Consumer Rights question

[Paperboy]

I think I'm being paranoid and worrying about nothing, but I'm a bit concerend...

At lunch time I took my watch to get a new battery and was told it would be £10. The person asked if the battery had been replaced before which I couldn't remember. She said that if it hadn't it can be harder for a battery to come out.

I'm going to get it later tonight but I'm wondering if when I get there they'll say that it was harder to get out and as a result they're charging me more. Can they do this? I've not paid for anything yet so I don't have a receipt, just a raffle type ticket with the watch make on it. Worried that it's goign to cost me more to get it back...

Cheers!

[Hibbyradge]

I think I'm being paranoid and worrying about nothing, but I'm a bit concerend...

At lunch time I took my watch to get a new battery and was told it would be £10. The person asked if the battery had been replaced before which I couldn't remember. She said that if it hadn't it can be harder for a battery to come out.

I'm going to get it later tonight but I'm wondering if when I get there they'll say that it was harder to get out and as a result they're charging me more. Can they do this? I've not paid for anything yet so I don't have a receipt, just a raffle type ticket with the watch make on it. Worried that it's goign to cost me more to get it back...

Cheers!

They have quoted you £10, which, in my opinion, is more than enough.

It shouldn't cost you more without them making you aware of the new price in advance.

If they try to charge you more, just politely say "No thanks, I don't want to pay that much for a watch battery which I can get online for £1.99".

[Scouse Hibee]

They have quoted you £10, which, in my opinion, is more than enough.

It shouldn't cost you more without them making you aware of the new price in advance.

If they try to charge you more, just politely say "No thanks, I don't want to pay that much for a watch battery which I can get online for £1.99".


It depends if it's a decent watch, £1.99 watch batteries are cheap crap.

[Pretty Boy]

I had a situation not massively dissimilar to this.

I took my watch ( a good one) into Ernest Jones to get the battery replaced and was quoted £35 to have it done at their repair centre somewhere down south. Off it went and I was told it would be about a week. About 3 days later I got a call saying the screws from the back of the watch had been 'misplaced' and one of the workings had been 'slightly damaged' and it would have to be sent to Raymond Weil to be properly repaired. They said they (the jewellers) would deal with everything. About 10 days later I got a call to say my watch was back and ready to collect. Went to the shop and checked it and it seemed ok so was happy enough until I was told i was owe them £170 for repairs, new battery and a full service. I flat out refused to pay and said I was only willing to pay for the battery and wasn't even happy about that given the inconvenience and the fact they had damaged a relatively expensive watch. The lady who served me said if I didn't pay then I couldn't have my watch until I did. Many emails and and angry phone calls later I finally got my watch with no charge as a 'gesture of goodwill'.

Ridiculous hassle from start to finish and why I only buy automatic watches these days.

[Hibbyradge]

It depends if it's a decent watch, £1.99 watch batteries are cheap crap.

The batteries themselves aren't expensive. Swiss made Renata are probably the best and you can get them for less than a pound. Obviously it depends on what your watch requires, but I wouldn't expect to pay more than a couple of quid.

It's the cost of resealing waterproof watches that bumps the cost up.