Currys’ £40 fee just to set up your new laptop

eLeCtRICAL stores may be breaking the law by pressurising customers into paying £40 in set-up fees for laptops.

Currys PC World is said to be luring customers with low prices on new devices – but then demanding a set-up fee.

the extra cost of the chain’s ‘Knowhow’ service – typically £40 – covers the cost of installing a Microsoft Windows account, essential apps, configuring software updates and creating a recovery system.

the retailer was advertising laptops that were apparently already set-up with this necessary software. But when customers tried to buy them, they were told only machines without the

‘Calls for refunds’

extra features were available. Consumer group Which? said offering a product at a low price when it is not available for that figure is illegal. the group claims it has been raising the issue – known as bait advertising – with Currys for years.

Which? said 108 people have complained since January 2015, including nine in the last three months. It has called on Currys to refund customers forced to pay the charge even though they did not want to take advantage of the optional service.

Currys said: ‘We are urgently rebriefing stores to remind them that, in the small number of cases where only pre-set up models are available, customers should not be charged for the service when they buy their laptop.’