Samsung S22 Ultra damaged by repair centre

[Tommyk868]

Good Evening All,

I am looking for some advice please.  Going round and round in circles, passed from pillar to post and being totally scammed it would appear. 

Apologies for the long winded post, but want to get as much information across and explain the full story. 

My Samsung S22 Ultra was having signal and data issues. After numerous phone calls with EE and Samsung along with a new Sim Card, Software Update and Factory Reset it was advised that the device was at fault and I need to book it in for repair. 

I booked an appointment at my local EE Store and took the phone in for repair. As my local store doesn't do repairs I was told the phone would need to be sent away. I was told I needed to remove any cases and screen protectors as these would be removed at the repair centre anyway for them to check the signal etc. I did this in store and as you can imagine, having had a screen protector on the phone it's whole life, the screen was immaculate. This was observed by the EE store worker and also noted on the paperwork, "No dents or scratches"  Phone was placed in the bubble wrap and into the postage bag and I left. 

A week later I received a message saying that my phone was being returned to store and that no repair had been carried out as they couldn't replicate the fault I had reported. They said they had done a software update and reset the phone (all of which I had done previously as advised by Samsung)

When I went to pick my phone up in store I noticed a deep fresh scratch in the middle of the screen. I told the EE store worker that it had been damaged since sending it away and that I wasn't accepting it back. He told me I had to take the phone and phone EE Customer Services as the store doesn't deal with complaints, they can't do anything about it. I phoned 150 straightaway and they said, no, the store has to deal with it, so return to store and tell them it is their responsibility to rectify. The Assistant Manager didn't agree and said there isn't a procedure for this kind of thing, all he can do is raise another repair and send it back to the repair centre with a note stating I was claiming it had been damaged and the repair centre will investigate. 

Almost a further week later and I receive a call from SBE (EE Repair Centre apparently) They deny causing the damage saying it was already scratched when they received it, but they can fix it for £230. I refused to accept this claim and requested photos of the first repair. I was sent photos 2 days later and was advised they hadn't taken many photos of the first repair, only one with the screen turned on at the end of the setup process. I replied stating that as it's a white screen when turned on you can't see the condition at all and the fact it is at the end of the setup process the phone has been handled since coming out of the parcel, so cannot be used as a representation of how the phone was "received" The woman on the phone advised I contact EE Customer Services. After over an hour of being punted from person to person on the phone to 150 they raised a complaint and then closed it out saying it was all in hand and that a repair to the screen would be carried out under warranty as "Damaged in Transit" all I had to do was attend my local EE Store to sign the paperwork, so the advisor booked me an appointment for the next morning. I drove 35 miles to the EE Store only to be told there was nothing on my notes and they have no idea what I was on about, it was a Sunday, so there was no-one they could call to advise them that had been discussed on the phone the previous day. I rang 150 straightaway and was told it was all on my notes and that I was getting it repaired under warranty as "Damaged in Transit", the store were speaking rubbish, they have to sort it, but as it was a Sunday best to return during the week to sort it out. 

I booked another appointment and drove another 35 miles into my local store today to be told the same thing by the EE store worker, that there was nothing on my notes and they don't know what to do, it's not something they deal with. I sat in the shop for over an hour on the phone to 150 and again, by the end of the call I was told a complaint had been raised and closed out and that my phone screen was being repaired under warranty as "Damaged in Transit" The advisor on the phone spoke to the EE Store Worker and confirmed this was the case and I was told all was in hand, all I need to do is call SBE and reject the quote for repair and they will then fix it and return it, as a "Damaged in Transit" warranty claim had been raised and sorted out. 

An hour and a half later I received a text from SBE telling me my phone was being returned to store and not being fixed as I rejected the quote. 

I called 150 immediately to be told that they aren't fixing my phone, that this is not how things work and the 2 people on 2 separate occasions who told me it was being repaired as "Damaged in Transit" were wrong to tell me that as it's not something they can do. It was not EE's problem it was SBE's as they, as the third party repairer, are responsible for the pick up and transit of the phone from/to the EE Store, it has nothing to do with EE themselves. I was told to call SBE and dispute the rejected repair. When I called them I spoke with a woman who couldn't have been any less help, between taking bites of her sandwich and chewing over the phone she told me that it wasnt SBE's problem, it was EE's problem, get back onto them. She said that they only had the one photo of the first repair, but regardless of what EE's paperwork says stating "No dents or scratches" their "Highly respected Technician" has said it was scratched when he recieved it, so that's the final word. If I dispute it I will get nowhere, it will be the same outcome. With that, the phone's warranty is now void  because the screen is damaged, so no repairs can be carried out under warranty, I will have to pay for any sort of repair in the future. 

I called EE again and was met with the same, it's SBE's issue, not EE's.  Best I can do is buy you out of contract today and upgrade you to a new phone. 

I refused this as I don't want a new phone just yet, my contract is due up next year and I am hoping for the newest Samsung at that time. Besides which, they have damaged it and morally should have it repaired. 

I was told that that is my only option that they can see, but they will talk to their manager tomorrow and see what, if anything else they can figure out and give me a call back tomorrow. I am not holding out any hope for the outcome of that as it's going round and round in circles and nobody is accepting responsibility. 

I still don't even know if the initial fault of no signal has been rectified or not, but if it hasn't I will have a phone with no signal, a scratch across the screen and no warranty to repair it. 

It is blatantly obvious to me that the process here has been; Phone requires a warranty repair, Claim Screen was damaged to void warranty, Reject paying for repair as phone has no warranty. 

Can anyone advise if they have been in the same position and if so have they managed to get a positive outcome and how did they go about it? What would be my next port of call to escalate this further than EE/SBE? 

I don't want any automated responses from Customer Services asking me to call them or go I to store, you can see from my post and my account that I have been passed around EE's Custoner Services for the past 2 weeks and been in and out if the shop to get absolutely nowhere! 

[Katie_B]

Good morning @Tommyk868. 

Welcome to the EE Community. 

I am sorry to hear of your recent experience. 

It sounds like this is being looked into further for you. 

Please could you keep us updated on the outcome of your call back today?

Katie

[Tommyk868]

2 promised call backs not recieved, back on hold now going round the same circles. 

It is actually disgusting the way I have been treated, and going by various forums this is standard customer support! 

[James_B]

I'm sorry to hear that @Tommyk868 

Did you get connected with a member of the team?

James

[Stickpilgrim]

I'm currently experiencing something similar myself. I don't know what has happened to ee lately but the customer is not a priority anymore. 

For me it's less about the issue and more about how they handle it. 

Good luck with your issue, I hope you find some sort of resolution. 

[Bar7]

Hi

SBE are a bunch of crooks. EE store sent my seven month old under warranty Samsung phone to them for repair. They got back to me to say I had previously had the phone repaired with a third party and they fitted substandard parts and the warranty is invalid. Of course I haven't had it repaired before. Why would I have if I could have it repaired under warranty at EE for free? Seems they damage the device then blame the customer and offer a repair for a fee. Going to get my phone back tomorrow. SBE are just ripoff traders. I am disgusted with EE.