Warranty phone repair is one of the requirements that the buyer has the right to present to the store that sold the device. It is produced at the expense of the seller or manufacturer. Since the organization suffers losses, its main task is to refuse warranty service.
In order not to be deceived, the buyer must know certain things:
- Warranty period is a period established by the seller or manufacturer, during which these organizations are ready to eliminate all defects that have arisen free of charge.
- The defect must be corrected if the buyer is not notified of it. For example, when purchasing a phone at a discount, the seller indicates that the flash on the camera does not work, the buyer agrees and purchases the device. In this situation, you cannot demand that the flash be repaired.
- Phone repair under warranty is one of the alternative requirements. In addition, the buyer can request a refund, replacement or price reduction. It is not always economically profitable to repair an item - sometimes it is easier to return it and get the amount paid back.
- The troubleshooting period depends on the warranty period. The device can be repaired:
- only during the warranty period;
- after the end of the warranty period, but within two years;
- after the expiration of two years, but within the service life;
- after the expiration of 2 years, but within ten years if the service life is not specified.
- The owner of the device has the right to file a claim with the store, manufacturer or importer.
- Certain cases are never considered under warranty:
- negligent use;
- violation of the rules of use (for example, using a kitchen mixer to obtain construction mixtures);
- flooding;
- careless transportation or storage.
Rechargeable batteries
Often the problem lies not in the hardware of the phone, but in the components, in particular the batteries. They stop holding or accumulating charge, causing the phone to quickly discharge or not turn on at all.
The warranty on the phone, as stated in Art. 18 of the Labor Code, implies the possibility of establishing separate deadlines for components. The manufacturer has the right to determine a shorter warranty period for the battery or leave it equal to the general one. In case of failure of the telephone battery, it is recommended that you familiarize yourself with the warranty service rules.
If a separate warranty period for batteries was not specified, then they are covered by the general one installed on the phone. Consequently, the faulty part is replaced or repaired.
A buyer who has a problem with the battery charge may use a trick and demand repair or replacement of the device due to a general breakdown, without pointing out the problems he has identified. However, there is a risk that the seller or expert will identify the real reason and refuse service.
Thus, the seller has the right to establish other warranty periods for components, as indicated in the documents transferred to the client when registering the purchase and sale of the device. Such a breakdown also entitles you to return the phone under warranty.
Do I need to store the packaging?
Most sellers place special emphasis on the buyer's responsibility to keep the packaging until the end of the warranty period. When making a purchase, few people pay attention to this and are not particularly responsible about fulfilling this requirement. Imagine the surprise of the owner of low-quality equipment who cannot return the defective product due to the lack of the original box.
To dot the i's, let's look at the situation from different angles:
Remember also that equipment that weighs more than five kilograms must be transported by the seller independently upon return, without charging a fee to the buyer.
Repair procedure
Any interaction with the seller is documented, so the client writes an application for warranty service. It is given to the manager or salesperson on duty. The client must have his own copy with him. A mark of receipt is placed on it (date, signature, seal, incoming number).
The second stage is the transfer of the device. The smartphone or other device is transferred to the seller along with the application. The action is formalized by an act. The form is free, but it must indicate when and from whom the item was accepted and who received it. The act lists identification data (number), external defects, and identified defects. The seller must include in the document a phrase with which he recognizes the case as a warranty and undertakes to organize troubleshooting.
The third stage is checking the device. If a phone is broken under warranty, the store has the right to test the phone before sending it to the service center. The procedure is carried out immediately or after an agreed period. The buyer should be careful: the device must be packaged and sealed. The signatures of the parties are affixed to the seal. This option excludes the seller’s fraud (for example, imitation of a flood or fall, which excludes repairs).
Subsequent opening of the sealed package is possible only in the presence of the buyer. The fact is documented, and the store’s client puts his signature.
The fourth stage is the requirement to provide a replacement device. It is submitted in writing and is granted or rejected within three days. You cannot ask for the replacement of goods intended for personal use (toothbrushes, hair dryers), cooking devices, cars, furniture and weapons.
Filing a complaint
The first step is to make a written complaint. It is issued in the name of the head of the outlet. The paper should indicate personal data, the circumstances of the purchase of the product, the nature of the breakdown and the situation that arose when returning the product. After this, demands are made for warranty repairs, exchange or refund.
Reference! The document is drawn up in two copies, each of which must bear the signature of a representative of the retail outlet.
The ZPP gives the store manager up to ten days to respond. It is recommended to include clauses in the claim regarding possible recourse to court and coverage of the situation in the media. These actions can encourage the director to intervene in the situation and resolve it peacefully. He has the authority necessary to resolve the problem and accept the product without packaging.
If the director refused to accept the goods or completely ignored the complaint, you can contact the following authorities:
- "Rospotrebnadzor".
- "Society for the Protection of Consumer Rights."
- Court.
The responsibilities of Rospotrebnadzor include oversight of compliance with legislation in the consumer sector. Refusal to implement a warranty due to the absence of a box is a direct violation of the law.
A complaint can be submitted either in person or through the official website of the department. Its employees are required to carry out inspections, resolve the issue and inform the buyer about it within 30 days.
If this organization was unable to solve the problem, you can contact the Society for the Protection of Consumer Rights. This organization employs qualified lawyers who help citizens defend their rights.
Initiating legal proceedings is a last resort. This is due to the fact that holding a trial requires significant financial and time costs. But in some cases, such actions are the last chance to achieve justice.
Usually the judge sides with the consumer. In this case, all costs incurred during legal proceedings will be compensated by the seller.
Deadlines
The phone repair period under warranty cannot exceed 45 days. It begins to count from the day following the day of transfer of the device. This is the maximum period, it is not suspended, not stopped and can only be changed by agreement of the parties.
If the goods are not returned to the buyer on the 46th day, he has the right to:
- enter into an agreement to extend repairs;
- refuse troubleshooting and ask:
- replacement with an analogue;
- replacement with another item with recalculation;
- refund;
- discounts;
- payment of a penalty (1% of the price for each day of delay).
The claim must be made only in writing, both in order to return the phone under warranty and to receive a fine.
Where to keep it?
During the first 14 days, care must be taken to find a suitable storage location. The box should be protected from moisture, but not interfere with your normal lifestyle.
Suitable storage locations:
- closet;
- pantry;
- glazed loggia;
- mezzanine.
If the house has an attic or basement, you can place the box there, but only if there are no rodents. Some consumers store appliance packaging in the garage.
Receiving the device after repair
Return of the phone after warranty repair is carried out upon notification of the store. The owner is recommended to carefully inspect the device and test it in the presence of the seller's employee.
Along with the phone, the client receives a repair certificate. It contains the date of receipt of the application and transfer of the device for repair, the actual period of work, information about identified defects and confirmation of their elimination, and the date of return of the item.
Decor
This document is very necessary and is the starting point for returning low-quality products. Further registration procedure falls entirely on the seller. He is obliged to initiate an independent examination that will confirm or refute the defects and their origin. After the expert assessment has been received, the seller must:
- Give an official refusal to satisfy the consumer’s request on the basis that the detected breakdown is the result of improper operation or transportation.
- Return the money to the buyer and prepare documents for returning the goods to the manufacturer or supplier.
If the situation is not resolved due to disagreements between the parties, then you can contact an arbitrator, who is Rospotrebnadzor. This organization can resolve the conflict by considering the situation comprehensively and taking the side of the consumer or seller.
The store refuses to repair
If a warranty repair is refused, the buyer must:
- write a statement and hand it along with the goods to the store;
- get rejected. In it, the seller offers to conduct an examination or finally recognizes the case as non-warranty. If the buyer agrees to have the phone examined, the device is packaged and sealed, and the parties put their signatures on the seal. Seals can only be broken by an expert in the personal presence of the buyer. The second option involves organizing and paying for the research by the buyer.
It is easier for the seller to repair the device than to conduct further disputes, wasting time and money. However, cases cannot be ruled out when only a court can force the seller to carry out warranty repairs of cell phones or other devices.
The buyer is not obliged to require only the correction of defects. In some cases, he has no choice but to return the faulty phone to the store under warranty. Moreover, if the marriage is proven by an expert.
The need to store the box for warranty service
When buying household appliances, the consumer brings home a pile of packaging materials, which allow for high-quality transportation of the goods and simply give the equipment an additional aesthetic appearance. But bulky packaging only gets in the way at home, so many people try to throw unnecessary cardboard in the trash. Meanwhile, if defects or defects are discovered, many sellers refuse to accept the goods back, citing the lack of the original box. Such statements seem quite controversial, and it is worth looking into whether keeping the box for warranty is really that important. Products included in the class of household appliances differ in their cost, as well as in the guarantees that the manufacturer gives to the consumer.
Breakdown after repair
If the device requires a secondary correction of a defect that should have been eliminated, the buyer has the right not to agree to repair. The list of possible requirements includes:
- replacement with a new device or an analogue with recalculation;
- discount;
- free repair;
- compensation of expenses.
Secondary repair is precisely the circumstance that allows you to change your phone under warranty. For technically complex goods, other rules apply that expand the rights of the client.
Knowing how to return the money paid for a phone under warranty or how to exchange a faulty device, the buyer will be able to save his budget and properly build a relationship with the seller.
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Receipt for goods: meaning for buyers
The receipt for the goods is documentary evidence of the fact of purchase of the goods and the conditions of its sale. There are two main types of receipts: cash receipts and sales receipts.
In some cases, sellers are exempt from the obligation to issue cash receipts and may be limited to sales receipts only. Sales receipts, if there is a cash register, are not mandatory and are issued at the buyer’s request. Another purpose of the check is to certify the fact of payment.
The check does not have a unified form, but it must comply with the requirements of 402-FZ.
