Page 1 of URGENT advice r`qd from Westy,Clayts+anyone with consumer knowledge

Having a nightmare . Heres the story so far.

Feb 19th 2001. I purchased, for £549.99 a Samsung WV68N ?? 32" super hightron widescreen TV from my local retailer ` Avon Video` in Bristol. At first very happy. However, the RGB enabled scart socket kept on switching itself on and off, you know, that instant when you select a scart routed source, when the TV switches to AV. So, after visitng the shop 4 (thats FOUR) times to discuss this problem, they finally relented and sent out one of thier guys who tells me that the problem is probably from cheap scart leads. I point out that all of my scarts are no cheaper than £20.00 and that the DVD scart is an IXOS bought as a treat at £40.00. mm, ok, he then says that he suspects that the DVD player is faulty. Although he admits that there is a fault with the set as such, he cant really replace it as he is unsure of the source.

So, I decide to chance my arm and return my DVD player to the shop from whence it came( a different one) under the premise that it is faulty. This is accepted and I get a cash refund. I then, within the hour drive Avon Video and purchase for cash, one of his Samsung 511 dvd players, to hopefully remove the compatability problem that he tells me I have.

Guess what, it does not go away.

So, I go back very very annoyed. He then says ok, I wil exchange it but the TV sale price has gone back up by £100.00 to £649.99. I dont have that. So he says well, I cant exchange it. In the end, he agrees to let me pay him on a monthly chitty and he agrees to exchange the set. When the van arrives I notice that the replacement TV is not in a box. Oh, it would not fit....I then realise that this is the demo model from the shop. However, for a quiet life I let it go as long as it works. Well, guess what, the problems are ten times worse. The picture has loads of white lines running from the leff of center to the right. However, the dodgy scart socket seems ok.
Again, I return to the shop upset at the quality of my purchase. He asks me what I want to do. I say that I would like to steer away from Samsung and go for a Panasonic. The Panny 32"DK1 is £300.00 out of my budget but he will exchange the samsung for a 28" DK1, if I can live with the smaller set.
At this point I felt I had very little choice.

11 May, replacement Panasonic arrives. All is well until yesterday, when suddely, 16:9 pictures started bending at the top, so a vertical image kinks and looks very very odd. I call them and ask them to send out an engineer. the guy on the phone says probably caused by cable TV. I dont bloody have cable TV. He says `oh..`
I book half a day from work and then they turn up at 4.30 pm. The guy says that he can see the problem but stresses that he cant really see the problem on SKY. I re-assure him that I have seen this fault on SKY, DVD and the PS2 via Svideo.
He agrees to take it back to the workshop so they can assess the set.

Now, after all that, heres my query. If they call me and say that the set is fine, which history tells me they will, what can I do ?. I have seen this fault, as has the engineer.
Can I DEMAND a new/replacement set from them ? bearing in mind that I am buying the set over three years low interest payments.
As you can all imagine I am so uptight over this whole issue and I rue the day that I ever decided to upgrade to new technology.
I have had nothing but grief from this `retailer` and beairng in mind it took from Feb to May to resolve the other issue I need some `quality` advice from my fellow DG`ers.

Please help Obi-wan and all that.

Thanks.

Pete Tiley. e-mail ( yelitbp[at]moc.loa )

This item was edited on Tuesday, 20th November 2001, 21:47

I would suggest having a read through here and check out the links to the OFT too.

Sheesh, that`s a tale and a half, that, Pete, and my heart sank when I saw that you`d agreed to pay the extra £100 for a replacement TV : this is where the company shafted you, but sadly you signed up to it. Hindsight is a wonderful thing...

The other pear-shaped scenario was accepting the replacement Samsung TV which clearly would appear to be a demo model (illegal to sell it as new).

One thing has led to another and now you`re stuck paying for a more expensive TV, that has also assumed the shape of a pear.

Your only way thru this sad state of affairs is to contact (presumably) Avon CC Trading Standards (or Bristol City Council - whatever your local authority is) and explain the whole shebang to them - they may well be able to intervene, although the law may well be on the retailer`s side, sad to say, as you originally accepted that darned replacement Sammy TV. Either way, they may be able to negotiate some sort of workthru for you - as you say, it`s highly likely that they`ll palm you off on the Panny.

It`s always worth getting in touch with Trading Standards - they may well have a file the size of several large houses on the company, and are itching for just one poor sap to complain.

Let us know how you get on - you certainly do require the necessary authorities to investigate this one for you, though.

Good luck, Pete - I`m sure all visitors to the Forum totally sympathise with you, mate.

Go for it with trading standards as it sounds like you have just been fobbed off with any lie just to get you off their back.

All the best,

Andrew.

My mate had a similar problem and he mentioned trading standards and they didnt seem too bothered. But once he mentioned trading standards in a formal letter, they sorted it all out, brand new tv.........hey presto.

If that doesnt work, i saw a nice metal baseball bat for sale in allsports.Ten quid at most for a ski mask from millets, and hey presto again, the other geezer is worst off......

As a rule of thumb - by law you are entitled to have a full refund for faulty goods - sale of goods act - fit for purpose - etc - the legal jargen is important - any good law guide will give the details. Technically - if you accept anything else I believe you are "throwing" your rights away!

I suggest you see the consumer advice agency 1st - advice on the above, even small claims court - I believe for a small charge (£20) you can have a writ served on the supplier - no lawyers - you just state your case - so keep written details of whats gone on plus receipts - etc - any evidence to support your claim. Chances are the supplier will not even show up - in which case I believe you have won.

Or pay for a solicitors letter - more costly though - but maybe worth it!

For me - I would chase the small claims option - you still need assistance - even if just to prepare you. I would go for the full refund - nothing less.

I`m not a solicitor/lawyer - but know my rights and would polish up on the latest legal state of play - You could also try Watchdog or even Which? (the consumer mag) who may levy a charge - but its worth it to stop suppliers like this getting away with bad practice.