my LG LCD tv has stopped working, it is only 18 months old.

(it turns on, no screen activity, sound only)

obviously i think this is pants, what are my rights regarding repair/ refund/ replacement?

depends how long the warranty is

Electrical goods have a 2year warranty in the EU IIRC

trade descriptions act fit for purpose etc
walk in to shop repeat above till satisfactory outcome

Docrobster has it look for fit for purpose on the CAB website.

The EU warranty directive isn't enforceable in the UK.

And it was fit for purpose for 18 months – how long should a TV work for? (granted it is a bit sh*t, but sh*t happens).

As my dad always said – buy cheap, buy twice. I got a Panasonic with a MANUFACTURERS 5 year warranty.

Found this which may help you though – but as always, the law is very ambiguous…How to complain

The EU directive is just that – a directive

The Sale of Goods & Services act is the UKs implementation of that directive – & has better benefits

And it was fit for purpose for 18 months – how long should a TV work for?

longer than 18 months

longer than 18 months

So you say, but if the manufacturers warrenty is only for (for example) a year, surely they are certifying that, based on their design parameters for the product, they believe that it should operate, without fault for at least a year – if not then they'll repair/replace as approriate.

If it breaks after a year, well, you knew what the manufacturers warrenty was and should have factored that into the buying decision. As m_f says, if it's got a long warrenty that says something about the design/build quality and after service you may expect.

In answer to the OP, prob best to find out what the LG warrenty is and try to work inside that…. after that, you're probably into good will/repairs at cost/if the retailer (then manufactuer) is in a good mood and wants to help.

not in the eyes of the law

in reality the 'not fit for purpose' is meant to cover those things that the manufacturers warranty does not ie short term problems outside the remit of direct failure.

this is going to cost me some bike tokens, isn't it…?

call LG first

they may replace it, depends on there policy

they may even offer to repair it for little or nowt

I'd give LG a ring first and see what they say.

As an example I bought a quite expensive oven on which the oven glass shattered a little while ago. I knew the warrenty was for a year and that it was getting on for two years old. Phoned up the customer services desk without expectation, looking for the price if a new glass. Within the week they'd sent a man round who fitted the new glass all for nowt. Saved the best part of £100. Similar story with another company when the washing machine went on the blink a few weeks ago.

Edit: MMW wins fastest finger first 😉

If it breaks after a year, well, you knew what the manufacturers warrenty was and should have factored that into the buying decision.

I don't think that's true – I thought things were meant to last what a reasonable person would consider a reasonable amount of time. Can be up to 6 years or so.

If you rang up LG and told them you were thinking of buying a TV and asked how long you could expect it to last, what would they say?

replace 'reasonable person' with 'profit oriented corporation' and you have hit it on the nail there

I'd just take it back to the shop & tell them that it's only lasted 18 months which you consider this to be unreasonable & ask them what they are going to do about it

I don't think that's true – I thought things were meant to last what a reasonable person would consider a reasonable amount of time. Can be up to 6 years or so.

I can't say if it's true or not either, but the length of the warranty is a factor when I buy things like white goods. The length of the warranty must be determined on the point at which the cost of repairing in-the-field units is eating into the profit of each unit sale – which is done by the manufacturer and is therefore biased towards them.

Clearly a reasonable service life to the company is a small as it possibly can be so they can sell more product (accepting it has to last 'some time' so people think it's worth buying again). To the consumer, we want stuff to go on working forever and pay nowt for it…. so the definition of 'reasonable' is about as subjective as it could possibly be.

If a manufacturer has to replace something for up to six years because an item should last six years then why don't they have warranties that last six years? I would assume because they don't HAVE to replace something six years after it was bought.

But as above have said – try ringing them up and seeing what they say – even if it is just discount against a new set it is better than nothing.

the answer from LG is;

"you could buy a new TV, had you thought of that?"

Where's our very own resident consumer adviser TJ when you need him….? 😉

Reality is the '6 year' rule came about due to case law, however that doesnt mean everything has a 6 year 'warranty', there are far too many other factors to consider on a case by case scenario when making a claim for faulty goods. You could reasonably argue that a TV should last for more than 18 months, and you could demand a full refund/replacement from the retailer you purchased it from under your civil rights as a consumer made under the Sale Of Goods Act. (However, depending on circumstances you may have to give the retailer the opportunity to repair the TV – your contract is with them not LG)

Speak to this lot for more info rather than relying on a group of ill informed MTB'ers on the internet (sorry guys!)

http://www.consumerdirect.gov.uk/

BTW – the actual Trade Descriptions Act no longer exists and wouldnt apply in this instance anyway.

ahwiles – Member

the answer from LG is;

"you could buy a new TV, had you thought of that?"

Did they actually say that?!

Ignore LG. You have a contract with the shop, not with LG. Take TV to the shop, and make a polite scene, ask to see the manager, quote sales of goods act…

Being there with broken telly in your hand loudly asking if everyone who has brought a telly should expect it to break after 18months is normally very effective.

I have done this numerous times, and it always works.

You called?

check and get real info rough summary:-
Your rights to refund / repair / replacement under sale of goods act only applies to a manufacturing fault and if you have had some benefit ( like 18 months use) you will only be entitled to a partial refund. After 6 months it is up to you to show it is a manufacturing fault, less than 6 months it is assumed to be so unless the retailer proves other wise.

the response from the shop is:

"it's out of warranty, we'll have a look at it for £40"

Tj is probably right, the TV has been fine for 18 months, i'm not sure it would be reasonable for me to walk in with a broken tv, dump it on the counter, and walk out with a new TV.

i'm really unclear on this, what are my rights? – it really doesn't sound like i have any. it all sounds a bit hazy… (reaonable this, and undefined unspecified that)

(not for the first time, it sounds like i'd be better off with a european government)

it sounds like the only right i have is the right to get bent over a barrel, and abused until i buy a new TV…

Your rights are clear & have been linked to on this thread

If it were me & I needed the TV, I'd buy another one to keep me going & then chase the shop for a repair/replacement of the broken one
Get yourself over to one of the consumer forums & ask there/download template letter etc. & see how you get on

^ Ewan +1, definitely the way forward and I think you'll get a result…

I have a bit of professional involvement with this sort of thing.
There are no concrete rules for how long something should last. This would be decided by a court if it got that far. For an 18 month old appliance most retailers will want to avoid court because they may very well lose which would set an inconvenient (for the retailer) precedent.

In my opinion your best bet is to write a firm but polite letter to the retailer detailing the situation. Point out the appliance has no moving parts and is stationary by nature i.e. it hasn't been dropped or knocked around. Make reference to the sale of goods act and make clear you are prepared to go to court.

I think you'll be ok.

Having worked in an electronics retailer many moons ago I can say nobody who came in, dropped a box on the counter and caused a scene ever got what they were looking for.

update:

a letter arrived yesterday from LG,

'sorry about your tv, we can't fix it, take this letter to the shop, and ask for a replacement'

Many thanks to LG and Richer sounds in sheffield.

Interesting on 2 points

1/ Looking to get a new LCD TV in the New Year and looking at Richer Sounds who offer a 5 year no quibble warranty for only 10% of the purchase price. Which looks a pretty good deal if it avoids any issues completely down the line?

2/ My cousin had issues with Comet over a failure at about 18 months old. He followed Ewan's path and got nowhere. HOWEVER – because he's a tetchy so-and-so and didn't like being fobbed off, he went to Trading Standards and asked their advice and they quoted the reasonable service life thing as above. Which in their opinion was what a reasonable person would expect as the life of their TV. Or exactly as someone above suggested, even if they only offer a warranty of 1 year would the average person consider replacing their TV on average once a year as reasonable. And in their opinion, the answer is no. In their opinion they considered that an electronic device, no moving parts, should have lasted at least 4 and probably longer (like 6 as per above). And they supported his claim against the shop – they even fancied a 'test case' if it came to it – and very quickly Comet agreed to replace as a 'gesture of goodwill'.

I don't even hold particularly that having 18 months of use is that much a benefit, when you consider you should have it for sth like 6 years. Maybe I'm glass half empty but I'd feel I've been shortchanged rather than thankful for the 18mo I got.

So the advice would be to stick to your guns, involve TS if necessary, and be firm in what you consider 'reasonable' life for your telly.