Warranty period for Smart Ultra 6

[Firstexact]

I've just gone into store to get my Smart Ultra 6 repaired (same issue as the last one I had, and countless people on here have had- to do with screen not working, ghost presses etc, seems to be a common problem with these).  

I had heard stories of in store staff telling customers that the warranty period was one year not two, despite vodafone policy appearing to be that itr was two, so I went in armed with a screenshot of this http://screencast.com/t/0urHnvih and various links like https://forum.vodafone.co.uk/t5/Other-manufacturers-OS/Smart-ultra-6-warranty/td-p/2491120 saying that it's 2 years.

Staff were not interested in any of that, and told me it was 1 year as the phone had been bought by me outright and they'd put it through as a PAYG (and then I'd put my contract SIM in).  However, the screenshot above refers to PAYG and still says it's 2 years.  I asked the staff member to book it in and see what happened, and the system said it was indeed out of warranty, and it would cost me £66 to repair.

So, three issues here- firstly Voda advertise a blanket 2 year warranty and when you go to claim they tell you it's 1.  Secondly, I've already had a brand new replacement once, which has now done the same thing less than a year later.  And thirdly, given the high number of returns with the same problem, I think I may have a case under the sale of goods act (these phones seem to have a design fault).

As usual, the shop didn't have any loan phones ("we've been telling head office for a year that we need more") and I need a phone for work, so I bought a P9 lite there and then, but I'm still very keen to get a response on this.

[BandOfBrothers]

I hoped I had seen the last of the stories concerning manufacturer warranty. 

If the phone was sourced directly from Vodafone then the manufacturer warranty is 100% 2 years. 

For Payg the warranty commences from the bought on date. 

Did they send it off ?

I'm sure one of the Tech Team here will engage with you over this. 

This link may also help 

http://www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/regulation/sale-of-goods-act

[Firstexact]

Thank you for your reply, it sounds like you've been here before a few times.  I did see some other threads with similar discussions, but as this was an account specific issue I thought I'd start a new one, hope that's OK?

Question is, what do I do now?  It's an odd one when you literally take proof in to a store and they tell you the opposite.  To be fair to them, it was also a computer said no situation, but what do you do, short of starting an argument?  I just assumed I was wrong in some way.

As for how it was left, they told me it would cost me £66 (vs the option I have of buying an as new open box replacement from Groupon for £79!), that they had no loan phones, and that the wait times for warranty repairs were long.  I manage my business locations remotely from my phone, so I decided that £149 for a P9 lite was the way to go about it.  Obv I've now come back and asked Mr Internet, and it appears that I was correct in the first place.  Again, what do I do now?

[BandOfBrothers]

Let the Tech Team here engage with you. 

This needs looking into and if necessary fed back to the stores and customer service. 

Yes there had been similar posts to yours where the stores have stated 1 year and so have customer service. 

All the Help and Support pages point to 24 months for phones with the iPhone being the exception of 12 months. 

[AnnS]

Hi @Firstexact

The information you have been given by the store is wrong, when you are in the store, you need to refer them to the link below from Vodafone's website.

When I buy a device from Vodafone how long does the warranty last?

It's about time store staff were capable and correctly trained in the products and services which they sell and stop giving out incorrect information to customers.  Vodafone should also make sure the warranty information is correct on the system.

The Sale of Goods act has been replaced with the Consumer Rights Act. 

[Firstexact]

Thanks you Ann.  I took a printed out copy of that page to the store, but they said it was incorrect, an opinion which they said was proved by the fact that the system said it was an out of warranty repair.  I will take note of the change in legislation, nothing worse during a dispute than mentioning a law that has been superseeded and being called out on it!

[BandOfBrothers]

Hi @Firstexact

The Which link I added holds lots of information with clear links to the current legislation. Apologies if this somehow confused anyone. 

If the store staff and customer service dig their heels in then a person can find themselves in the proverbial no man's land. 

Hopefully one of the Vodafone Team here will be able to clarify. 

It's a conundrum why the system would charge and may have something to do with that your phone has been already exchanged. Ie the 24 month manufacturer warranty wouldn't re start but instead continue on the replacement phone. 

[Firstexact]

I've just checked and phone wes purchased August 2015, so I'm well within 24 months.  Such a shame, they are great phones until this well documented issue, and as always, one can't really blame the shop staff personally as they are only following orders/computer systems.  I'll wait for a tech response on here and go from there.  Thanks again for replies and links so far, all really helpful.

[hrym]

Just to add to this: I don't believe loan devices are made available for PAYG or outright purchases and, on contract, only if you have one of the Red tarriffs.

[Firstexact]

Thanks.  I'm on a Red tariff (though they didn't even ask what tariff I was on)