TV Panel showing signs of banding - 14 months old

[Terbinator]

Hey all, it seems my parent TV has developed a banding fault, with the set itself being 14 months old(55" Samsung NU7100 FWIW).

What are the rights/processes they can go down to get this sorted? We're in the UK and I believe it was purchased on finance too through Currys(not sure if still ongoing).

I appreciate banding can be inherent, but this has literally come through over the past week, and was even visible on the Arsenal/Sheff pitch from yesterday. Grey screen added to highlight.

It's noticeable on pretty much all content. If not immediately obvious, middle left up and up.

[Saracen999]

Three things to consider :-

1) Method of payment used
2) Supplier warranty
3) Legal rights

Also, if the fault is "inherent" that works in your favour

So, method of payment. Did they use a credit card? If so, s.75 of the Consumer Credit Act helps you a lot because it means the credit card company are on the hook with the retailer, so if the latter gets awkward, and providing the claim is genuine, the credit card company are likely to settle anyway.

If paid by debit card they might still get some joy vua chargeback but it's far less likely and s.75 doesn't apply.

Warranty. Did they buy it from a reputuble source with a name to protect, and how long was the warranty? Top of the pile is companies like John Lewis and (I'm told) probably Amazon too. Bottom would be, well, I think you can guess.

I had a similar banding problem on a 3-yr old Samsung. One phone call to John Lewis and they arranged a local repair shop to pick it up and inspect. The repairer left a loaner though JL did say this was likely, but NOT guaranteed. A bit over a week later, my repaired TV was returned to me. JL settled the bill direct with the repairer and the only way the experience could have been better is if it hadn't gone faulty in the first place. JL include a 5-yr warranty as standard .... or did, but I haven't checked recently.

If it came from a more awkward argumentative retailer you may have a fight on your hands but remember, even if the "guarantee" only lasts 1 year, your parents legal rights last up to 7 years, so don't be fobbed off with "sorry mate, out of warranty".

Your legal rights are often less robust than a good warranty (and stress good warranty) but any TV (or other goods) have to last a "reasonable" legth of time. Only a court can determine, in a given case, how long that is, but for a decent TV, 5 years iss a good guess.

However .... for those rights to apply, the fault has to be "inherent" at time of sale. What it does not have to be is visible at time of sale.

Faults that aren't inherent would be damage caused by your parents, or someone in their home, after sale. That could be inappropriate use (using a domesfic food processor in a restaurant kitchen, for example), or dropping it whike moving it, or slipping and pouring a cup of coffee all over it, and so on.

But if a fault has slowly developed over time, and only just become visible, due to faulty manufacture, poor design, low quality components, etc, then that kind of thing is what's meant by an "inherent" fault, and not lasting a reasonable length of time before components fail is a great example of what your parents legal rights DO cover.

There's a gotcha, though.

For the first 6 months (unless it's changed) the legal presumption is that the fault is inherent, unless the retailer can prove otherwise. The burcen of proof is on them.

But then, after 6 months, it reverses and it's for you to prove. The traditional method is an independent engineer's report. Which you pay for. But can reclaim if you are in the right.

The other gotcha is that you might have to go to court to enforce your rights. But then, you might with a warranty too.


In short, and remembering IANAL, I would suggest the best first step, assumi g the warranty isn't 12 months, is likely to be a warranty claim. That 5-yr warranty, and their usual customer service, is why I buy this kind of tning from JL, if they do what I want,, even if it means oaying a bit more than an internet box-shifter, unless said box-shifter also has a solid reputagion. I'd rather pay more for peace of mind if it goes wrong.

If that doesn't work or apply, just don't get fobbed of with "out of warranty, not oyr problem". Consumer law makes it the retailer's problem (subject to inherency, etc) even after any shop warranty has expired.



Once again, ..... IANAL.

[Terbinator]

Update:

My parents went to the shop and was straight up pied off, which was annoying.

I got on the Samsung live-chat the same night and they've agreed it's still in warranty and we're having someone come around on Friday to replace the panel and/or TV...

[Jonj1611]

I had lots of luck with Samsung, I had light spots around the edge of my TV and they were round within a week swapping the panel.

You find the panel IS pretty the TV, they just take 2 or 3 circuit boards off the back of the old panel and straight on the new one, the plastic housing comes as part of the panel

[Saracen999]

Update:

My parents went to the shop and was straight up pied off, which was annoying.

I got on the Samsung live-chat the same night and they've agreed it's still in warranty and we're having someone come around on Friday to replace the panel and/or TV...

Great result.

It should also inform the choice of where to buy, or not buy, next time.

[Terbinator]

I had lots of luck with Samsung, I had light spots around the edge of my TV and they were round within a week swapping the panel.

You find the panel IS pretty the TV, they just take 2 or 3 circuit boards off the back of the old panel and straight on the new one, the plastic housing comes as part of the panel

We've actually gotten ours on a third party stand/pedestal, but the rep didn't think this would be an issue?

RE: PCBs/Panel could well be a PCB, but I don't think it is unless it's one that has gone which controls the edge-lit LEDs.

Great result.

It should also inform the choice of where to buy, or not buy, next time.

Definitely, I did actually say to them at the time I wish you'd have told me you were looking for a new one so I could advise on set/retailer. -_- Oh well!

[Jonj1611]

Sorry my sentence didn't make sense, was supposed to say "You find the panel IS pretty much the TV"