Advice and opinions wanted

[martnal]

Just over 3 years ago I bought a Sony television with a one-year warranty from an "Amazin-gly" well-known internet multi-product company.  Last week the screen developed severe interference making it unwatchable. I contacted the "Amazin-gly" well known supplier, quoting the 2015 Consumer Goods Act which states that goods should be of usable quality for 6 years, (5 years in Scotland). 

They have given me the run-around in many different ways (failing to reply to emails and making me correspond with a different person every time etc) but the aspect which I am most concerned about is that they have said that after 39 months the television has exceeded its average expected life! 

I would be interested to know what other Sony TV users think of this and also the opinion of anyone from Sony.  Many companies sell Sony televisions with a 5-year warranty.  Also most companies offer extended warranties for up to 5 years.  We often read in the press that we should not take these warranties as we are covered by the Consumer Goods Act.  (I did not buy the television using a credit card, but that is not relevant here.)

An AVERAGE of 39 months means they are suggesting that many Sony televisions will fail much before 39 months.

This has been stated in two separate emails from the company.  They have also asked for a third-party statement confirming that the television is unserviceable, although I have already told them that Sony's third-party company have confirmed this to me by phone.  The expression they used based on my description of the symptoms was "catastrophic failure of the LED panel" which they said would cost as much to repair as to to buy a new television.

I'm quite prepared to pay the £28 inspection charge, but I am a little bit put off by the fact that it would take me 2 hours each way on two buses to take the television in and the same to then collect it. I welcome your comments,

Thank you. 

[dingardn]

My 5 year old KDL-46W905A has just died, appears to be a main board fault having spoken to Martin Dawes in Doncaster. This TV was given as a replacement in place of a KDL-46HX823 which had a catastrophic failure, so much so it burnt a hole through the Gorilla glass. Needless to say, I'm not happy.

Martin Dawes has quoted £250+ to replace the mainboard and it’s really tempting to just pay it because it’s still a great TV and given that my corner sofa sits off center from the TV I need a swivel stand. However, what concerns me is that Martin Dawes only offers a 90 day guarantee on their repair, which doesn’t give me much confidence.
 
But it’s disappointing that two TVs from their flagship range both haven’t managed double figures in their operating life, I've also got a KDL-32W5500 that is 2 years older and still going strong.

On a seperate not, what's also annoying is that my 6 year old Sony Vaio also died this year, so I'm not best pleased with Sony right now.

In regards to the 6 years you’ve mentioned, I’ve had a read here - http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2015/15/notes/division/3, so will be sending an email to Sony just shortly I think

[martnal]

Dingardn, thanks for the reply.  I am surprised that nobody else has had anything to contribute.  UK law states that it is reasonable that expensive items like TVs and expensive kitchen kit should last at least 6 years, (5 in Scotland).  People just seem to accept it when things fail sooner, and retailers take advantage of this.  Amazon have said it is fair to accept that Sony TVs fail after a mere 39 months.  I am amazed that Sony allow them to say this.  

Elsewhere UK organisations such as 'Which?' magazine make it VERY clear that LED TV screens typically last for 60,000 to 100,000 hours.  They discovered that most new electrical goods and appliances are actually very reliable and have a very low chance of needing repair in the first five years.  I have followed Amazon's procedures for complaining, and they are giving me the run-around, with a different scripted reply each time I contact them.  While there are unscrupulous consumers who abuse trading laws, I think I have left Amazon in no doubt of my integrity.  

Initially I tried the standard website complaints option. I was being fobbed off by people who didn't understand basic English law. I then contacted the director of customer service. My very polite formal letter was passed to much more junior people. I explained that I had spoken to Sony, and the third party repair company who both told me that from the symptoms I described it had failed catastrophically and was not viable for Economic repair.

I have had our TV for just over  years, say 1,000 days.  We don't watch it all evening by any means, but even if we watched it for 4 hours every night, that is only 4,000 hours before it failed.  At best, 6% of its expected life.

Somebody is being unreasonable.  I've got the time and motivation to get to the bottom of this.

M

[dingardn]

Having read your initial post, I've just sent an email to Sony and would do the same if I were you. I didn’t buy my first HX from them but contacted them first given the nature of the failure. I'm in no rush to go buy another TV especially when we're only a month away from sales.

Having quoted the CRA I’m interested to see how they will respond.

I've got a 23 year old JVC 3 piece HiFi that is still soldiering on and a 30+ year old Technics 6 piece HiFi doing the same so when I encounter or hear issues of modern equipment failing it's hard not to believe that planned obsolescence is at play.

[martnal]

I will be contacting Sony today, although I doubt it will be easy finding the right person.  Firstly I think Amazon are being unreasonable and obstructive, and secondly I think it is outrageous to Sony that Amazon are saying such stupid things about their products.  I will report later.

Martin

[martnal]

Today I have written the following to the Sony UK PR department:

hello, I think this will be of interest to you. I think it is quite shameful.

I bought a Sony Bravia 32" TV from Amazon. It cost £300 three years ago, and unfortunately last weekend I switched it on to find that it had a permanent broad multi-coloured stripe of ‘interference’ right across the screen.

I have been given the run-around by Amazon Customer Services for the last ten days, as I expected. I won't bother you with all the details unless you want them, but I have twice been told this by Amazon:

"As you've had satisfactory use of this product for a period of time exceeding both the manufacturer's warranty period and the typical average life of this product, and since you purchased your product approximately 39 months ago and have used it successfully, please understand that we're unable to offer you a replacement or refund of the replacement value.

I just thought that you should be aware that Amazon are shirking their responsibility under the 2015 Consumer Rights Act by saying Sony products only have an AVERAGE life of three years!! That infers many fail within that time. The 2015 Consumer Rights Act states that high-value items such as TVs and kitchen equipment should be of merchantable quality for at least 6 years (5 years in Scotland).

I am going to fight Amazon anyway I can over this, but I thought you should know what they are saying in advance. Amazon are trying to avoid the issue by asking me to get an engineer's report stating that the product must have been faulty at the time of purchase. I am doing this by paying for an independent survey.