Faulty Meteor phone

MarthaMyDear

Hi guys,

sorry I'm not sure if I'm posting this in the right place! I bought a Nokia phone from Meteor in May of this year. It cost just over 100 euro. I started having problems with it a couple of months later- freezing, not showing messages etc. It's under warranty for a year so I brought it back in and they sent it away to be fixed. A few months after I got it back it started doing the same things again and a few others like the phone would continue to ring after I tried to answer a call. I brought it back in and explained that I didn't live near the shop and had to drive in to send it away and how it was an inconvenience to send it away again etc. I was really just hoping they'd offer me another solution! They explained there was nothing they could do but send it away and if it broke again then they would contact customer care to see "if something else could be done". When I got it back it was great and worked perfectly but now a couple of weeks later it's starting to act up again. It's not completely broken just certain things arn't working, it's freezing occasionally and I have to turn my phone off to get it going again. I brought it back in AGAIN (feeling a bit silly!). The women behind the counter was really unhelpful, she basically said it had nothing to do with them and to bring it to a nokia phone repair place. I said that I had purchased it there and this was the third time returning it and is there nothing they could do. She said "I could send it away but you won't get it back for weeks because of Christmas and I've no standby phones to offer you soooo..."
I asked why I should bring it to Nokia if I had gotten it in the meteor shop and it was still under warranty and she said they get no credit for returning or replacing it?!

Sorry for the big long winded story, I just want to figure out if I'm able to insist on a refund or replacement? Also, the phone has never had any physical or water damage!

Sorry, meant to say the Meteor website says they can only refund or replace faulty phones within 30 days of purchase but then I saw this article saying they can't say that? http://www.rte.ie/news/money/consumer/know-your-rights-when-your-phone-breaks-down.html

Nothingbetter2d

MarthaMyDear wrote: »

Hi guys,

sorry I'm not sure if I'm posting this in the right place! I bought a Nokia phone from Meteor in May of this year. It cost just over 100 euro. I started having problems with it a couple of months later- freezing, not showing messages etc. It's under warranty for a year so I brought it back in and they sent it away to be fixed. A few months after I got it back it started doing the same things again and a few others like the phone would continue to ring after I tried to answer a call. I brought it back in and explained that I didn't live near the shop and had to drive in to send it away and how it was an inconvenience to send it away again etc. I was really just hoping they'd offer me another solution! They explained there was nothing they could do but send it away and if it broke again then they would contact customer care to see "if something else could be done". When I got it back it was great and worked perfectly but now a couple of weeks later it's starting to act up again. It's not completely broken just certain things arn't working, it's freezing occasionally and I have to turn my phone off to get it going again. I brought it back in AGAIN (feeling a bit silly!). The women behind the counter was really unhelpful, she basically said it had nothing to do with them and to bring it to a nokia phone repair place. I said that I had purchased it there and this was the third time returning it and is there nothing they could do. She said "I could send it away but you won't get it back for weeks because of Christmas and I've no standby phones to offer you soooo..."
I asked why I should bring it to Nokia if I had gotten it in the meteor shop and it was still under warranty and she said they get no credit for returning or replacing it?!

Sorry for the big long winded story, I just want to figure out if I'm able to insist on a refund or replacement? Also, the phone has never had any physical or water damage!

Sorry, meant to say the Meteor website says they can only refund or replace faulty phones within 30 days of purchase but then I saw this article saying they can't say that? http://www.rte.ie/news/money/consumer/know-your-rights-when-your-phone-breaks-down.html

you are entitled to the following provided the phone is still in warranty
1. a repair
2. replacement if the phone cannot be repaired
3. store credit to the value of the phone

foggy_lad

MarthaMyDear wrote: »

Hi guys,

sorry I'm not sure if I'm posting this in the right place! I bought a Nokia phone from Meteor in May of this year. It cost just over 100 euro. I started having problems with it a couple of months later- freezing, not showing messages etc. It's under warranty for a year so I brought it back in and they sent it away to be fixed. A few months after I got it back it started doing the same things again and a few others like the phone would continue to ring after I tried to answer a call. I brought it back in and explained that I didn't live near the shop and had to drive in to send it away and how it was an inconvenience to send it away again etc. I was really just hoping they'd offer me another solution! They explained there was nothing they could do but send it away and if it broke again then they would contact customer care to see "if something else could be done". When I got it back it was great and worked perfectly but now a couple of weeks later it's starting to act up again. It's not completely broken just certain things arn't working, it's freezing occasionally and I have to turn my phone off to get it going again. I brought it back in AGAIN (feeling a bit silly!). The women behind the counter was really unhelpful, she basically said it had nothing to do with them and to bring it to a nokia phone repair place. I said that I had purchased it there and this was the third time returning it and is there nothing they could do. She said "I could send it away but you won't get it back for weeks because of Christmas and I've no standby phones to offer you soooo..."
I asked why I should bring it to Nokia if I had gotten it in the meteor shop and it was still under warranty and she said they get no credit for returning or replacing it?!

Sorry for the big long winded story, I just want to figure out if I'm able to insist on a refund or replacement? Also, the phone has never had any physical or water damage!

Sorry, meant to say the Meteor website says they can only refund or replace faulty phones within 30 days of purchase but then I saw this article saying they can't say that? http://www.rte.ie/news/money/consumer/know-your-rights-when-your-phone-breaks-down.html

You have rights as a consumer! It would appear this shop is trying to deny your rights. your contract is with the shop you bought the phone in not with nokia or any repair company, the shop are obliged by law to deal with you! You should be entitled to a repair(which has been tried twice and failed) replacement or refund. the law states that any repair should be permanent so you are well within your rights to ask for a replacement or refund.

The shop may dispute the replacement or refund stating some rubbish about it costing them money or they wont get credit for a faulty phone,(this is not your business or problem it is theirs), you then have the option of going through the small claims court which costs €15 and may take some time but usually once the phone shops get the first letter from the SCC they cave in and replace or refund.

As for the warranty, the official Nokia warranty is 24months but your statutory rights offer you more protection by stating that the goods must be fit for purpose and last a reasonable time given price paid, intended use etc etc so a high end smartphone might be expected to last a few years with average use but a cheap as chips phone may last just over the 2 year warranty period.

MarthaMyDear

Thanks for the quick replies! It's a Nokia smartphone. I just wanted to know my rights before I go in I don't like confrontation with people in shops I usually give in! I would love store credit or a refund instead of the same phone again as I've had enough of that phone and it just seems to keep breaking. Am I only entitled to the same phone again?

foggy_lad

You need to refuse to accept any further repair which they will insist on, tell them you want a new replacement or a full refund or you will take the case to the Small Claims Court.

You could ask for a different phone but they do not have to do this AFAIK but if you insist on a refund claiming that after two repairs you no longer have faith in this model then you could buy a different phone.

You will most likely be left with the faulty phone until the small claims court is sorted so buying a cheap replacement might be an idea until it gets sorted out.

MarthaMyDear

Just to update on this- I went back into the Meteor shop and the guy in their told me there is nothing they can do. He said his only option is to send it away again even though because of Christmas it will be gone a few weeks. He explained they have no standby phones to give me and they can't give me a replacement or refund.
He then took me to one side and said he shouldn't tell me this but that I should email meteor and complain. He said to threaten the small claims court and that was my best option. I don't really understand why the shop can't deal with it but how and ever! I've emailed meteor an email saying they sold me a faulty phone and I'm not happy etc etc. Hopefully I'll hear back soon!

foggy_lad

MarthaMyDear wrote: »

Just to update on this- I went back into the Meteor shop and the guy in their told me there is nothing they can do. He said his only option is to send it away again even though because of Christmas it will be gone a few weeks. He explained they have no standby phones to give me and they can't give me a replacement or refund.
He then took me to one side and said he shouldn't tell me this but that I should email meteor and complain. He said to threaten the small claims court and that was my best option. I don't really understand why the shop can't deal with it but how and ever! I've emailed meteor an email saying they sold me a faulty phone and I'm not happy etc etc. Hopefully I'll hear back soon!

This is only delaying matters even more!

Write a letter of complaint to the store asking them to sort this issue out and get the forms from the small claims court and fill them out!

Give them ten days to fully replace or refund or send off the forms to the small claims court!

Meteor customer care have no contract with you as you bought the phone from the shop who are the only people obliged to deal with you!

The shop don't want to deal with you although they are obliged by law to deal with you, they may lose money replacing a faulty phone but this has nothing to do with you it is just one of the gambles all businesses take by going into business!

MarthaMyDear

Thanks for your reply. I got an email reply back asking for my pin code and that was it. Hopefully I hear back in the next few days or I'll go into the shop for the fifth time. I just don't really know what to say to them!

Millicent

MarthaMyDear wrote: »

Thanks for your reply. I got an email reply back asking for my pin code and that was it. Hopefully I hear back in the next few days or I'll go into the shop for the fifth time. I just don't really know what to say to them!

Tell them you won't leave until they rectify it. They are denying you your consumer rights. Stories like this make me cross as you are well within your rights to be given a replacement or refund in the manner you paid -- back on your card, cash refund, not vouchers or store credit -- and Meteor are completely wrong to tell you it has to be sent away again.

The advice to right a registered letter or proceed to small claims is sound. Hopefully the email resolves the issue.

ETA: Escalate it to a manager if the assistant refuses you. They are probably just following store policy and may not be able to help through no fault of their own.

ZENER

Just be clear of your rights as a consumer before you go back to them and remain calm but resolute. Don't agree to anything that ignores your rights or forces you to settle for less than you're entitled to.

As said above - Under The Sale of Goods & Supply of Services Act 1980 - you are entitled to a repair firstly which must be permanent. If it's not then you're entitled to a replacement or a refund. Shop policy means nothing if it contradicts your statutory rights as a consumer. If they insist on 3 attempts to repair it, politely refuse and quote your rights under the act.

From personal experience CPW are notorious for insisting on repairs or fobbing you off to the manufacturer. They can get quite stroppy and rude too if they see you are not playing along with their wish-list !! It's important not to get into a row with them though.

Good luck

Ken

muboop1

I worked in a phone shop for years. If I had a customer come into me demanding a replacement or a refund, I had no choice but to refuse. Their are policies in place that the store assistants cannot break or they could potentially lose their jobs. Whilst they may not agree, they will not risk their income for a customer.

The best course of action is to directly contact the HQ. If that fails, go into store and get them to call HQ for you. 9/10 times if you pulled enough of a strop the HQ staff would authourise the store assistants to refund or replace etc.

But the staff in store cannot do these things (some managers may(company and policy dependent), but even then it is a rarity. They will sometimes get away with a once off now and then, but anything more and their careers are in jeopardy.

Do not use social media sites for contact. The best method is to simply call or put in writing. Emails do not have the same effect for whatever reason.

Be prepared to annoy the sales person if you go instore. Not because they disagree with you, but because it causes them hassle when they don't want it.

dillo2k10

Call up customer care and ask for a manager immediately, the person answering the phone will most likely try and not transfer you to a manager so when they start asking questions just tell them that you will only speak to a manager and if you can then record the calls.

Make sure that you get the names of anyone you talk to, insist on a full refund. They had multiple chances to rectify the problem but they didn't as the repair was not permanent so now you should just demand a refund.

MarthaMyDear

I just got this reply, what should I say?

Thanks for your email and I am sorry to hear you are experiencing issues with your Meteor handset.

Under our Returns and Repairs policy, Meteor purchased handsets returned with a fault within 28 days of purchase will be exchanged whilst for those returned after 28 days, we offer a repair facility for our customers.

Under the 28 day exchange policy, the handset must be returned to a Meteor store along with proof of purchase and any packaging, accessories or charger s that came with the phone. Our retail staff are required to check the phone for the reported fault and if confirmed in store, they will offer a replacement of the same make and model. In the event that no fault can be identified in store, the handset must be returned to our repair company for testing in order to verify the issue and approve a replacement phone.

After this 28 day period has elapsed, Meteor phones covered under the manufacturer s warranty can be sent for repair, free of charge. All you need to do is drop into your nearest Meteor store and explain the problems you are experiencing and they will send the phone to the Mobile Phone Repair Company. We do advise a standard time of 10 working days for the phone to be sent off, repaired and returned to the store. You can find details of Meteor stores on our website by going to http://www.meteor.ie/personal/where_to_buy

I would like to highlight that any signs of liquid or physical damage invalidate the manufacturer s warranty and any phones tested and found to have this damage type, will be returned unrepaired.

While your phone is being repaired, you may be able to avail of a loan handset. These loan phones are dependent on availability and can be verified with store in question. I would also like to make you aware that there is a ¬70 deposit required to avail of a loan phone which will be refunded when the handset is returned.

If you have any further queries please call customer care or email info@meteor.ie and we will be delighted to assist you.

Millicent

MarthaMyDear wrote: »

I just got this reply, what should I say?

Thanks for your email and I am sorry to hear you are experiencing issues with your Meteor handset.

Under our Returns and Repairs policy, Meteor purchased handsets returned with a fault within 28 days of purchase will be exchanged whilst for those returned after 28 days, we offer a repair facility for our customers.

Under the 28 day exchange policy, the handset must be returned to a Meteor store along with proof of purchase and any packaging, accessories or charger s that came with the phone. Our retail staff are required to check the phone for the reported fault and if confirmed in store, they will offer a replacement of the same make and model. In the event that no fault can be identified in store, the handset must be returned to our repair company for testing in order to verify the issue and approve a replacement phone.

After this 28 day period has elapsed, Meteor phones covered under the manufacturer s warranty can be sent for repair, free of charge. All you need to do is drop into your nearest Meteor store and explain the problems you are experiencing and they will send the phone to the Mobile Phone Repair Company. We do advise a standard time of 10 working days for the phone to be sent off, repaired and returned to the store. You can find details of Meteor stores on our website by going to http://www.meteor.ie/personal/where_to_buy

I would like to highlight that any signs of liquid or physical damage invalidate the manufacturer s warranty and any phones tested and found to have this damage type, will be returned unrepaired.

While your phone is being repaired, you may be able to avail of a loan handset. These loan phones are dependent on availability and can be verified with store in question. I would also like to make you aware that there is a ¬70 deposit required to avail of a loan phone which will be refunded when the handset is returned.

If you have any further queries please call customer care or email info@meteor.ie and we will be delighted to assist you.

It doesn't matter what they say about checking for a fault in the store -- all that is irrelevant given that the phone has developed a fault twice and been repaired twice. The Sale of Goods Act says any repair that is done must be permanent. This is definitely not the case here. Tell them that you are availing of your statutory rights and refusing another repair. They are legally obligated to offer you either a replacement or refund (their choice. If the choice doesn't suit you, you cannot demand one or the other but must go the legal route in which case a judge would side with whoever the reasonable party is.)

Also, on the warranty point, warranties are in addition to your statutory rights; they do not replace them. Even if there is no manufacturer warranty with a product, the store is obligated to resolve the issue. The same act as before says that goods must last for a reasonable set of time (it's not specified what that time frame is) proportionate to the value of the product.

For €100, I would expect a phone to last at least 18 months to two years. Yours hasn't seem to have lasted one year.

Go back to them with this info and if they refuse, inform them in writing that you are giving them a reasonable time frame to rectify the matter (10 days is the typical amount) before you will be forced to initiate a small claims proceeding.

Good luck with it. I hope you get it sorted. I have to say, Meteor really are not coming off very well here.

Gonzo_Reporter

Hopefully i can re up this thread. I am currently having a similar problem with my HTC phone. I am on Meteor and gave them my phone to be repaired under the warranty. It had a power button issue and I believed the problem was caused by a software fault.
almost a month after i handed it in, i was told that it had been sent off to HTC in England! The repair report i have said that the warranty had been void due to physical damage to an completely separate part of the phone! No mention of the original problem. The repair cost (of maybe only one of the issues) comes to E130.

I was gobsmacked by this. I guess you will have to take my word for it that the phone was in perfect nick when i sent it off certainly not problems with the one they are now claiming. So needless to say i wasnt impressed with this diagnosis and said that i would come back to them whether to go ahead with the repair or not.

I questioned the sales rep in the meteor store who said my only course of pursuit was to talk to HTC directly as the phone was with them.
I emailed HTC as the care lines were closed. I got a quick response today saying they did not have the phone...

The twist in the story is today i learned via a web address on the repair report that the phone was actually with Fonfix in Sandymount! Can i even trust that Fonfix will fix both problem properly nothing on their site say that they are accredited by HTC to fix any fault back up to manufacturing standards. Could they void my warranty down the line?

What course of action do i have? it was only 3 months old when i handed it in to be repaired.

What does "Furthermore, within the first 6 months of purchase (under EU Directive 99/44 on the sale of goods and associated guarantees), the consumer does not have to prove a fault as it is deemed to have been there at time of purchase." really mean? I could have asked for a replacement phone from the beginning?! Was i mislead into getting it sent off to be diagnosed and or repaired?

sexylittledoll

Gonzo_Reporter wrote: »

Hopefully i can re up this thread. I am currently having a similar problem with my HTC phone. I am on Meteor and gave them my phone to be repaired under the warranty. It had a power button issue and I believed the problem was caused by a software fault.
almost a month after i handed it in, i was told that it had been sent off to HTC in England! The repair report i have said that the warranty had been void due to physical damage to an completely separate part of the phone! No mention of the original problem. The repair cost (of maybe only one of the issues) comes to E130.

I was gobsmacked by this. I guess you will have to take my word for it that the phone was in perfect nick when i sent it off certainly not problems with the one they are now claiming. So needless to say i wasnt impressed with this diagnosis and said that i would come back to them whether to go ahead with the repair or not.

I questioned the sales rep in the meteor store who said my only course of pursuit was to talk to HTC directly as the phone was with them.
I emailed HTC as the care lines were closed. I got a quick response today saying they did not have the phone...

The twist in the story is today i learned via a web address on the repair report that the phone was actually with Fonfix in Sandymount! Can i even trust that Fonfix will fix both problem properly nothing on their site say that they are accredited by HTC to fix any fault back up to manufacturing standards. Could they void my warranty down the line?

What course of action do i have? it was only 3 months old when i handed it in to be repaired.

What does "Furthermore, within the first 6 months of purchase (under EU Directive 99/44 on the sale of goods and associated guarantees), the consumer does not have to prove a fault as it is deemed to have been there at time of purchase." really mean? I could have asked for a replacement phone from the beginning?! Was i mislead into getting it sent off to be diagnosed and or repaired?

Hey, talk about holy thread resurrection batman, but I found this thread while researching online as I'm having a similar problem with fonefix through Meteor now for a warranty repair on my 2 month old Samsung Galaxy S3 and am beginning to think that there's a conspiracy of sorts in the background operation of this company and the Irish network provider as I've found through my research several other people reporting the same problems with their warranty repair experiences.

Did you get your issue resolved afterwards?

Tragedy

I refused to back down with eMobile(Meteor) and ended up sending a broken phone to their head office by registered post with a letter stating why and performing a credit card chargeback. I then informed them that if they believed that there was any outstanding monies owed them, that I would look forward to them taking me to court.

I now get a bill each month for approximately €900 and cheerily throw it in the bin!

sexylittledoll

Tragedy wrote: »

I refused to back down with eMobile(Meteor) and ended up sending a broken phone to their head office by registered post with a letter stating why and performing a credit card chargeback. I then informed them that if they believed that there was any outstanding monies owed them, that I would look forward to them taking me to court.

I now get a bill each month for approximately €900 and cheerily throw it in the bin!

You did exactly what I'm planning on doing if I end up exhausting the many other routes available ... . If they think I'm letting this lie they've clearly underestimated the power of an irate and informed consumer!!

Well done on your stance, it's whats needed in this country to put an end to the bullying and conspiring that goes on every day!