Sony Mobile — Sony refused to repair my handset and forcing me for paid replacement

Address:

Kota, Rajasthan

I would like to grab your kind attention towards a highly unfortunate situation. List of events in chronological order : 1. 3rd March ‘ 15: All of a sudden my phone, Sony Xperia ZL, got dead. I tried a number of troubleshoots to wake phone but all in vain. 2. 4th March’ 15: I went to authorized Sony mobile service center named Nitesh Enterprises, Kota Rajasthan. I lodged complaint for “Dead phone” (Job no. W[protected]. I submitted my phone with service center and was told that I will be informed about the repair or software issue with phone by tomorrow after testing. 3. 5th March’ 15: Service center people called me up and told that my phone can not be repaired as they have been told by their head office. Unfortunately, my phone has got out of warranty (only by 2 months). They said that they can give me same model handset at 50% discount or Xperia Z1 at 20% discount in exchange of my phone, close to Rs 14, 000. I felt highly disappointed and came back home without a phone. 4. 7th March’ 15: I called up sony customer care to lodge complaint against my “Phone Dead” issue and to share my disappointments with them. Mr. Mohammed Sohail lodged the complaint and after hours of wait, they responded to my surprise that Service center people couldn’t repair since the phone is water proof it can’t be opened for repairs, and also told that the phone is no more under manufacturing. This piece of information that phone is irreparable and it is no more under manufacturing was neither available at the Sony website nor it was shared with me at the time of buying (User manual also doesn’t contain this information). I am unemployed and still looking for a job after my MBA, I couldn’t spend such hefty amount. I never expected such irresponsible behavior from a reputed MNC Sony mobile. Infact, I never faced any such issue ever in my life with any of the other reputed mobile companies, like HTC, Samsung etc. I want to raise this question in consumer court that how can Sony propose me such option (I have already lost faith in Sony mobiles) if they couldn’t open the phone for repair because of their hidden internal policy that too when this information is not shared with customer at the time of purchase. Why should I pay for their lapses and intransparent policies.