Repair quote dispute!

[Irishbelle]

I am absolutely fuming!

I took my Z Fold 4 to an 02 store as the screen protector had started lifting along the fold on the large screen, and there was white and black lines running from the top to the bottom of the screen making it unusable. The store manager inspected my phone, said it was in excellent condition and confirmed it was physical construction damage. He checked that it was still under warranty (which it was….covered by the 3 year warranty) and completed a service repair form to send my phone to the repair service. I used the tracking repair service to keep up to date with how the repair progress was going. It took over a week for my phone to get from the store to the repair centre and today after only having my phone for one day I received a notification on the tracking service to say that the repair is not covered under the warranty and that it will cost me £650 to have my phone repaired. The only comment under the reason for the decision is “Customer damage” 

I declined the repair and requested my phone be returned to me, and I emailed a complaint to 02’s complaint panel. I have been an 02 customer for over a decade and this is the first time I have made a request for a repair and I am so upset and angry that it has been assumed that I damaged my phone when I absolutely did not. 

I would love to know if anyone else has had a similar problem and/or complained and what the outcome was. I won’t be an 02 customer after my current contract ends (1 year left!) if the repair isn’t carried out under warranty.

[madasaf1sh]

@Irishbelle 

This isnt down to O2 but is down to Samsung...

Samsung set the rules on what is covered by warranty, and unfortunately the repair centres use those rules to determine what is covered or not, and I am afraid to say Samsung put the screen protector lifting down to customer damage, a quick google will show lots of people reporting the same.. 

I would try and contact Samsung Direct and asking them to replace it under warranty, but don't expect any different, as Samsung are quite annoyingly stubborn about the shoddy quality of there devices.. 

My advice dont buy a Samsung Fold or Flip...

[Enlli]

Foldable screen protectors carry a 1 year warranty.

It seems you have been quoted for a whole new screen and not protector replacement

[Oxonian]

@Irishbelle 

It might be worth reading this :-

Consumer Rights Act 2015 - Which?

https://www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/regulation/consumer-rights-act-aKJYx8n5KiSl

Please bear in mind that your right to claim is against the retailer from whom you bought your 'phone. Was this from O2, from Samsung or from a third-party retailer ? If you got it from O2 and have already complained to O2, I would consider involving Resolver :-

How to Complain | Help | O2

https://www.o2.co.uk/how-to-complain

They have a reputation for facilitating satisfactory outcomes.  

[Irishbelle]

Thank you for your reply. I was advised by the customer service operator that as I got the phone through 02 I would have to go through them for the repair.

[madasaf1sh]

The Op will have to prove they haven't punctured the screen or damaged the screen, and o2 will go on the report from the repair centre, who have deemed it customer damage.. 

And the warranty is clear that the Screen Protector has a 1 year warranty..

Have a look at this thread on Samsung... https://eu.community.samsung.com/t5/galaxy-z-fold-z-flip/samsung-fold-3-warranty-repair-issues/td-p/...

Samsung really will not budge... This is why I wont buy another fold or flip from Samsung...

[Irishbelle]

Thank you for your reply. My understanding was that because there was ink leakage on the screen as well it was a complete screen replacement. And I was assured by the 02 store manager that it was covered under warranty.

[Oxonian]

@Irishbelle 

OK, so O2 are your retailer and your consumer rights are with them as they sold you the handset.

However, Samsung will be telling O2 what they can and cannot do. And as @madasaf1sh has said, Samsung are notoriously inflexible.  

[madasaf1sh]

@Irishbelle 

An o2 store manager is not a trained technician, who has been trained to work on Samsung devices, nor does he have access to any telemetry that the sensors report back to the OS nor can he take apart the device..

So all the o2 manager can and has offered is their opinion.. and is not based on any fact...

I would try Samsung as I said, or use any insurance you have and pay the excess to have it repaired... that may be your only option...

[viridis]

I would only ever use Samsung themselves for foldable screen issues, the ideal would be going in an experience store as they:

1 tend to listen to customers cases a bit better than the post-in centres and will use warranty where valid

2 offer faster turn around.

But .. this case is the exact reason I won't get a foldable again for many years.