Repairs and warranty scam

[Alanl11]

Hi All, after being an EE customer for years it pains me to have to write a complaint like this. in April i was contacted because i was eligible for a free upgrade. I thought id try something new and decided on the Galaxy z Flip 3. Great phone, looks nice and quirky with the fold screen. over the past 3 months it got a few marks and scratched from the cover that i had on it but functionally flawless, until last weekend. Never dropped, broke or damaged a phone in my life, never really in my hands long enough to do so. when i took out the phone i was told that due to the nature of the phone the screen would be protected under manufacture warranty for the duration of my contract, great i thought as i was worried that a folding screen would see undue strains and pressure.  I contacted CS, went in to two EE stores and all said yes, manufacture fault we will send it for repair. the second store assistant even told me that on Monday morning it was the second flip/fold phone they had had in that morning. i was told i could have a loan phone while said fault was being repaired, no phone to lend me. I was then told to go look in CEX across the street to buy a cheap phone while mine was away. needing my phone that's what i had to do. this morning ive had a message from the so called EE repair centre telling me that the screen would cost me £339 to repair as the warranty is void because of damage to the phone. the damage they are referring to is some marking on the casing from the cover i have on it and marks on the screen where ive been using the phone. the person i spoke to in the repair centre sounded like she really couldn't be bothered answering the phone and customer services basically told me they cant go against the almighty repair centre! ive never had or needed insurance and didn't this time because according to the CS advisor the screen was covered if the fold broke. the warranty is a scam, the slight marking and damage to the casing would in no way affect  the fold in the screen. EE are aware of this type of fault as i was notified on my initial call when the screen started going. Kevin Bacon can apparently get a signal at the top of a mountain but i cant get a decent signal in my local area next to a mast. if your new to ee and still in your cooling off period give the phone back, go with another company and save yourself the trouble of dealing with the UKs WORST network! 

[James_B]

Hi @Alanl11,

Welcome to the EE Community. 

I'm sorry to hear your phone has developed a fault.

Your warranty would cover any manufacturing defects, but it seems in this case the repair centre has deemed the fault to have been caused by accidental damage.

If you would like to discuss your warranty claim, please get in touch with Customer Care who can access your account and view any information shared by the repair centre.

Thanks

James

[HR24]

I have had the same where I was told it was our of warranty but this is for a mark that isn't there. I have the phone in my hands, the mark still isn't there. This is a common scam, EE saying it is out of warranty in order to avoid doing the screens. It is always about the money. Do not buy, do not trust and do not expect the truth

[Leanne_T]

Hi @HR24

Have you been into an EE store and been advised this is out of warranty? 

What device are you using? 

How long have you had the device? 

Leanne.

[HR24]

Samsung flip 3 that I've had less than a year

Do you realise how ridiculous it is to have a conversation with someone in store where I ask them to point out the mark as there is no mark and their answer is that the technician in the back says that there is. 

Bluewater store, lower rose gallery, Dean, this morning - I'm sure you can verify and I can post photos time stamped after this

This is a known fault, how can you possibly in good conscience sell this device to people and reassure by saying you are approved by Samsung for repairs, but lie and do everything you can to get more money out of people? Even the previous replies on this try to pass the blame

[Leanne_T]

Hi @HR24

I'm sorry to hear this. 

I would suggest giving us a call on 150 and the team will get this looked into further for you. 

Thanks. 

Leanne.

[nsop]

I’m absolutely fuming, the same happened to me on Friday.  Took phone into Reading Store on Thursday, member of staff looked over phone to check there was no damage before they could take it in for repair of screen protection.  Checked over phone, all ok - only to get a call on Friday to say phone damaged, therefore out of warranty and would have to pay £339 to get it fixed. 

Spoke to repair centre who could not give me any information said I had to go back to the store, went to the store who said my phone was damaged, bearing in mind there was no damage when I handed it to them. Asked to speak with repair person in store, they refused to speak with me, said I had to speak with repair centre.  The icing on the cake was that they refused to give me my phone back until I rejected the quote!

There was no damage to my phone when I handed it into the Store and all of a sudden now it is damaged, as far as I am concerned any damage done to my phone would have been done by EE! As it was fine before they took it.

Absolutely appalling service considering this is a known fault for this phone.

[Leanne_T]

Hi @nsop

Thanks for coming here. 

Did the repair centre advise what the damage was to the device? 

Leanne.

[nsop]

Not initially but they told the member of shop staff that it was a scratch and a mark on the screen

[Leanne_T]

Thanks @nsop

I would suggest giving us a call on 150 and the team will get this looked into for you. 

Leanne.