Feel so let down by a major store I trusted.

[Landladyissues]

In December last I thought the time had come to buy a new laptop. There is a major High Street Department store I trust, in Oxford Street. I have a shoulder impingement so can't carry, and am getting on a bit, added to which I don't know much about computers so I waited until my daughter could come with me to help choose. The ASUS laptop I chose wasn't in stock but needed to be picked up from my local associated supermarket. And I picked it up on January 2nd. My daughter set it up a few days later. It seemed fine. But I noticed that the hinge guard popped out if the screen was beyond a certain angle. In fact, when I looked at the laptop from the side, it looks as though the hinge isn't properly in line. I told daughter and she said it should be under warranty. I had a virus that hit me for 6 in February and I planned to take it back to Oxford Street hoping to exchange it, possibly for a sturdier model. But couldn't do this alone. Eventually, last week, after weekends of daughter not being available, I called the store and was told it was out of warranty - the warranty only lasted a month. I was kept an hour on the phone as the adviser kept asking me to hold as he spoke with his manager. As a 'concession' he agreed to take the laptop away for repair - but that I would have to save everything on it and he had no idea how long I'd be without a laptop. I spoke with some friends who know laptops and they said that they felt the laptop was sub-standard. But I can't really fight my corner and I can't last without a laptop. I complained but got nowhere. The laptop works so I suppose I'd just better live with it. But next time with electrical appliances, I'll use Curry's!!

Am my expectations unreasonable.

I was a John Lewis Manager for over 10 years and 100% back up the suggestion to contact the Chairman by email. Complaints that get sent to the Chairman are always flagged up and stores were always terrified of getting a call from 'the chairmans office' as we always had to bend over backwards to get all the information back to their PA and resolve the issue if we could.

Hi to Swirlythingy.

You sound really feisty. I feel sad more than anything else. It feels like the end of an era. Maybe I'm wrong but I always felt that the reputation was earned. And had my health been better, I would have noticed and reported the issue straight away. Did I mention that in January I went down with the most prolonged virus of my life. I am sure I've been more sick for 24 - 48 hours before but this went on and on - not nausea, but more flu-like - totally weak and dizzy and yes, muddle-headed. But I realise it sounds like a lame excuse for inaction!

Does anyone else worry that the store/its associated supermarket might be facing financial issues?

Exactly - contact customer services.

Unfortunately this is true.

I bought a Polti iron (£250) from Amazon that developed a fault about 9 months after purchase. They replaced it with a brand new one sent the next day!

Whether it is under warranty or not is irrelevant. Under the law the item must be fit for purpose when sold, and if it is not, you are entitled to a complete refund. Do not be fobbed off with a repair offer, or with them saying they cannot act as out of the very short warranty period. What counts is whether the period of use was "reasonable", so for example if this fault developed after years that would not count as reasonable. But a matter of weeks is a reasonable period in which to find that your new computer does not function properly. Any business selling this to you will know this about the law, even if they try to fob you off with a repair. And a large national retailer has no possible excuse for not immediately refunding the computer cost or replacing it, whichever you choose. Imo they also need to compensate you for the expense and inconvenience of transferring your data to a new computer.

It was likely the return period not the warranty

The laptop does function.

Please show me this law 😂

It's the consumer rights act 2015

Consumer Rights Act 2015. Also the common law of contract, including inplied terms.

Implied terms. The Act covers goods not fit for purpose, not of satisfactory quality, etc.

@GreenCandleWax @Chungai - it’s a right to repair or replacement. The consumer has a choice within the first 30 days, after that, the retailer will provide the solution. In this case the solution is a repair as they have the means to do so.

Hi OneMellowGreenQuoter - if I've got that right! I think I mentioned needing my daughter to come with me - but not sure how much detail I went into with my disability. It's difficult not trying to sound too pathetic, while explaining the reality of a situation. In truth, I think daughter would have been able to come with me one Saturday, but would have had to do the back up first - no idea how this works - and then there is the 'no computer' issue - and that's the real issue.

And I assume I'd have the same problem with Asus - though I'd never heard of the company before buying this. Maybe I should take that as a warning.

What do most people do when their computer fails - and how long are they expected to last without issues?

External hard drives are not that cheap, you are looking at about £40 for a Seagate one which are the cheaper end of branded. I have a LaCie one (another brand) that is connected to my iMac and it backs up each week which is enough for me. If you haven't got much to back up you could just use a memory stick which is more for temporary storage and probably a cheaper and adequate option. Do you use a cloud storage anyway for photos and stuff.

If you are in Surrey there is a John Lewis in Kingston - would that be easier than Oxford street?

I think I read your update upthread that you don’t have many things that actually need a back up and you mentioned you have a stick you’ve saved things on before? Your email and the puzzles you play won’t need backing up - you just need to know your passwords to those and they will be fine to access. The writing you do will need to be saved to the stick. You can probably just ‘drag and drop’ your documents folder to it.

It sounds like you haven’t had the laptop for a long time anyway so I don’t think you would have many things on there in that time. You would probably have a lot of things saved from your old computer from when your daughter did the set up initially anyway.

Edited to add:

• with what you do, could you not just have a tablet with a keyboard? I don’t think I’ve used a computer in years! I do most things on my mobile (like emails and messaging + Mumsnet!)

Oh heavens there's some massive making up of the actual law here by some posters. Please read a reputable source like the Which? website.

I suspect the month "warranty" being referred to is your short term right to reject (i.e. get a refund) under the Consumer Rights Act. After that you are entitled to a repair or a replacement if the item is defective, and a refund only in certain cases (e.g. the repair doesn't sort the issue). I AM qualified to comment on this, otherwise I wouldn't (lawyer).

Hi TheLette - The emails I use daily, but I have written - quite a lot of stuff over the years. When I bought this new laptop - January 2025 - my daughter somehow transferred everything - a couple of novels, children's stories, poems etc. I have some on memory sticks but earlier unedited versions. I'd dread going through the lot. Also my dad died 2 years ago - he was 99 so it was a full life - but I still haven't completed settling his estate so I have correspondence with solicitors and estate agents. And precious - I have photos. I need to collect them into an album - but it's one of those things that I haven't got round to.

Incidentally, what I wanted was a replacement - not a refund - but for the transfer of everything stored, my email account etc, done in the store with my daughter present.

I’ve spent thousands with JL over the years, and am sad to say the aftercare has gone downhill. It was my go to for big ticket items but I’d think twice about buying from them now. Staff instore are still great when shopping but it’s the aftercare I’m more worried about.

I even had poor service from the CEOs office with a faulty child’s car seat.

Hi GodspeedJune. Yes - me too. I used to think - I need a new dishwasher, washing machine or similar - must go to JL!! I found their installers weren't always as good as the product themselves, but thought I had a degree of protection - if something went wrong they'd fix it. What worries me is the downhill trend. I wondered if this were why their profits were falling - or alternatively that they were investing less in this side of their business because it was costing too much. I find it so sad. Like I said at the whole beginning of my moan, I used to be such a loyal customer.

I bought a Mac book from John Lewis. Riddled with problems and lasted two years. Not sold as a refurb but it had to be one. They are not always the reliable store we are led to believe.

It’s easy to back all that stuff up - your daughter could help you if you can’t do it. Backing stuff up it’s important anyway in case your laptop has software problems.

Is Oxford Street the most convenient? Brent Cross or Kingston you could drive to.

This all seems more complicated than it needs to be.

You're quite right - it is more complicated than it needs to be - my fault - I just don't know where to 'back up' stuff without a computer to back it up on. Also my daughter is a chartered accountant and April she is rushed off her feet - but because she's so good with computers etc I tend to wait until she can sort things out for me - which is pathetic on my part. But when I was a kid my parents bought a video player - and only one of them learnt how to use it. Same as just about every gadget that came into our house. My mum used to put on plugs for example - the rest of us looked on! My dad, though, was the first to have a computer - in his retirement. No one else would go near it. Maybe this allocation of responsibilities and knowledge is the same in most households - or maybe we are genetically disposed to be technophobes!

My Auss zenbook is 4 years old and i love it, but needs a clean as d is starting to stick 😀

Hi NattyTurtle59 - so glad you didn't have issues. Not sure what a zenbook is but it sounds snazzy. My Lenova lasted donkey's years (also bought through JL), I'm typing on the Asus too - just that there's this little plastic hinge cover that will need to be pressed back into place when I finish to let me close the computer lid - and this was how I realised the hinge was misaligned. I guess I've come to the conclusion that there's no resolve through JL - I'd rather live with this than live without a laptop for any period of time.