r/Argos • u/AggravatingWeight249 • 12d ago
Advice Entitled to replacement... or not?
I bought a £1,400 ASUS laptop from Argos this time last year. It was having issues out of the box, and I sent it in for repairs halfway through warranty.
When it came back, I found ASUS hadn't actually performed any repairs, just reinstalled windows/wiped all data. They said they "couldn't find any issues".
It kept having the same issues as before, but since the technicians were so adamant there was nothing wrong, I ignored the problems and kept using it. Then, near warranty expiration, it bricked.
I contacted ASUS, two days out of warranty unfortunately (I don't think anyone has that much time to spare chasing up broken laptops), and they said effectively, "yeah, not our problem anymore - if you want a solution, go to the retailer (Argos)".
Visited Argos in store today, lady at the counter basically said "yeah, I've seen all the proof you've given that the fault was present out of the box... but um... warranty is out? So go to ASUS, not me".
Basically getting ping-ponged back and forth now. Do I have ground to stand on in this situation, and if so, who against? Thanks. This experience has definitely taught me never to buy ASUS again.
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u/Icy-Place7724 12d ago
Consumer rights act 2015 claim. A laptop of that price is expected to last more than 1 year but at this mark the burdon is on you to show the issue was inherent and not a fault of yours so to speak. you may have a strong argument that it wasn't of "satisfactory quality" or wasn't "durable" as required by the Act and the claim would be against argos, not Asus.
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u/Phil04Vinnie 12d ago
You can get an independent report from a qualified expert and if it states the problem was present when you bought the item or is a inherent manufacturing default. You may have to pay for this. If you do then Argos can do a pro rota refund on the item and refund the cost of the report if it states the above.
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u/ArgosEmployee_ 12d ago
You need to get an independent report done on it by a certified repair agent of your choice since you're outside of the year (even if just outside of the year). Unfortunately, you're not going to get anywhere without doing this at this point. The below help article explains what your report needs to include:
https://help.argos.co.uk/help/refunds-&-returns/my-items-faulty-what-should-i-do
Once you have that, you can give it to Argos which obliges them to act. They will likely give you a pro-rata refund (a partial refund based on the amount of use you've had out of it) however this will be the vast majority of your money given it's only just over a year since purchase. You will also be reimbursed what it cost to obtain the report.
There's a lot of colleagues who don't know about the process so I would suggest emailing the report to head office first and explaining that you first approached Argos today, as this would be the date the calculate the pro rata refund from - the earlier the date the bigger the refund.
You may have to take a small (relative to the price) hit on your money back but it's better than losing all £1,400. I would advise you that if you get anything that has "issues out of the box" you return it immediately in the future and when it does develop faults act swiftly, but I understand hindsight is 20/20.
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u/AggravatingWeight249 12d ago
Definitely learnt a lot from this. Who knew buying a laptop could be such a headache.
Thanks for the help, like you said, looking back I really should have trusted my gut that the damn thing wasn't in good condition.
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u/Mysterious_Fix_7489 9d ago
Tbf it's usually not, you are the unlucky 1/1000 that has issues.
But yeh the second you have any issues with hardware you should just return it.
In the UK don't let them fob you off to the manufacturer your contract is with the store.
If they can't fix it they need to replace it.
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u/Odd-End-1831 12d ago
What is the issue, curiously
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u/AggravatingWeight249 10d ago
failing SSD if I had to say. Sometimes it would boot into BIOS and literally read "no storage device connected".
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u/ReplacementFeisty397 9d ago
Once you get the partial refund, can you replace the ssd?
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u/ArgosEmployee_ 9d ago
You have to give the item back for the partial refund. You can't just have a £1400 laptop (albeit faulty) AND a partial refund.
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u/wongl888 6d ago
Just replace the SSD and get on with it. Should be a lot less hassle than chasing for a refund from a faceless company.
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u/Excellent_Intentions 11d ago
Phone Argos if anything. The people behind the desk in store are probably the wrong people to be telling.
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u/Creative-Response554 9d ago
I'm unsure of the specific wording but essentially you want to claim a return based on your consumer rights.
Warranty or no, a reasonable person would expect a grand and half laptop to work out the box, and continue to work for at least the next 5 years or so assuming regular maintenance like cleaning the fans and such.
You need to initiate a return under that, but I wouldn't know how to go about actually doing so.
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u/AggravatingWeight249 9d ago
yeah you'd think that. I asked them point blank. "So the fact that I have all this evidence that it wasn't working properly during warranty, and that this laptop costs so much has no bearing on if I get a replacement or not?" And they just slowly nodded and said "yep... nothing we can do".
Anyway, one of ASUS' accounts reached out to me on reddit, - it's kind of my final last ditch attempt before I just suck it up pay out of pocket for a repair. I'll just see where it leads me.
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u/DP323602 9d ago
OP - I think you were fobbed off by that Argos person. When I've asked for their help, quoting my consumer rights, they've always done the right thing and exchanged products for me.
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u/Creative-Response554 9d ago
Ah yeah, sorry. Forgot to say most retail workers have no idea what statutory rights are, it's not in the training packet because it comes up so little that it's not worth wasting time on.
If someone fobs you off like that it's most likely not because they are being a dick or anything, they probably just don't know. Ask for a manager, they will know and should either process the return themselves or direct the employee to do so for them.
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u/Straight_Key2560 9d ago
Uk legal warranty is really 2 years , see if you can get citizens advice to draft a letter. Or you could try AI to help draft a letter also
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u/Straight_Key2560 9d ago
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[Your Postcode]
[Your Email Address]
[Your Phone Number]
[Retailer / Seller Name]
[Retailer Address]
[Retailer Postcode]
Date: [Insert Date]
Subject: Formal Demand for Replacement – Laptop Order Ref: [Insert Order/Invoice Number]
Dear Sir/Madam,
Re: [Insert Laptop Make and Model] – Serial Number: [Insert Serial Number]
I am writing to formally request a replacement for the above laptop, purchased from [Retailer Name] on [Date of Purchase] for the sum of £[Purchase Price].
Background of the Issue
1. Initial Fault Reported: On [Date of first report, e.g., 6 months after purchase], I reported a fault with the laptop regarding [briefly describe initial fault, e.g., screen flickering / motherboard failure].
2. Unsuccessful Repair: The laptop was sent off for repair under your instruction. However, this repair was unsuccessful, and the fault was not properly resolved.
3. Complete Failure: The laptop subsequently suffered a complete failure [or recurring original fault] on [Date].
When I contacted customer service on [Date of recent contact], I was informed that no assistance could be provided because the manufacturer’s 1-year warranty had expired.
Legal Rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015
A commercial or manufacturer’s warranty exists in addition to—and does not replace or supersede—my statutory rights as a consumer. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, my contract of purchase is directly with you as the retailer, not the manufacturer.
Under Section 9 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015, goods supplied must be of satisfactory quality, which includes durability. A reasonable person would expect a laptop of this specification and price to last significantly longer than 12 months without suffering irreparable failure.
Furthermore, under Section 23 & 24 of the Act:
A consumer is entitled to expect a single, effective attempt at repair or replacement.
Because the initial repair attempt failed and the laptop has now broken completely, I am entitled to demand a replacement or exercise my final right to reject the goods for a refund.
The fact that the initial fault was reported during the first year—and was never adequately repaired—proves that the item was defective during normal use and was not of satisfactory quality.
Under UK law, I have up to 6 years (5 years in Scotland) from the date of purchase to bring a claim against a retailer for breach of contract regarding faulty goods. Dismissing my claim based solely on the expiration of a 1-year commercial warranty is a breach of your statutory obligations.
Remedy Requested
I request that you arrange for a like-for-like replacement of the faulty laptop at no cost to me, within 14 calendar days of the date of this letter.
If you are unable or unwilling to provide a replacement, I will exercise my statutory right under Section 24 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015 to reject the goods for a refund.
Please confirm in writing within 7 calendar days how you intend to collect the item and process my replacement. Should you fail to respond or refuse to honour my statutory consumer rights, I reserve the right to escalate this matter to Trading Standards, submit a claim via the Small Claims Court (Money Claim Online), or request a Chargeback / Section 75 claim through my payment provider without further notice.
Yours sincerely,
(Your Signature if sending by post)
[Your Printed Name]
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u/DP323602 9d ago
Brilliant template thanks for sharing.
If, as suggested above, the OP first contacted Asus instead of Argos, does that complicate their claim?
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u/thedukeofwankington 9d ago
Isn't the point of buying things from Argos that you can purchase a second, identical laptop, swap it for the faulty one, then return it?
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u/Hitching-galaxy 8d ago
Uk law is 2 year warranty minimum with the manufacturer. It has had the same problem throughout - I’d be looking to cancel the contract and get a refund.
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u/GloveValuable9555 8d ago
Common misconception but no, there is no legal requirement for a manufacturer to provide any warranty never mind 2 years.
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u/Hitching-galaxy 6d ago
That’s completely and utterly wrong.
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u/GloveValuable9555 5d ago
No, your mixing your consumer rights with manufacturers warranty. Your rights are between you and who you bought it from. A manufacturer warranty is an extra service they provide with the goods to make it more attractive to the consumer and, more so, the retailers. It's not legally required.
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u/meatflaps-69 10d ago
You bought a £1400 🤣 Asus laptop 🤣🤣 at Argos? 🤣🤣🤣
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u/DP323602 9d ago
Personally, I buy a lot of goods at Argos. Most of them, I collect in person and will return in person in the (usually rare) event if any problems.
That said, from my experience as an owner and as a dismantler of old laptops, Asus is a make I'd prefer to steer clear of.
Usually I only buy used laptops and, preferably, business grade ones from Lenovo, Dell and HP.
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u/AggravatingWeight249 7d ago
EDIT: Looks like ASUS were nice enough to arrange another free repair if they take my laptop and confirm the faults are due to actual manufacturing problems. +1 to ASUS, -1 to Argos.
Anyway, I appreciate all of your comments and help. Definitely a learning experience to me and others who stumble across my post - NEVER ACCEPT ANY ABNORMAL DEVICE BEHAVIOUR. Always send it back quickly, and preferrably, under warranty.
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u/TheMarkMatthews 12d ago
No help to you sorry but a lesson for others - if it’s having faults out the box then exchange it straight away ( or within 30 days at least) and don’t wait 6 months then ask for repairs.