Laptop i bought screen is faulty

hi i purchased a Dell Laptop of Argos in February 2013 about 5 months ago the screen began to flicker and then one half of screen has lines running down it,

I orginally rang Dell and they said to me that my warrant was up and that thsi laptop was lying in Argos for a while and nit exactly the newest ine before i got it, they offered to help but they then said i might have to pay etc

in meantime i have been informed that my issue is with Argos

What i would like to know do i still have a guarantee i have been told that ,under eu law its covered for 6 years ...

IS this true do i have some comeback ?

Thanks

You usually have a year's guarantee with Argos and they are very good with customer service (from my experience).
Go to Argos and get them to sort it.

Your contract is with Argos, you need to go through them. See the Faulty Goods article on Consumer Help for more details on your rights.

As it's now more than 2 years old, your likelihood of a positive outcome is slim.

There are lots of places that will repair the screen apart from Dell. You could even do it yourself if you were that way inclined.

This is an example - [broken link removed]

Also, it might not be the screen either, it could be the graphics card or the cable to the screen might be worn.

Is there a screen cable visible near the hinges? Are there any signs of wear & tear?

This happened an expensive present my OH got me, an apple ipad but it was within the two years and the shop gave him back a brand new one much to my delight. For the cost of it I was amazed with the service from Apple. I believe this flickering screen is a well known fault in some products.

Flickering screens are often caused due to connections becoming damaged or loose.

i got a response from Argos
Quote:
Originally Posted by torrevieja View Post
Bought in February 2013 im having an issue with the screen i guess my guarantee is gone now ...
they said :
Subject: DELL INSPIRION 1TB LAPTOP

Thank you for your email regarding your faulty laptop. I apologise for the delay in replying to you, we aim to reply within 48 hours, due to high business demands
this process is taking longer than usual.

I am very sorry to read that your laptop has developed a fault, I can assure you all of our products are quality control tested before sale. Therefore I am truly sorry
we failed to deliver satisfactory goods on this occasion.

All of our items come with a 12 months guarantee meaning if your item develops a fault within the first 12 months we advise you do return this product back to your
local store. However as your item has become faulty out of the guarantee I would advise you do arrange an accredited to inspect your item and write a report stating
what fault has occurred and whether this is a manufacturing report. Once you have obtained this please return your laptop back to your local store along with your
original till receipt and independent report where my colleagues will be happy to assist you further.

Im just noticing that is Argos .co.uk

Standard weasel-word retailer response. Sale of Goods and Supply of Services Act 1980 applies. [broken link removed]

I got a similar response from their sister retail shop PC World in Carlow when a 13-month old AOC monitor went kaput.They said they would only take it back for repair / manufacturer assessment if I paid €50 (I think) up front. I stood my ground, quoting the legislation and as they didn't have a direct replacement in stock I offered to take a store credit to be used immediately agains a higher spec nearest equivalent. I paid 3.99 and left with a brand new monitor fresh off the shelves.

i went to the Argos store today and yes got the usual crap he did offer to take it and they would look at it , but there would be a charge after that as there is no guarantee i did mention the sale and supply act etc

It's more than 2 years old, laptops don't tend to have a great lifespan, and the fault you describe is often related to falls or knocks. If it has been well looked after and was a mid-top end model, then the Small Claims Court is worth considering - if you're thinking about it, don't accept any charge to repair it.