PRS-T1 Black Screen

[Rachel_K]

Hi all, I have had my PRS-T1 for just over a month and it's been great I love it, but to my horror this morning when I went to use it the screen was completely black. It was working fine last night and had plenty of charge.

I have hit the reset button

Left it charging for a few hours, but there is no sign of life from the LED

I plugged it in to my PC but that isn't detecting it

Pressing the power button does nothing

As it's gone 28 days I can't return it to where I bought it, they said I would have to send it back to Sony, can anyone think of anything else for me to try before I have to go without my ereader, it's a bad time to die with a 4 day weekend ahead of me!

Message was edited by: Rachel_K

Message was edited by: Rachel_K

[carpetmojo · Accepted solution]

Hello Rachel - this does sound like catastrophic battery failure. If it had plenty of charge, and it wasn't damaged in any way overnight, and PC isn't seeing it, it's either the battery or the reader hardware.

This 28 days puzzles me - if you bought it in UK, your contract is with the seller, and their conditions do not over-ride your legal rights. But some places are notoriously ignorant, or willfully oblivious, of consumer legislation. And lower down the chain you go the worse it gets - which also means if you know your rights, it is not a hard job to put the right !

So, it's down to them to sort your device out under the Sale of Goods Act, and the product must "work" OK for "a reasonable period od time".That period is generally regarded as over a year at least, not 28 days.. They can say what they like, it's their responsiblity to replace or repair it, or refund you. Don't have time at present, but if you Google the Sale of Goods Act you'll find an easy primer on it, and your rights - "Which" do a good one.

Everyone should have a quick check refresher on it now and then.

Outside the UK, your rights are usually not as easy to insist on.

But I'm afraid unless you can go into the shop tomorrow and tell them your rights - and that you'll take them to the Small Claijms Court if they dont sort things out for you - you won't be reading this device at the weekend.

[Rachel_K]

Thanks for the response, they did offer to send the item off to Sony on my behalf, but apparently it would take longer as they wouldn't send it off straight away. What I am now annoyed about is they said that they couldn't swap it for another because they no longer sold them and didn't have another unit. I have just been on their website and they so still sell them and they are available to collect in store. I am going to go back tomorrow and shout a bit more.

When I said I was disapointed that such a large chain store will only replace products withint 28 days, and did they feel that 28 days meets "fit for purpose" I was told that I should be glad I didn't buy a TV because you only get 72 hours on those. So letter is off to head office already. I bought a product that has died within 6 weeks, it's not what I expect from a Sony product and not the service I expect from a large electrical retailer.

Fingers crossed I get a replacement unit, otherwise I will leave it with the store tomorrow as although Sony provide a freepost service it says I should pay for the appropriate postal insurance so not very free!

[carpetmojo]

Rachel, I simply can't believe that any firm can seriously expect to get away with this claptrap in this day and age ! 

Their "damage limitation" clauses that say 28 days, or anything else DO NOT LIMIT YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS - which in fact have no set limit, apart from "reasonable".

But one thing you can be absolutely sure of - it isn't less than 12 months !

They are in fact lying to you about your legal rights, simple as that. Which is, of course, illegal.

And do they really say 72 hours on TV 's ? Well,  it's rubbish, and a lie. Take a recorder in with you and tell them you will be recording their fantasies !

They either have no idea of the law - or know it, and simply don't like complying with it. A solicitor's letter is the perfect answer, but why should you have go through all this when the law is on your side, and they are behaving illegally. Simply, you can take them to the Small Claims Court.

Citizen's Advice ? If you still have one ?

Seriously, print off the "A-Z" version of the Sale of Goods act and give it to them. THEY have to sort it out - they should send it to Sony on their own behalf  because they are responsible, not Sony.

And I'm afraid Sony may very well charge you for simply looking at it (£28 last time I heard] .

But it isn't their fault this firm is refusing to abide by the law.

I really am staggered........... Oh, and if you do leave it with them, take good photo's of it from all angles, make a note of the number, and get a signed official reciept saying it is in their care. But I'd say you were seeing a solicitor........

Message was edited by: carpetmojo

Message was edited by: carpetmojo

[carpetmojo]

This is a topic that all of us should be aware of - we should all know our legal rights, so the following is for everyone to brush-up their knowledge.

And, generally, you will then know the law better than the places you buy things from - but they only be .....pretending ? A more harsh term would be lying - as in Rachel's case !

There are dozens of sites giving details of the Sale of Goods Act, but this is the "WHICH" and it's very good..

http://www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/making-a-complaint/how-to-complain-to-companies/consumer-law-...

but you can just Google Sale of Goods Act and have a look.

We need it !

[afirvin]

I made a claim to Sony referencing the Sale of Goods Act following the failure of my Sony ereader screen after 18 months. I had bought the device directly from Sony online so I was dealing with Sony direct. The SOGA states that companies have a liability for up to six years. I felt that 18 months screen life was unreasonable and that the device has had a latent fault. I got no support from Sony. I learned that they will do nothing other than quote the 12 month guarentee and also that dealing with Sony is hard. I've been passed around four different Sony companies who all seem to be independent of each other.