ComplaintsforElm Computer Services Ltd.

• Initial Complaint

  08/11/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I purchased an HP laptop five years ago. There hasn’t been any technical problems until recently.  It has been shutting down randomly. There hasn’t been any maintenance on it, so I tried to open it to remove dust that I am sure had been collecting on the parts. Unfortunately I was not able to remove the top piece of the laptop.
  I checked online for repair stores and contacted Elm Computer Services, *** **** ******* His prices seemed the lowest than other companies. I took my machine to the store and talked to Neil *********** Told him it keeps shutting off. I am hoping it will not be too expensive to fix. * ** ** ********** *** ** *** **** ** ****** * **** He said, “Call back in a couple of days.” When I went back to the shop, he told me I had to clean it, the fan had to be removed and glued back in. He had to upgrade the windows to 10 because it was running on Windows 7. He charged me $******* * ***** * * *** ****** ** ***** **** **** ***** * I paid for the repairs because I thought he had fixed it and he didn’t suggest otherwise.
  When I arrived home, I plugged the laptop in and started doing some work. After about 10 minutes it did the same thing, shutting down. I called him the following day. He said, “Bring it back to the store.” * **** *** *** **** ****** ****** *** ****** ** ** *** ***** ** ***** Neil said, “He’ll have his repair guy look at it again.” Will not charge me for any further repairs. I went back down to his shop two days later. He said, “The problem could be due to the battery. It does not snap in because the hinges are broken.” My repair guy screwed the battery into the laptop. I took it home and to my frustration the laptop was still shutting down.
  I took the laptop back to his store again. He said, “We’ll fix it and I won’t charge you for the continued work.” * ******* ** ****** *** ****** *** ****** ** ***** It is still not working properly *** *** ******* ****** ** *** ** *******. I asked him if it could be the power cord and charger? He said, “Yes, they can fail.” So why didn’t he ask me how I am connecting it at home? What circuit power the building has. He did not mention that he had the power cords at his shop nor say that it is not my connections. He said that I had my laptop running on the internet for a couple of hours at the shop and it didn’t shut down. ** ** ** ******* *** ***** **** how come he did not question how I had plugged it in. How can it work in his store but when I get it home it doesn’t?
  By this time, I was getting really frustrated. **** **** * *** ** ****** ** ** *** **** ** *** ******* ** *** *** ***** ********** **** ** ** ******* ** ** *** **** *** **** ** ** **** ******** ********** ** *** ******. This should not be happening. ** ****** **** **** ** ***** ***** ****. T*** ***** ** **** ** *** *********** **** ** ** ** ******** **** *** **** *** ** *** * ****** ****** ******** *** **** *** ****** ***** **** *** * *** ** ********* ** ********* ************ I left it for about a week. During this time he did not call me revealing that he did not find the reason for my laptop shutting down. I had to call him and he informed me that the motherboard is no good, it cannot be fixed. He suggested that I buy one of his laptops for $******. Will not charge me for transferring any files over.
  
  
  I am not going to buy a laptop from him. *** ** * **** ***** **** ** **** **** ** ** ******* *** **** ***** **** * **** **** *******. Due to an accident I was not able to call Elm Computer Repairs until September 19, 2022. I gave him my name, he said that he doesn’t remember me. He has been out of town for a month. I told him he charged me $****** repairing my laptop and then you told me it can’t be fixed because of the motherboard. He then responded that he does remember me now. I said, “ I did some research and found that if your laptop is three to five years old and is not worth fixing, it is best to get a new one.” He replied, “That’s news to me.” I was informed later than an older laptop can be fixed but it depends what’s wrong. It could cost very little or too much. Also, one issue is older machines you sometimes can’t get parts for repairing. On the average you most likely need to buy a new one. He didn’t mention it depends.
  I said, “You did not quote me a price before you started working on it.” Then I had to bring it back and forth to the store two or three times. He said, “Sometimes you can’t tell what’s wrong.” I mentioned again I lost $****** and I don’t have a working laptop. I feel I should get my money back and I want my laptop. He said, “People fix items for people and sometimes it doesn’t work out.” You are saying they shouldn’t get paid if it is not done to the customers satisfaction. I commented I paid to have my laptop to be repaired and it is not. This is not right for what happened. I lost $****** and I don’t have a working laptop. He said, “I think I was reasonable. I continued to work on your laptop without charging you.” You could buy one of my laptops and I won’t charge you for transferring files. I said, “No, that will cost $******* I can get a new one.” I want the $****** and my laptop back. I lost the money and have no working laptop.
  This is not fair. He said, “You keep on saying that.” And he rudely hung up on me. * ***** ** * ********* **** ********* **** **** *** ***** *** *** ********* *** ****** **** **** *** *** *** ** ****** ** ****** **** ** *** **** ************ *** **** ****** ** **** *** ****** * ***** ***** ** *** ** ****** ** ** *** ****** ** ** **** *** *** ** *** ****** *** *** ** ***** ***** ******** *** **** * ************ ******** ***** *** **** ******* * *** **** ******** ******* ***** ***** ********* **** ******* ** **** **** **** ********** ******* **** **** ******** ** ******** ***** *** **** ****** ** ******** ***** ****************
  ***** ***** *** *********** *** ** ******* ***** **** ************ **** *** ********** ***** ******* **** *** **** ******* ****** ******** ******* *** *** ******
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  I question as to whether my laptop had any viruses or malware. **** ***** **** * ****** *** * ***** ***** *** * ****** ** ****** **** **** ******** *** **** **** **** ** ******* ***** ******** **** ******** ****** ********* *** *** *** * ***** ** *********** ***** ** ******* *** **** ****** ****** **** *********** ******** **** ***** ** ******* ****** ******** ******** **** ** ********** * ***** ******** ******** ** ***** ** ****** **** ************ * ***** ** ** ******** *** * ** **** ******* ** *** ******* * ****** ******* ********* * ****** ** **** ***** ****** **** ******* ***** ** ******* *********** ****** ***** *** ********* * *** *** ****** *** ** ***** ********* * ** *** ** ** ******** ***** ********* * **** ******** ***** **** *** ***** **** *** **** *** ****** *********** *********** ******** *** *** ********* ********* ***** ********* ****** **** ******** ** ****** ********  *** ********* ******** *** ***** ** **** ******** * *** *** **** ** ****** ******* ***** * *** **** * ******* ******* *** ** ******** ******* *** ******* *** ******* ** *** *** ***** ******** ************ **** ****** **** **** **** ***** ** *** ********** ** *** *** ****** ** **** * **** **** ** ***** *** ** *** ****** ** ** *** ***** ** **** **** ***** **** **** ** ****** ***** ** *** ****** ** ******* *** ****** ************ *** ** **** **** ****** **** ** *** *** ** **** ******** *** **** ***** ***** ** ** ******** **** ******* ******** ** ******** ******* ************ ******* *********** *** ******** * **** ****** ** *****.
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  Business response

  23/11/2022

  Cathy ***** brought in her laptop because it kept randomly shutting off.   We immediately found that the laptop was overheating.  it is a common problem with HP laptops,  so we took it apart, cleaned all the fans and repasted the cpu with thermal grease.  we then turned it on and began testing it by running various spyware and malware programs.  we literally ran it for a couple of days and it never crashed once.

  In over 30 years I have never given a free estimate to a customer.  My standard speech when anyone drops off a computer, is that if it costs $**********, we will just go ahead and fix it.   If it is too expensive we will stop.   but there will always be a bill.

  When she brought the laptop back, we spent at least another 3-4 hours @ $**/hour that we did not charge her.  the tech completely disassembled the laptop this time and cleaned all components.  putting it back together it would now start to crash as she said.    putting a brand new hard drive in it, it would crash during installation.  

   

  In my opinion, what happened is that the laptop was run too long while overheating and that the motherboard is now failing.

  We are sorry that this has happened to Cathy *****, and have offered what we can to help, but no company in the world offers fix it to your satisfaction or its free.

  ***** ***** ** *** ***** ******* ** *** ****** *** *** **** ***** **** ** ****** ** ******* ***** **** **** *****     

  Customer response

  16/02/2023

   
  Complaint: ********
  I am rejecting this response because: 

  This letter is in response to the messages that Elm Computer sent to your business. He said that he immediately noticed the laptop was overheating and had been for some time which caused damage.
  If my laptop was overheating for some time I would have noticed. These are signs you would receive such as the machine takes longer to power up, the mouse and keyboard stops responding, and you receive error message warning the laptop is overheating. The only thing that happened was the laptop was shutting down. No slowness, no warning, I did not feel it hot to the touch.
  When I took my laptop to his store the first time he asked if it had been overheating. I said No, I haven’t noticed that. He said HP laptops are known for overheating. I told him it has been shutting down and I believe it is because it is dirty inside. Can you please do a complete cleaning, it has never been serviced since I purchased it. He did not do the complete cleaning till the second time I brought it to the store.
  He stated that he cleaned the fans and repasted the CPU with thermal paste. Looking at the receipt he gave me he used silicone paste which is not as good to use because it permanently sticks and later it will be hard to remove the CPU. It is also not as effective as the other types of compounds.
  If my laptop was overheating people recommend to update the laptop driver which he didn’t. He stated that he ran my laptop in his store for a couple days and it didn’t crash. If the mother boarding was failing or it was overheating then how could it run fine for the couple of days without any problems? Then how come when I brought it home and tried to use it, it was doing the same thing of shutting down. This does not make sense. If it was fixed then why did I have to take it back.
  In the letter he states that he tells the customers they will fix it up to $******, if too expensive they will stop. What is too expensive? He charged me $****** plus $***** taxes. That is over the $****** amount and he did not call me. In the letter he is saying that I only took it to him twice. This is not true.
  First: I Took it to him and when I went to pick it up, he charged me the $******. When I got it home it was still shutting down. Second, I took it back to the store. When I picked it up again, he said I think it was the battery. The hinge to hold the battery was broken so we screwed it in to hold it. Still not fixed. Third, I took it back. When I called him in a week, he said he had bad news. The motherboard is no good it can’t be fixed. He also stated he offered what we can to help. What offer and what help. All he said I could buy was one of his laptops for $******. I told him no, give you another ******, that would be $******. I could buy a new computer for that price. I guess he thinks he helped by continuing to repair the laptop without charging me. *** He should continue repairing it because it wasn’t fixed. That is not him being helpful that is fixing it like it is supposed to be.
  The Statement- No company offers to fix your items to your satisfactory or it’s free. This is ridiculous. Yes, people expect to pay when a company repairs their product but it would be within reason. If it was fixed to where I can use it then fine, but it is not in working condition but I still lose the $******* *** ** **** ** *** *************
  ** ******* *** ******* *** *** **** ******* ** **** ******* ******* ** **** *** **** ***** ****** *** **** ***** ***** *** ***** *** *********  I did not know I was going to be charged for certain repairs without my knowledge until I picked it up. Some of the things he did I could have done myself. I should have been told what needs to be done and how much. Then to find out that it can’t be fixed and I lose the money I paid out already. He states there is always a cost. Sure, a cost for a diagnostic, the cost for it to be repaired to working condition. ** *** ******* ** ******** **** ** ******* ************* ***** **** *** ************ **** ** *** **** ****** ******* **** * ****** *** ******* **** *** ********* **** ** ** ** ******** ** **** *** *** ********* **** ** ***** ****** ** ****** ***** **** ** *** ************* ***** **** *** ************ 
  **** * ****** *** ** **** *** *** ****** ** ******** * ** *** ******* ** *** ****** **** *** ** ** *** **** ** ******* ** *** ************ They go ahead and start repairing the machine but they stop when it becomes too expensive. That he charges $***** an hour. I would have asked if it can’t be fixed or is too expensive, will I still have to pay the up to $******* If I was told his methods I would have not proceeded to drop off my laptop to his store.
  ******* who would want to pay the $****** or more for a laptop that could run you up to $*************** To have to pay the $****** and buy a new computer. ****** ***** **** * *** ** ***** ** ** ***** * **** ** * ****** ******* **** ******* ****** *** *** *********** ************** **** *** *********** * ***** *** ***** *** ********** ******* ** *** **** *********** *** *********** I feel I should get my money and laptop back. ** **** **** ** ** ***** ****** ****** * **** **** **** ** ** ********* *** ***** * **** **** ****** **** **** ** ***** ****** ****** *** * ****** **** * **** * ***** ** ** ***** ***** ** * ** ******* * **** *** ** ****** *** ** * *** ** ***** *** ******* * **** *** ****** **** *** ******** ******* ***** ***** *****. If this not resolved then I will be forced to file for small claims court.
  ******* ***** * ***** **** ** ***** *** **** *** *** ****** *** ******* ** ****** ** ****** ***** * **** ******* ** ****** ***** ** *** ******** * *** ****** *** **** ****** * **** ** ****** ** ***** ********* *********** ** *** ************* ** ** ** ******* ** ** ***
  Sincerely,
  Cathy *****

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