Vodacom Handset Repair Issue

<p>Good day</p> <p> </p> <p>Vodacom Repair number ********** 9 refers.</p> <p> </p> <p>I purchased a new Sony Xperia M4 Aqua from Vodacom Kolonnade on a Flexi200 contract on 23 April 2016.</p> <p> </p> <p>Approximately a month later, on 6 June 2016, the bottom speaker/mic suddenly stopped working. I could receive calls and hear the person on the other end, however they could not hear me, unless the phone was put on loudspeaker. I made various calls to test this, with the same result every time.</p> <p> </p> <p>Hence, I went back to Vodacom Kolonnade where I originally purchased the phone/contract from.</p> <p> </p> <p>The handset was booked in with job repair number ********** 5 – it was confirmed that the microphone was indeed faulty and it would be repaired under warranty.</p> <p> </p> <p>Five weeks and many complaints later, I finally collected the handset from the Vodacom Repair Centre on 12 July 2016.</p> <p> </p> <p>As the phone was full of finger prints (I am assuming due to it being handled during the repair) I decided to rinse it under the tap before placing it in a new cover I had purchased when collecting the phone.</p> <p> </p> <p>The phone is a Sony M4 Aqua - advertised with an IP68 rating and being waterproof up to 1.5 metres for a maximum of 30 minutes.</p> <p> </p> <p>I have had this device under water numerous times before it was handed in for repairs, with no issues at all.</p> <p> </p> <p>After rinsing it under the tap in the mall, the entire phone was filled with water under the screen and behind the camera lens.</p> <p> </p> <p>One could actually see the water leaking from the back of the phone.</p> <p> </p> <p>I took it back to the repair centre immediately and was issued with a new job number - ********** 7.</p> <p> </p> <p>The lady who booked the device in said that this was an issue that often happens after waterproof phones are repaired, because the back covers are sometimes not replaced properly by the technicians. She said that after repairs, the phones are usually not waterproof anymore.</p> <p> </p> <p>I have two issues with this: 1. Why was this not explained to me when I collected the device and 2. The phone is called Sony M4 AQUA - it is advertised as a waterproof phone, which is why I purchased it in the first place. How can it be repaired and then be returned to me with the main feature of the phone no longer working?</p> <p> </p> <p>The lady also said that the warranty might not cover the damage, as the phone now has liquid damage. How is this my fault, when the phone never had any issues being submerged in water before the repair? Also, the phone is not supposed to have water damage, as it is waterproof.</p> <p> </p> <p>I lodged another complaint and was contacted by a lady named Cassandra, who advised that she would motivate for a replacement instead of a repair, as seen below. I have not had any further feedback from her either.</p> <p> </p> <p>I was contacted a few days later by your Head Office in Centurion, who advised that the phone was mistakenly returned to the Menlyn branch, but that it would be sent back to the Advanced Repair Centre again with yet a new job number – ********** 9. I received an SMS on 22 July 2016 to confirm that the phone was indeed received at the Advanced Repair Centre and that is was in the assessment process.</p> <p> </p> <p>I was also told that the device would be repaired under warranty, as could be seen when tracking the repair via the Vodacom website. It also states the repair cost as R0.00. I do still have screenshots available in support of this.</p> <p> </p> <p>Numerous phone calls later and another ten days later, I finally received a phone call from your Centurion branch today stating that the phone would not be repaired under warranty and that I would be responsible for any repair costs.</p> <p> </p> <p>I absolutely refuse to accept this.</p> <p> </p> <p>I have been paying for this handset for two months during which I could not use it at all, as it has been sent back and forth between your branches with a complete lack of proper feedback by yourselves.</p> <p> </p> <p>Also, the phone was not damaged by myself – its main feature, i.e. it being waterproof, was working fine until I received it back from your repair centre.</p> <p> </p> <p>How can I be held responsible for the repair cost when your own staff admitted to this being an issue that has happened before?</p> <p> </p> <p>I expect to receive a resolution to this matter before close of business on 02 August 2016.</p> <p> </p> <p>Alternatively, I will unfortunately have to take this matter further.</p> <p> </p> <p>I look forward to your urgent reply.</p>