Is this stealing?

[WittiestUsernameEver]

Keeping this a little vague (because I need to know if I should follow this up)

If you handed your laptop
(but not charger) to a Repair Company to fix, and they sent it away for you under warranty to the manufacturer and the device was declared beyond economic repair. Manufacturer send out an equivalent laptop that is the same spec or higher, but different model. Repair Company sets up the new laptop for you and hands the new device to you without the charger. (Both devices use the same rated charger)

Would you expect Repair Company to give you the replacement charger that was in the box? Or is it okay for Repair Company to keep the new charger for their own as you still have your original charger that works perfectly with your new laptop?

Theft? Really? Who have they "stolen" it from? Certainly not the op who never owned it in the first place.

You have a power supply that works - why do you need another one? If you got the new one, what would happen to the old one? Throw it into landfill? We are consuming too much as it is - if something is working it does not need to be replaced. From a moral perspective it is better to reduce waste. The spare one can go to someone who actually needs it.

Theft? Really? Who have they "stolen" it from? Certainly not the op who never owned it in the first place.

If the manufacturer sent the OP a new laptop and charger, pursuant to her warranty claim, the shop has stolen it from OP if they've kept the charger for themselves. They've appropriated it, to use the language of the act.

People seem to be missing the point that this contractual transaction - purchase of a laptop with a warranty, breakdown of laptop and honouring of contractual warranty by manufacturer - is between the OP and the manufacturer. The repair company has been paid a fee by OP to send in the warranty claim. (I don't know why, but my guess would be that OP took her laptop to the repairer, who couldn't repair it, and they said they could send it back to the manufacturer for her.) The repair company doesn't become entitled to anything the manufacturer provides pursuant to the warranty claim just because they acted as some kind of middle man.

@Shiveringinthecountry

In what way does the op own the replacement charger?

Where is the valuable consideration?

Consideration was the purchase of the laptop, with the warranty.

This isn't complicated. If you don't understand it then so be it.

I would expect the new charger.
Can you offer to bring in your existing charger to swap with them?

There is no consideration as to the unnecessary charger sent out by the manufacturer.

Thie original charger which still works and is still in the possession of the op is no part of the warranty claim.

"This isn't complicated. If you don't understand it then so be it."

When I've had a laptop replaced, it has come sealed in the box complete with the charger.

YABU - If you wanted the new charger then I would expect the repair shop would expect you to hand in your old charger in exchange otherwise you're getting an extra charger for free.

You sent in a laptop, you received a laptop... You kept a charger, you still have a charger. What exactly is the issue?

The manufacturer doesn't just have charger-less laptops sitting around in case of warranty exchanges so it will have just been more cost effective for them to send the sale ready new unit to the repair place with instructions that, as per the warranty, the laptop was to replace the defective one but any items not returned to the manufacturer should be removed from the box before it was returned to the owner so that they receive a like for like warranty exchange.

I work in retail, if someone brings something back due to a fault we need everything that was in the packaging when the item was sold to be returned and/or exchanged under the warranty. (eg a TV must have the remote and removable stand that were in the box when sold; a hairdryer must be returned with all of the different diffuser/styling attachments it was sold with etc)

If someone returns an item for an exchange under the warranty then we exchange like for like, and if part of the item is not returned then we would remove the corresponding item from the new packaging so that the customer gets a like for like exchange.

For example, if you bought an XYZ vacuum cleaner (that was sold with 5 different attachments) that broke after a couple of months if you returned it then you have two options:

1. Return the faulty XYZ with all five attachments and be given a brand new XYZ from stock exactly as you were originally sold in a sealed box in an exact replacement for what was returned

2. Return the faulty XYZ without the five attachments and be given a brand new XYZ from stock, but before you are given the XYZ the staff open the sealed box and remove the five attachments so that you are getting an exact replacement for what was returned.

I work for the repair shop.this is how I know categorically they're not sending them back, they have no "agreement" with manufacturer, they aren't compelled to send original charger, they are receiving a brand new replacement laptop in a sealed box, opening the box, removing the charger and handing everything else to customer.

I think they're stealing customer's chargers.

I just wanted to see if I was wrong. Clearly I am..
Everyone is fine with this situation and would have zero issues if I handed you your new laptop in a box, but without the charger, so I could then sell it to someone else or keep it as part of my business. 🤷‍♀️
Fair enough.

Excellent switcheroo - the thread is full of people thinking you’re the customer!

This is why I said I was keeping it vague a bit. I could be getting someone on a lot of trouble.

But... Apparently it's fine for my colleagues/company to be doing this.

I had a new washing machine recently. I'd paid for removal of old and replacement of new. The new one came with new hose but I noticed the men squirreled away the new hose and just used my old one ( which, to be fair, was absolutely fine)
I did point it out nicely and they were most put out and mumbled something about 'we'll change it for the new one if you really want but nothing wrong with the old one'
It was a couple of days before Christmas at 6pm on a cold wet night and I just left it so I could get on with piles of washing. Tbh it grated a bit as I thought all these brand new hoses the men were walking off with which weren't theirs could be either seen as a perk of the job or theft
I'm on a low salary and imagine they'd earn more than me

If you're that concerned about it being back the old charger and swap it for the new one ? It's a non issue if you ask me

I can't swap it... It's at the customers house.
Besides the shop would be swapping it and keeping the old one for themselves anyway/throwing it away.
The customer would just have a spare charger in my mind - one for the desk, one for travel etc. I genuinely believe the shop should not be removing the charger. But I'm apparently in the minority here.

Customers are supposed to return all the items from the box. If they don't return the charger then they shouldn't get a new one. The question for me is more should these chargers be returned to the manufacturer/supplier. I don't known legalities, but Id see the charger being appropriated as the property of the manufacturer/supplier that sent the replacement laptop to be provided to the customer. If they would actually want these chargers back then they should be sent back. The customer shouldn't get an extra charger when they haven't handed in the old one.

Manufacturer doesn't want the chargers back. They've replaced the entire unit.

It’s not a problem. Assuming the customer has a working charger they can use and also if for any reason they did ask for it, they could have it if they wanted it.

As in reality, why would they need 2 chargers?
and they only handed a laptop over, so why isnt it ok they just get a laptop back?

Surely it’s better the laptop company reuse it. It could be sold to someone who has lost their charger for example. Better that than unecessarily sitting in a box unused.

I cant see the problem and certainly wouldnt consider it theft

Ok, out of curiosity, if the manufacturer had sent a model that needed a different charger - would it still be ok for shop to keep the new charger? Because the logic of the majority says this is fine also.

One to be on your desk, one for travel around? Saves you unplugging it all the time etc.

What if you had lost your charger, and they tried to sell you the charger that had been in your box? You'd be cool with that?

No this is obviously a completely different scenario. The laptop wouldnt be usuable without the correct charger, so the whole thing would be handed over.
but would perhaps expect customer in this scenario to hand old charger in

Op why are you so focused on this charger when you already have one that works with the laptop?
What exactly is the issue here and why do you feel so hard done to?

Ok.To me there's no difference.

but am willing to accept I'm wrong. And everyone would be just fine with them taking the charger from their new laptop and selling it on.

I can’t really work out why you’re so irate about this. Personally I don’t see it as an issue either, and very obviously if it required a different charger that should be handed over. As the customer would otherwise have to buy one.