Dust under screen not covered by warranty?

[Guest ArcticFox]

I emailed Orange yesterday asking about warranty and if it would be possible to get a handset replacement because my phone has a pretty severe dust under the screen issue.

I was told to contact ZTE, so I phoned ZTE and they said that because the phone is over 6 months old and because it has dust under the screen then it wouldn't be covered by warranty and that I would have to contact their service center who could give me a quote on how much it would cost to repair.

So I contacted the number they gave me and it says the number is out of order.

Surely dust under the screen comes under warranty because of manufacturing defects allowing the dust to enter, if so then Orange should replace it because its under 12 months old?

[Guest utternoob]

Orange only give pay as you go customers 90 days warranty. I tried to get mine replaced because it kept playing music when it was told to stop. It took me ages to get one. Are you on contract? It all depends on that and ZTE's response

[Guest ArcticFox]

Um surely UK law is 12 months warranty?

[Guest utternoob]

No. Sadly not. I was just about inside the 90 days and it was a hassle. It would probably be cheaper to buy a new skate than have it repaired. Look on eBay for de-dusting kits. Also try to find where the problem is and seal it up

[Guest razzmataz1478]

Hm. If you're feeling adventurous and don't car eabout having a chance of voiding the warranty, then you could open the phone up and give the digitizer a wipe?

Edit: Spelling. :P

Edited May 7, 2012 by razzmataz1478

[Guest TouchyAndalou]

I've never heard about Orange pay as you go warranties being valid for only 90 days. The warranty statement printed at the back of the booklet that comes with the phone says 12 months, and doesn't mention anything about pay as you go being less.

At any rate, yes, dust under the screen is covered provided you're in your warranty period. I was sent a replacement for that very reason.

[Guest utternoob]

I never read that bit. Should know my rights I guess

[Guest TouchyAndalou]

Part of the problem is that while one Orange call centre worker will tell you one thing, others will tell you something entirely different. You often need to call back a couple of times to get somebody who knows what they're doing.

[Guest utternoob]

That's true. I rang every day from Saturday to Wednesday and finally got the replacement delivered Thursday night. Utter hell it was. Shop assistant I spoke to first wasn't much help but got me in the right ditection

[Guest]

Had a similar issue in the past with orange, the short version is that the 12 months warranty is provided by zte, not orange and that orange only cover payg handsets faults for a certain period before referring you back to the manufacturer.

[Guest TouchyAndalou]

Had a similar issue in the past with orange, the short version is that the 12 months warranty is provided by zte, not orange and that orange only cover payg handsets faults for a certain period before referring you back to the manufacturer.

Ah ok. Well, ZTE's warranty should still cover the dust under the screen problem, as this is a manufacturing fault.

[Guest Voxpop2011]

Utter bollocks. People please remember that the only party with whom you have a contractual relationship is the SUPPLIER. DO NOT allow companies to fob you off by referring to the manufacturer. Further you are NOT bound by the warranty, but are entitled to redress under section 13 of the Sale of Goods Act 1979. There are also remedies pursuant to the Supply of Goods and Services Act. I know all these because I had a lengthy and rather amusing tussle with the customer service 'muppets', I mean agents of a Comet Group company. I persisted and in the end Comet caved just as I was on the point of issuing proceedings, doubtless because it did not want to have a charging order on the books whilst trying to sell the business.

Edited May 8, 2012 by Voxpop2011