2 years warranty:

The EU directive in question is 1999/44/EC. The full wording is contained here (open the word documtent and scroll to page 7) but the important bit is this: 'A two-year guarantee applies for the sale of all consumer goods everywhere in the EU. In some countries, this may be more, and some manufacturers also choose to offer a longer warranty period.'

http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/bargains-and-rip-offs...
Did you actually read the article?

It should be irrelevant anyway as the 'phone is under 12mths old, but guarantees don't cover accidental damage, misuse etc.

Viperz888

560 posts

182 months

Friday 1st April 2011
quotequote all
Mr Whippy said:
Buy an iPhone.
Because paying about £600 a year for the privilege of a mobile phone is a real bargain....
wobble

fergywales

1,624 posts

218 months

Friday 1st April 2011
quotequote all
Viperz888 said:
Because paying about £600 a year for the privilege of a mobile phone is a real bargain....
wobble
£27 a month, Orange/T-Mobile network, 12 month contract.

Viperz888

560 posts

182 months

Friday 1st April 2011
quotequote all
fergywales said:
£27 a month, Orange/T-Mobile network, 12 month contract.
And how much was the handset in the first place?

fergywales

1,624 posts

218 months

Friday 1st April 2011
quotequote all
Viperz888 said:
And how much was the handset in the first place?
£0.00

Viperz888

560 posts

182 months

Friday 1st April 2011
quotequote all
fergywales said:
£0.00
If you got it new, I don't believe you. Either way, £324 is too much for a damn mobile (for me anyway).