Repair booked, discrepancy over technician’s identity, and technical findings changed four times

I booked my PC in at Computer Mania Canal Walk for diagnosis after it wouldn’t display post-assembly. On drop-off (Saturday, 01/08/2026), I was told by the person assisting me that the technician was only in Monday–Friday and wasn’t there that day. It was only later, when management referred to me having “booked the PC in with the technician,” that I realised this didn’t add up — I had been told directly that the technician wasn’t even in that day.

Over the following three days, I received four separate written explanations of the fault, each one changing from the last:

1. First: fault “appears to be” CPU, RAM, or motherboard — undetermined, no compatible parts available to isolate it. 2. Second: same conclusion, but now stating the BIOS “was updated” as a completed step. 3. Third (from management): repeated “BIOS was updated,” alongside a claim the technician had “confirmed” the hardware fault — despite the same email also calling it only a “suspected” fault. 4. Fourth: introduced, for the first time, a claim that one RAM module “was not seated correctly” on intake and “may have caused an electrical short or damage to the motherboard” — and reworded the BIOS update from “updated” to “attempting… (unsuccessful).”

This last change came only after I pointed out, with the manufacturer’s own documented Q-Flash timing, that their stated process didn’t add up. What stood out most is that this 4th email was framed as a new finding — yet by the time it was sent, my PC was no longer even at their store; it was already with Wootware. There was no way for them to have performed any new inspection or found any new evidence at that point.

I had also specifically asked for written confirmation of what I’d been told verbally when I collected the PC — that assembly was correct and no customer-caused damage was found. Instead of confirming that, this is where the RAM-damage theory appeared for the first time.

I have video of the PC taken before drop-off showing the RAM undamaged, seated evenly, and functioning normally (RGB active, system powering on) — this predates any handling by Computer Mania.

I raised all of this in writing, including the discrepancy over who I actually dealt with at drop-off, and it went unanswered. I was ultimately offered a full refund of the diagnostic fee, which I’ve accepted. This review isn’t about the money — it’s about the pattern: verbal assurances not matching written follow-up, and technical explanations that changed specifically in response to being questioned, rather than as a result of any new inspection.