After my recent post on my PS3 woes I am after a bit of advice re UK consumer law.

I know this gets talked about a lot on here but just after a simple confirmation of my assumed position re a product that has given up the ghost.

PS3 bought from John Lewis 18 months ago. Well treated, moderate use. It ‘froze’ during the most recent online update from Sony – perfect prior to that. Sony can only offer 134 quid swap for refurb model that they will only warranty for 3 months. John Lewis warranty was 12 months.

I ‘assume’ that I am stuffed and have to buy a new one? I ask the question because there has been a suggestion that European law states that the warranty should have been a minimum of 2 years.

Which is correct please?

Many thanks

1 year in UK I’m afraid, but thought LJ gave 5 year as standard on electricals?

hm just checked their site 1 year on consoles

5 year as standard on electricals?

5 year minus depreciation as my colleague found out when his TV went pop.

Hi

My friend was a researcher for the One Show ‘don’t get done get dom’ bit and she told me about ‘statutory rights’. See here:
Consumer Information

Basically, a product should be fit for the period of time it is expected to last. So a PS3, I would expect to last maybe 5 years? So if it breaks before that, you could argue it was never fit for purpose and is subject to an original manufacturing defect.

I’m sure there will be someone who can argue against this though!

In UK consumer law IIRC you have to prove it is a manufacturing fault if it is more than 6 months old.

Also if something fails part way thru its life your compensation may only be a % of the value as you have had some use from it.

As far as I’m aware, you have to be able to establish that the goods purchased were “not of reasonable quality”.

With big ticket electrical items like TVs and consoles, it’s generally agreed that they should be of reasonable quality to last 5 years. If it breaks down after your initial manufacturers warranty, the burden of proof on the lack of quality falls to you, the consumer.

If your PS3 failed because of a “yellow light of death”, and is an original “fat” model, you’d probably get away with whinging to a retailer that this is a known fault etc and get it swapped. If it’s anything else, you might need to get an engineers report to prove that the item is faulty due to not being of sufficient quality at the start.

From the fault you described previously, it sounds to me like it’s trying to update with a corrupt update file, and I would try the hard disk trick mentioned first before trying to get a refund, as any refund will be for a bit less than you could reasonably get a good condition 2nd hand one from.

Or in the OP, Sony will do you another for £134.

John Lewis? You’re quids in if you’ve got proof of purchase. Give me a minute.

Got it, here, read this.

Abridged;

John Lewis has launched a never-ending refunds policy… The never-ending refunds policy is retrospective so applies to any purchase you’ve ever made at John Lewis… To get a cash refund you must have the original till or gift receipt, order confirmation or delivery note. If not, you will get gift vouchers

Cougar – that seems to refer to goods that have not been used.