AR11B Hinge Broken

[highroyds]

Hey all,

Just been using my laptop (AR11B) and when I've gone to close it the hinge has snapped on the right hand side. I've had this laptop for less than a year, the last laptop I had was the FX501 which lasted a few years and only had one problem (dvd drive had to be replaced).



I'm just wondering where I stand in getting it repaired as I have upgraded the laptop since I bought it, placed a new 2nd hard drive inside. Plus who I need to contact.

Cheers for any help.

[Blencogo]

Hi highroyds,

I would contact Sony Vaio-Link Support here: -

http://support.vaio.sony.co.uk/contacts/contacts.asp?site=voe_en_GB_cons&tp=vaio&cm=phone&cc=UK

You will have to convince them that the damage was caused by 'fair wear and tear' and not by accidental damage - so get your story straight. If there is no other signs of damage they will probably accept the repair.

Adding a second HDD should not have contributed to the damage.

[highroyds]

Thanks for the reply, I contacted Sony Vaio and the guy i spoke to, told me that the hinge is NOT covered under the warrenty/guarantee as its classed as "physical damage" and want to charge me £140 just to pick it up and find what the problem is then costs for repairing it. So I've contacted the company I purchased it from and they're going to try and sort it all out for me (for once lol) at no cost.

[@5528097000005097]

Hi Highroyds

If the damage occured at your home, would it not be covered by your building & contents policy, assuming you have home insurance?

[highroyds]

No idea, but the place I purchased it from are sorting it out for me as they can't understand Sony's statement about the hinge not being covered.

Its like purchasing a car and the manufacture stating the item is covered but the hinge on the door/s are not. Its the major part of a laptop.

[highroyds]

UPDATE:

The place I purchased the laptop from have been in contact with Sony VAIO and Sony have told them that the hinge is NOT covered by their warranty at all. So the place I purchased it from have told me the only other way to get the repair done for free would be to take the laptop to a computer store and have them do an independent survey on the laptop to state the hinge is a manufacture fault, then they can do something about it.

[highroyds]

Hi,

Just a small update. Been in contact with Consumer Direct / Trading Standards and I've been told that I do have to get an independant review of the laptop because its been well over 6 months that I've had the laptop. But big problem is PC World have told me they would do a review on the laptop though theres a few buts.

1, The review of the laptop would only state that the laptop has a broken hinge and thats it. They can't state if the laptop has been abused or if the hinge has broken because of poor manufacturing.

2, The review of the laptop would cost me approx £30.

Trading Standards have told me though that I have to write out a letter to the place of purchase as they're the ones who have to arrange repair/ replacement or refund, plus copies to be sent to Trading Standards & Sony VAIO.

I have tried to look for the address of Sony VAIO but it seems as theres no address published anywhere, so I'm having to add the letter to the E-Support enquiry that I still have opened which Sony VAIO Support have NEVER answered.

But after all this I just hope the laptop gets fixed because if it doesnt I'll have to arrange somehow to get the laptop fixed myself.

Copy of the letter:

Dear Sir/Madam,
I am writing to you in regards to a laptop/notebook I purchased from your catalogue in 2006.  Just recently the laptop/notebook’s hinge broke due to normal wear and tear.   I contacted Sony VAIO about this problem as in the past when I’ve contacted your catalogue I’ve always been told to contact the manufacturer.  When I contacted Sony VAIO they informed me that under their warranty they don’t guarantee the hinges on Sony VAIO’s, I would therefore have to pay out straight away £140 for the Sony VAIO to be picked up and diagnosed to find out what the problem was with the notebook, then pay out further costs for the repair and labour.  This could be nearly £200 in total costs. 
I therefore contacted your catalogue to find out what I needed to do as I told Sony VAIO that I was refusing to pay for the costs.  The person I spoke to at your catalogues enquiry line was a little confused why Sony VAIO had told me this as the Warranty covers all parts and labour, they then told me that someone from after sales department would be getting in touch with Sony VAIO to enquire about the situation.
A couple of days later I received a phone call from your after sales department informing me that what I had been told by Sony VAIO was correct and the only way that they could see about getting the repair done for free would be to take the laptop/notebook to an independent computer store and have an inspection done on the laptop/notebook to confirm that the hinge was broken due to poor manufacturing.
After enquiring this with local computer stores and with people online plus with Trading Standards and Consumer Direct I have now been told that I would have to pay for this inspection on the laptop/notebook.  PCWorld went on further to tell me that the inspection wouldn’t tell anything new other than the hinge on the laptop/notebook was broken, as they can’t say how it was broken.  
I have been informed that it is NOT down to Sony to repair the item but it’s down to Choice catalogue to arrange a repair / replace or refund the cost of the laptop/notebook back to me.  This is all in conjunction with the Sales of Goods Act 1979 which quotes:
Under the Sale of Goods Act 1979 traders must sell goods that are as described and of satisfactory quality.
If consumers discover that products do not meet these requirements they can reject them and ask for their money back providing they do so quickly. Alternatively, they can request a repair or replacement or claim compensation.
I therefore ask Choice catalogue to replace the notebook/laptop with a different laptop that is of the same value please.  Please also note that a copy of this letter has been sent to Consumer Direct, Sony VAIO & Choice catalogue all via 1st Class Registered Post.