[artnada]

...what is going on here. It happens when I turn the TV on. If I put it on standby, then on again it comes on normally.

Picture

[chrisjr]

Is that a Technika set - can't quite read the name under the screen but looks like that. If so then it's entirely possible it's using lower quality components inside than sets further up the price/quality scale. A common problem seems to be poor quality capacitors used in the power supply.

Once they start to play up all sorts of things can start happening. So could be a fault developing in the power supply. Or it could be a fault with either the display panel itself or the driver circuits for the display.

But there could equally be any number of other faults causing it. I suspect that it could die totally sometime fairly soon. Especially if it's a power supply issue. Whether it's worth repairing is down to how much any repair is likely to cost versus the cost of buying a new one.

[artnada]

Yes it's a Technika (from Tesco). It's only around 16/17 months old.

[Chris Frost]

The guarantee may have expired but that's not the end of your rights.

There's additional cover under European legislation to do with a "reasonable lifetime" of a product. In other words you could expect a quality major brand TV to last say 6 years, and maybe less for a cheap supermarket brand. But you could still say that 3-4 years is a reasonable life time that you could expect the set to work without fault. Certainly just a year or 18 months is unreasonable.

Your rights outside of the manufacturers guarantee period are different. For example, you can't expect a free of charge repair unless you can prove some sort of manufacturing defect existed. Nor could you expect a full refund or a no-cost replacement. What you might be entitled to though a a reduced cost repair or a partial refund based on the length of time you have owned it.

Supermarkets are notoriously bad at aftersales repair support. The people at customer service haven't a clue about the goods they sell. Nor is a company like Tesco geared up to provide repairs. That's part of how they achieve lower prices. You thought you were getting a bargain. But in reality you were just deferring some of the cost on a gamble that the TV wouldn't go wrong. Sadly this time the gamble didn't pay off. Personally I think this is a bigger rip-off than overpriced HDMI cables. It's a national scandal. It's all the more galling because in this case the Technika brand is owned by Tesco. The firm is happy to take the extra profit it gets buying direct from the factory on a no-returns basis. But it is then ignoring its responsibilities for support that should be paid for from that extra profit.

The fact that Tesco can't offer a repair service might actually work in your favour. They are more likely to offer a partial refund or a replacement TV with you making a contribution to the difference in cost. If they offer you a refund then take the money and RUN!!! Don't buy another cheap crappy brand TV again. Get a Sony or Panasonic or something midrange or above from one of the other proper big name TV brands. Do a bit of research. Avoid anything that is badge engineered from a Chinese or Turkish factory.

For more info on your rights outside the manufacturer's warranty then start here: LINK

[artnada]

£350 I paid for that. Gotta hope I can find the receipt for it. Can't remember exactly when it was bought.

[Nigel Goodwin]

Originally Posted by Chris Frost

There's additional cover under European legislation to do with a "reasonable lifetime" of a product.

Sorry, this is a complete myth - and often wrongly quoted here.

The EU legislation wasn't ratified in the UK and doesn't apply - we simply kept our far superior SOGA (check with Trading Standards).

However, as far as Tesco own brands are concerned they are in breach of the SOGA all the way - providing neither spares nor servicing for the 'own brand' products they sell. If pushed they always back down, they know they don't have a chance once it gets to court. Usually they give you a full refund.

[chrisjr]

Originally Posted by artnada

£350 I paid for that. Gotta hope I can find the receipt for it. Can't remember exactly when it was bought.

You don't need a receipt. If you have a bank or credit card statement showing a purchase of the right amount on the right day that should be enough. Especially as you cannot buy Tecknika kit from anywhere other than Tesco (except second hand obviously).

Oh and before going in all guns blazing you might care to have a read of this

http://www.oft.gov.uk/business-advic.../sogaexplained

it's aimed at business but has loads of useful information about your rights under SOGA. Which may or may not apply in this instance.

[Doghouse Riley]

You know that disclaimer that you often see under offers with limitations? "This does not affect your statutory rights."

Those are your rights under the "Sale of Goods Act."
"Goods must be fit for the purpose for which they were sold."
Comet are the worst in my experience, in trying to wriggle out of their obligations.
A TV should be good for five or six years, don't take any nonsense from the supplier, it's their responsibility under the act to fix it or give you your money back. Not the manufacturer.
Any problems, speak to the Environmental Health/Trading Standards office at your local town hall.

Over the years we've had several electrical appliances exchanged, including a TV, or got a refund when they were well out of guarantee, just by quoting the act at the supplier. If they weren't being cooperative, a request to Trading Standards to "pin their ears back" always did it for me.
Anyone who pays for an "extended guarantee" is a mug.

I should know, I spent my whole career in retail management.

[Kodaz]

Originally Posted by artnada

£350 I paid for that. Gotta hope I can find the receipt for it. Can't remember exactly when it was bought.

Originally Posted by chrisjr

You don't need a receipt. If you have a bank or credit card statement showing a purchase of the right amount on the right day that should be enough. Especially as you cannot buy Tecknika kit from anywhere other than Tesco (except second hand obviously).

One other thought- it should be possible to show that the TV had to be no older than a certain date if you can find evidence of when that specific model was first sold. There might be evidence (e.g.) in the form of revision dates printed on the manual that came with it.

Since models these days are generally updated or replaced quite regularly, this might not be that much older than the TV's actual age.

Though a receipt or other evidence of purchase would definitely be less hassle if you still had them.