Dell Won't Repair Says Roaches In Laptop

I sent my laptop in for repair and I got it back with a note inside that wasn't even addressed to me. The note was to someone else in the repair depot saying to ship my laptop back unrepaired due to there supposedly being roaches inside my laptop therefore making it a bio-hazard. I don't know how this happened because I don't have a roach problem in my home. The laptop was covered in dust looking dirt, the screen looked like it had been pushed in at the top, the hard drive was inside the box loose, and no screws were in there to place the hard drive back into place. The screws that were supposed to hold the DVD drive in were also missing.

I tried doing online chat with tech support and the guy acted kinda weird and then asked me what my phone number was in case the chat got disconnected, my phone started ringing after I entered my phone number. I answered my phone and it was a different support agent who said the agent I was chatting with was having trouble.

I told the guy how my laptop was returned to me and that I had no idea how roaches got into my laptop and that I didn't put them in there. He told me nobody would put roaches in a laptop and that he could replace my laptop only if I had at least 2 years warranty on it and he could only make this offer during that phone call. I had already extended the one year warranty on this laptop and another one Oct. 6th which totaled over $200 in total. This guy was telling me it would cost $212 for another year of warranty to get the current one up to two years and a bio-hazard fee for them to dispose of the laptop that had roaches in it. I was under pressure and didn't know what to do and paid the additional money even though I'm not sure my budget this month will work out.

Dell has gotten over $400 from me since Oct. 6th and now I feel extorted and manipulated somewhat...

 

Was the laptop under warranty when you sent it in? Sounds like it happened in the "Dell" repair shop. If it was they have an obligation to fix it right. The bio hazard thing sounds flaky to me.

 

Yes it was under warranty and I had just extended the warranty on the 6th, and then they made me extend it again to qualify to get the replacement they are sending.

 

Maybe I understand things wrong but as far as I'm aware as long as your laptop is covered under warranty, even if its only got a week left, they are obligated to service it. But I could be wrong...

 

Anyone have any idea what I should do now?

 

Try Dell's unresolved issues. Those guys are usually very helpful.

Google "dell unresolved issues" and click on the first link. Hope that helps ya.

 

Dell home customer support is usually hit or miss. I work with only dell at my company and I get treated with A+ treatment... next day replacement laptops/parts etc... But as a home user.. even with complete care, they would not budge on next day replacement or it takes forever to repair/replacement home systems (i'm usually out 2 weeks on my machines). I usually use chat... call if it's an emergency. Usually USA support is for business..(usa support is really good). India is usually for home users (home accounts).. blah..

 

I'm not a huge fan of extended warrenties on anything ( electronics, cars, appliances...). Most of the time the extended warrenty is a Third Party that doesn't want to pay out or makes you run in circles. I expect everything to fail. I look at the failure as a forced upgrade. I can fix just about anything mechanical for less than what they usaully want for the cost of the warrenty. The few times that I have taken the warrenty either the store closed or the warrenty expired without any troubles.

 

What kind of laptop was it?

My Latitude E4310 was from the Outlet, and I had an issue with the keyboard. I did an online chat in the early afternoon and the next morning I had a brand new keyboard sitting at my door waiting for me. It seems the Small Business reps are a lot nicer than the Home reps - hopefully you have a Latitude or a Vostro.

 

It's an Inspiron 1545. That's why I posted in the Inspiron and Dell Studio section. I think I may try to write that "Unresolved Issues" department. The replacement came today and I haven't opened it yet.

I'm just scared if I write to them they will want it back and then won't refund any of the money I spent on two different occasions to extend the warranty.

What gets to me the most that I extended the warranty on this laptop on Oct 6th and to get them to replace it they forced me to purchase an additional year of warranty and to pay some "disposal fee" that was $80, so in total an additional $216 after I had already extended the warranty a couple days before.

 

This all sounds terribly wrong to me and I expect that if you get through to the right Dell people they will sort it out for you.

However, if not isn't there some kind of Consumer Advice/Trading Standards body you can get help from?

Also try to write down all the contacts you've had with Dell with dates and times so you have the facts to support your case.

 

Haven't heard back from the unresolved issues department and if I don't by later today I may write to Dell through Planet Feedback too.

I still haven't opened the replacement laptop either, knowing what's inside that box sure has been tempting though. While temptation is there, having gone through all of this and being forced to spend so much money has lowered the excitement level of getting a replacement computer that's an upgrade from the old one.

 

Don't leave things too long.

I really think you need proper advice. Better than we can give. Isn't there a Consumer advice website that you can use?

You in the US?