C Can HP refuse f t to honour a special offer?

Q

I bought an Hp/samsung laser printer from Printerland ( www. printerland.co.uk) in January and had a choice of two special offers ( www.snipca.com/27398, see screenshot): up to £100 cashback or a three-year warranty (plus a one-year reliability guarantee, which stated that if the printer had a fault, I’d get it repaired and receive a full refund). I chose the latter. The printer was replaced twice within the first month, but HP is refusing to give me the promised refund. Can you help? Michael Parker

A

Since Michael first emailed us, he has got back in touch to say HP has concluded this messy business by refunding him, but only as a “goodwill gesture”.

Something went wrong with Michael’s registration for both the three-year warranty and reliability guarantee. HP, which bought Samsung’s printer division last year, was adamant Michael had chosen and received the cash-back offer, rather than the ‘repair and refund’ package.

Michael then showed HP proof that he had chosen that offer. The company changed its excuse, claiming he had invalidated the deal by using Printerland’s in-store replacement policy. But it was HP that told Michael to get replacements from Printerland, even giving him the necessary replacement codes.

If Michael hadn’t received a refund we think he should have asked Citizens Advice to look at the terms and conditions of the offer, checking whether HP had inserted a loophole letting them wriggle out of honouring this policy.

We think Michael was entitled to this refund, and HP was wrong to call it a goodwill gesture (a phrase often misused by companies in the wrong). It’s important the company acknowledges its error, so we’ve asked it to explain.