Consumer advice

[ajlaw9]

Hey guys
Not sure where to post this so thought I'd just throw it into General Discussion.

About 4 months ago I bought a sony camera. It is compact but quite expensive. 3 months ago it stopped working. As it was still under warranty I sent it away to get repaired. They replied yesterday saying that the camera was broken beyond repair because of water damage and they would not fix it under warranty. In addition they sent me a bill for the service fee. The thing is, I never used the camera in or near water, rain or anything! I was so careful with it at all times.
The day it started having problems was very hot. I was walking and sweating a lot and was wearing the camera on my wrist using the wriststrap, so all I can think of is that sweat has somehow got inside. But surely they build their cameras to withstand a little sweat? Particularly an expensive one like this camera.
I don't know what I should do. I emailed the customer department of sony and they just gave me a pretty generic canned response, essentially washing their hands of it. Do I have any recourse here with consumer affairs or anything?
Thanks in advance!

 

[Run n Spread]

Hey guys
Not sure where to post this so thought I'd just throw it into General Discussion.

About 4 months ago I bought a sony camera. It is compact but quite expensive. 3 months ago it stopped working. As it was still under warranty I sent it away to get repaired. They replied yesterday saying that the camera was broken beyond repair because of water damage and they would not fix it under warranty. In addition they sent me a bill for the service fee. The thing is, I never used the camera in or near water, rain or anything! I was so careful with it at all times.
The day it started having problems was very hot. I was walking and sweating a lot and was wearing the camera on my wrist using the wriststrap, so all I can think of is that sweat has somehow got inside. But surely they build their cameras to withstand a little sweat? Particularly an expensive one like this camera.
I don't know what I should do. I emailed the customer department of sony and they just gave me a pretty generic canned response, essentially washing their hands of it. Do I have any recourse here with consumer affairs or anything?
Thanks in advance!

To a point if you take the softly softly approach, let's sort this out reasonably with some companies you will basically just get ignored. If you are that desperate take them to the Consumer Affairs Ombudsman.

If you were using the camera as intended (by using the wristrap) and did not jump in the ocean with it then you would have a case. Are you sure it was even sweat? If you claim for your money back there is no need to give them your life story. State I used the camera as it was intended, (including carrying it as prescribed when out) let them prove how they can break their warranty and establish how it could possibly be water damaged if it hasn't been near water.

 

[rayven]

Hey guys
Not sure where to post this so thought I'd just throw it into General Discussion.

About 4 months ago I bought a sony camera. It is compact but quite expensive. 3 months ago it stopped working. As it was still under warranty I sent it away to get repaired. They replied yesterday saying that the camera was broken beyond repair because of water damage and they would not fix it under warranty. In addition they sent me a bill for the service fee. The thing is, I never used the camera in or near water, rain or anything! I was so careful with it at all times.

Once upon a time you use to be able to go see the head of the local mafia about these things and something would be worked out. It's still possible in some places. It's been immortalized in various movies or tv and most infamously in the "godfather" series of films.

It doesn't seem right that you now pay taxes so that those who ripped you off are protected from community arbitration.

 

[I bleed Blue]

Yell and stop your feet until you get what you want.

Sounds like they are shafting you pretty bad with this. Call them and tell them you want to speak with a manager. Explain to him/her exactly what you have explained to us here. How it has never been anywhere near water. Unfortuantly with alot of these bigger companies you will just have to stomp your feet and kick up a fuss. Threaten to tell all your friends how bad their product is. How bad their customer service is etc. Just the threat that you will take this to the Consumer Affairs Ombudsman should be enough for them to just repair it for free or give you a new one.

If they are still being difficult, then dont hesitate to actaully go to the Consumer Affairs Ombudsman.

It is your legal right that the product should be able to perform for the purpose of which it was built. In your case it sounds like you have got dudded.

Good luck mate.

 

[Gough]

http://www.consumerlaw.gov.au/content/Content.aspx?doc=fact_sheets/shops.htm

 

[BC9_]

Hey guys
Not sure where to post this so thought I'd just throw it into General Discussion.

About 4 months ago I bought a sony camera. It is compact but quite expensive. 3 months ago it stopped working. As it was still under warranty I sent it away to get repaired. They replied yesterday saying that the camera was broken beyond repair because of water damage and they would not fix it under warranty. In addition they sent me a bill for the service fee. The thing is, I never used the camera in or near water, rain or anything! I was so careful with it at all times.
The day it started having problems was very hot. I was walking and sweating a lot and was wearing the camera on my wrist using the wriststrap, so all I can think of is that sweat has somehow got inside. But surely they build their cameras to withstand a little sweat? Particularly an expensive one like this camera.
I don't know what I should do. I emailed the customer department of sony and they just gave me a pretty generic canned response, essentially washing their hands of it. Do I have any recourse here with consumer affairs or anything?
Thanks in advance!

Where did you buy it from?

 

[Scotland]

Sony customer service (like most organisations nowadays) is notoriously bad.

On the rare occasion they are willing to communicate with you they spend all of their time trying to placate you with apoligies rather than actually solving the problem you present to them.

If you badger them enough you'll eventually get what you want. If you comment repeatedly on their Facebook page they get onto your case sharpish!

 

[ajlaw9]

Thanks to everyone for the responses.

As Scotland said, all they have done in communications is say how sorry they are are thanked me for my patience while actually doing nothing. I don't know how I can speak to someone more senior. Every email I recieve from them is from a different person, obviously at the bottom of the chain.
I know about consumer affairs but the problem is I bought it from Amazon.uk while I was in the UK but am currently working/travelling for the next few months in Europe, so it's a difficult situation for me. I essentially can't call so my only option is email. I also don't know anything about the UK consumer laws but I assume they are similar. I already sent an email to Consumer Affairs UK and am awaiting a response.

If I "threaten" them with badmouthing their products to friends and on their facebook page do you think it will make a difference to the low-level people who reply to the emails? Any tips for how to make myself more heard?

 

[BC9_]

Thanks to everyone for the responses.

As Scotland said, all they have done in communications is say how sorry they are are thanked me for my patience while actually doing nothing. I don't know how I can speak to someone more senior. Every email I recieve from them is from a different person, obviously at the bottom of the chain.
I know about consumer affairs but the problem is I bought it from Amazon.uk while I was in the UK but am currently working/travelling for the next few months in Europe, so it's a difficult situation for me. I essentially can't call so my only option is email. I also don't know anything about the UK consumer laws but I assume they are similar. I already sent an email to Consumer Affairs UK and am awaiting a response.

If I "threaten" them with badmouthing their products to friends and on their facebook page do you think it will make a difference to the low-level people who reply to the emails? Any tips for how to make myself more heard?

What if you just try and return it from the place you bought it from. You made a contract with the store and not with sony.
If the store has been given goods that are dodgy, well thent that's their problem to sort out.

EDIT - Just read you got it from amazon... I honestly know nothing about online shopping.

But on the point about being sent a fee: They have charged you a service bill. I'm not sure what 'service' you were given? You've been put in a worse off position after trying to fix the situation, and that is not right. Consumer law should be able to protect you. Once again EDIT - not sure about purchasing goods online TBH.

 

[Poseidon]

E-mails are easy to brush off/ignore. You'll have to find a way to phone them.