Nightmare laptop repair experience.

tech77

Hi.
I brought my laptop in for repair to this crowd in Dublin.
First they tell me it just needs to be cleaned and a new heatsink put in for 100 euro.
I think fair enough, if it sorts the problem out i'll pay 100 euro.
Got this done, brought it home but it starts giving the same problem after a week.
Bring it back into to them.

Now they tell me it needs a new motherboard which will cost another 200. This is very annoying because they gave me the impression that the initial cleaning/new heatsink would fix the problem.

I reluctantly agree however thinking it's still probably cheaper than sending it back to the manufacturer.

I went in to pick it up today and now it doesn't seem to work on AC power so they tell me they have to keep it a bit longer to sort this out. This starts me wondering if there was any need to replace the motherboard in the first place- was it just a simple problem like the charger.
I ask them to fix it for once and for all and tell me exactly what the problem is when they finally do (so i'm not paying for unnecessary work) but they're being obtuse about this, saying the motherboard needed to be replaced (why???).

To top it all, they misplaced the charger so they can't give me back the laptop until they find that anyway.
Idiots.

Is this in anyway normal for a computer repair place?
What recourse do i have if they give the laptop back to me in a worse state than that in which i sent it in.
The small claims court?

Also if they do successfully fix it, they say they can only stand over the work for 2 months.
Is this normal?

jor el

tech77 wrote: »

The small claims court?

Pretty much, yes. You may need to produce proof that their work was unnecessary, or that it was substandard. I'd ask for the old motherboard back, as it's still yours, and if they can't produce it, then don't pay. Also, get a full engineers report of the problems and fixes.

E.T.

My friend had a similar issue with a crowd in Cork - dropped in laptop to be repaired (wouldn't even switch on), the shop told her they needed to put in a new motherboard which would cost whatever amount and she'd get a discount if she paid in advance. She paid in advance (I know this isn't the brightest). 6 months later they still had the laptop, she rang and rang and could never get an answer as to when it would be done. Long story short -lawyer friend said to send a registered letter to the owner of the business detailing exactly what had happened (when she dropped it in, when she'd rung them etc), what she wanted done and that she wanted her money refunded - she got a phone call the day the letter was received saying she could collect the laptop and money the next day.

tech77

jor el wrote: »

Pretty much, yes. You may need to produce proof that their work was unnecessary, or that it was substandard. I'd ask for the old motherboard back, as it's still yours, and if they can't produce it, then don't pay. Also, get a full engineers report of the problems and fixes.

Thanks Jor el.
I asked them before they started work on it to give me the old motherboard back but guess what-
they tell me they forgot about this request and they'll have to search for it.

I get the feeling i won't get it back.

I doubt they'll be able to produce a full report of the problems and fixes either tbh- i've asked them repeatedly and they just keep insisting obtusely that the mobo needs replacing and it's cheaper to get a new mobo than examining every bit of the mobo to see where the fault is.
Is this likely to be true?

If they can't produce a report/the old mobo, you say not to pay? What then?

Also any idea about their 2 month warranty on any work they do?
Is that reasonable?

Thanks for your help.

foggy_lad

many of these repair places are just "cowboys" setting up to do minor basic repairs reinstalls of the os and basic virus removal as many of them do not have enough experience or qualifications to do anything more! be very careful and i would advise using only reputable companies for your pc repairs.

as for the op your best action is the small claims court but this will only work if this shop is a registered business and if you can find their registered business name.

tech77

I asked for a report on what was done and they say it'll cost another 75 euro..
Is this reasonable?
Souunds like BS to me.

Rang them again today- laptop is APPARENTLY fixed but they've forgotten to include the old mobo again!
Wait until tomorrow.

tech77

foggy_lad wrote: »

many of these repair places are just "cowboys" setting up to do minor basic repairs reinstalls of the os and basic virus removal as many of them do not have enough experience or qualifications to do anything more! be very careful and i would advise using only reputable companies for your pc repairs.

as for the op your best action is the small claims court but this will only work if this shop is a registered business and if you can find their registered business name.

The thing is they are microsoft certified technicians.
But it just seems to be mistake after mistake...

jor el

At the very least they should produce a bill of work, which may or may not be the same as an engineering report. Charging you extra, for what is basically a receipt, is wrong. You shouldn't have to pay for something that they can't prove they did, or show evidence for why they did it. They should already have tests done that show the mobo had failed, if they don't, then why change it?

If you don't pay, they won't give you the laptop, which doesn't help you. You'd be left with no choice but to go to the small claims court if you want to force them to prove their work is valid. You could of course pay for everything, then pursue them in small claims afterward.

Becoming a Microsoft Certified Engineer (MSCE) is as simple as reading a few book and passing a test. It doesn't really make their work credible, in my book anyway. It just means they have basic software qualification.

tech77

Again thanks.
I appreciate it.

Just a couple of things:

1) I distinctly asked them for my OLD mobo back prior to any work commencing and they said no problem..
But now they're repeatedly "forgetting" about it.

So am i entitled to it back?
It is mine afterall.

2) And is that 2 month warranty on any work done reasonable?

Thanks for your help.