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Couple in smoking row over computer
3:19pm Monday 13th August 2007
By Deborah Lewis »
A major electrical retail chain has been accused of discrimination against smokers after an engineer refused to fix a computer "full of nicotine".
Rosemary Dunn bought a £700 Advent PC from Currys in Whitebirk, Blackburn, 18 months ago.
She also took out a "whatever happens" policy which, in return for an additional £9 per month, ensures Currys will have the machine repaired no matter what damage is caused to it.
But when Rosemary and husband Lyndsay called out an engineer after a cup of tea was split on keyboard, they claimed they were told it would not be fixed because they had invalidated their policy by smoking.
Currys has said that the technician had genuine concerns but they wanted to resolve the matter amicably and has offered to inspect the computer.
Simon Clark, director of pro-smoking campaign Forest, said: "This is absolutely pathetic. It's a load of nonsense.
"Computers have been around a long time and it seems this is somebody else jumping on the anti-smoking bandwagon. It seems remarkable this occurred just after the smoking ban came in."
Mr Dunn, of Holmbrook Close, Blackburn, said: "Every time we rang the helpline they would give advice over the phone. It was only when the tea was spilt that they agreed to send someone out. He took the back off the computer and said I'm not touching that, it's full of nicotine'.
"He claimed it was a health hazard and that we had invalidated our policy because we smoke. He left without doing a thing.
"Admittedly it was covered in dust but we hadn't touched it because we didn't want to damage it.
"After he left we vacuumed it and it looked as good as new - it was clearly not nicotine as that would have stuck.
"Even if it was nicotine, there was nothing in the policy about invalidating it."
Currys press officer Mark Webb said: "The technician did express some genuine concerns, but we'd like to resolve this issue amicably.
"We have already been in contact and organised for the PC to be inspected at our workshop."
Your Say YourTelegraph
cm, says...
4:23pm Mon 13 Aug 07
Dipsy, says...
4:43pm Mon 13 Aug 07
bystander, lancs says...
4:57pm Mon 13 Aug 07
marcus, elsewhere says...
5:06pm Mon 13 Aug 07
(a) the claimants who clearly need to get a life
(b) The LET for publishing this completely non-newsworthy event
(c) Currys for not saying that keyboards covered in toxins will be refused.
sensei, Lancs says...
5:08pm Mon 13 Aug 07
Is it a slow NEWS day or what
paul, millhill says...
5:22pm Mon 13 Aug 07
Mr Random, Blackburn says...
5:34pm Mon 13 Aug 07
paul wrote:I think you should sue the dish manufacturers for not stating "DO NOT TOUCH WITH BARE HANDS WHEN HOT" in big flashing letters.
I burnt my thumb today taking a dish out of the oven
JD, Blackburn says...
5:41pm Mon 13 Aug 07
BLACKBURN MAN PICKS NOSE ON COUNCIL ESTATE:
'Today a Blackburn man was seen picking his nose in an aggressive manner.
It is thought that tissues were available on the property,but the man had repeatedly refuse to use them,stating he liked 'the hands-on approach'.
The police were not called to the scene.'
Jack Harkness, Torchwood Hub says...
6:14pm Mon 13 Aug 07
*falls over backwards in inredulity at what constitutes news nowadays, not to mention more digs at the smoking ban at the same time*
Once I worked for the BA, and a claim came in covered in someone's blood. Only thing was it came in the post boxes and we were STILL expected to handle it! I kid you not!
But I would just also say that the 'policies' you are sold by these places are at least as good as a wet piece of soggy paper ie USELESS! I digress.
And if the engineer was looking at the insides of the PC for a cuppa spilt on the keyboard ... er, mmm! Okay!
sod, sunny b/burn says...
6:15pm Mon 13 Aug 07
Jack Harkness, Torchwood Hub says...
6:30pm Mon 13 Aug 07
Ragnarok, Valhalla says...
7:11pm Mon 13 Aug 07
Jack Harkness wrote:HAHAHA!Hey,Jack!Don'
\'And the award for National Dumbfounded Day goes to ...\'
*falls over backwards in inredulity at what constitutes news nowadays, not to mention more digs at the smoking ban at the same time*
Once I worked for the BA, and a claim came in covered in someone\'s blood. Only thing was it came in the post boxes and we were STILL expected to handle it! I kid you not!
But I would just also say that the \'policies\' you are sold by these places are at least as good as a wet piece of soggy paper ie USELESS! I digress.
And if the engineer was looking at the insides of the PC for a cuppa spilt on the keyboard ... er, mmm! Okay!
t be so hard on the LET;After all,if we didn't have completely unnecessary stories like this,we would not have a chance to ridicule the LET for the rag that it is!
I have noticed recently that certain relevant comments are deleted,while others that have no place in a comments page are mysteriously ignored...The LET is nothing more than a Sun wannabe with a lesser customer base.
Jack Harkness, Torchwood Hub says...
7:52pm Mon 13 Aug 07
bystander, lancs says...
8:01pm Mon 13 Aug 07
Jack Harkness, Torchwood Hub says...
8:05pm Mon 13 Aug 07
Don't laugh. It could very well happen!
Particularly as the LET chose to report it as such thus shaping readers views.
Creating an urban myth at the same time!
Ohh! Please can we have some real news, affecting REAL LIFE people affecting issues!
Is it too much to ask???
Col, Falkirk says...
8:15pm Mon 13 Aug 07
JD, Blackburn says...
8:22pm Mon 13 Aug 07
Col wrote:Blimey,col;Chill out,mate,sit down and have a ciggy...
Smokers should have to pay more than us in society somehow as sick of my taxes being frittered away in the NHS on the countless smokers who increased their chances of illness and stay ahead in the queue of people who have lived a more sensible life.
bystander, lancs says...
8:33pm Mon 13 Aug 07
Phill, lancashire says...
8:39pm Mon 13 Aug 07
bystander, lancs says...
8:41pm Mon 13 Aug 07
Jack Harkness, Torchwood Hub says...
9:04pm Mon 13 Aug 07
Bill, says...
9:08pm Mon 13 Aug 07
Nice.
AccyJay, Accrington says...
9:33pm Mon 13 Aug 07
Col wrote:Smokers already pay an absolute fortune in cigarette tax. If everybody gave up smoking tomorrow, the Government would have a huge black hole in it's finances to fill. Where would the lost revenue come from? You guessed it, a huge rise in everybodies taxes.
Smokers should have to pay more than us in society somehow as sick of my taxes being frittered away in the NHS on the countless smokers who increased their chances of illness and stay ahead in the queue of people who have lived a more sensible life.
sod, costa del blackburn says...
10:45pm Mon 13 Aug 07
dave cee, slough says...
11:36pm Mon 13 Aug 07
ker etc,you do gooders give em all the ammunition they need.
Jack Harkness, Torchwood Hub says...
2:22am Tue 14 Aug 07
Me thinks it's more the LET's 'editorial' style than anything else. Same old same old.
Putting aside the 'nicotine' issues. One is familiar with the 'tactics' used by these engineers including that as reported.
But it's hardly 'discrimination' but another example of what mostly most people have to put up with through these 'policies'.
Everytime I go in Argos, no matter what I buy if it's even got BATTERIES first thing comes out of the cashiers mouth is 'would you like to purchase a three year policy that covers blah blah bler bleurgh'. No I flaming well would not! Money making, not worth the print on the paper.
One poor girl at PC world some years ago when I purchased my PC looked so heartbroken when I refused to purchase the £100 3 year insurance policy you'd have thought the world had ended.
Anyway, I digress.
Frank, Blackburn says...
7:58am Tue 14 Aug 07
Maybe the engineer should of stuck a Nicorette patch on the side of the PC! MWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAH
AHAHAHAHAHA
Les, accy says...
9:03am Tue 14 Aug 07
I will gladly do a video reconstruction if its in the pubic interest.
bystander, lancs says...
9:45am Tue 14 Aug 07
sod, costa del b/burn says...
9:55am Tue 14 Aug 07
Mogster, Ewood says...
10:57am Tue 14 Aug 07
billy1932, blackburn says...
12:45pm Tue 14 Aug 07
Jack Harkness, Torchwood Hub says...
2:07pm Tue 14 Aug 07
CliveE, Burnley says...
9:08pm Tue 14 Aug 07
Jack Harkness, Torchwood Hub says...
9:25pm Tue 14 Aug 07
Er, yes.
bystander, lancs says...
9:51pm Tue 14 Aug 07
WALNUT, UK says...
10:56pm Tue 14 Aug 07
pat, herts says...
11:55pm Tue 14 Aug 07
bystander, lancs says...
11:21am Wed 15 Aug 07
Jack Harkness, Torchwood Hub says...
3:35pm Wed 15 Aug 07
No wonder that poor girl's face turn to an 'ashen' white colour.
bystander, lancs says...
7:10pm Wed 15 Aug 07
DEREK UTTLEY, GREAT HARWOOD says...
9:00pm Wed 15 Aug 07
Jack Harkness, Torchwood Hub says...
10:16pm Wed 15 Aug 07
I am of course joking!
But am looking forward to the epic 2008 summer blockbuster when the movie rights are cleared, scripted and a suitable 'just out of film school, never touched a film camera in their life just made a few Youtube vids on their mobiles' is finally readied for Multiplexing.
All of that said with the Gone With The Wind music underneath.
Jack Harkness, Torchwood Hub says...
10:17pm Wed 15 Aug 07
I am of course joking!
But am looking forward to the epic 2008 summer blockbuster when the movie rights are cleared, scripted and a suitable 'just out of film school, never touched a film camera in their life just made a few Youtube vids on their mobiles' is finally readied for Multiplexing.
All of that said with the Gone With The Wind music underneath.
Jack Harkness, Torchwood Hub says...
10:18pm Wed 15 Aug 07
I am of course joking!
But am looking forward to the epic 2008 summer blockbuster when the movie rights are cleared, scripted and a suitable 'just out of film school, never touched a film camera in their life just made a few Youtube vids on their mobiles' is finally readied for Multiplexing.
All of that said with the Gone With The Wind music underneath.
Jack Harkness, Torchwood Hub says...
10:25pm Wed 15 Aug 07
CC, says...
9:41am Thu 16 Aug 07
me, sadly here, reading this says...
1:23pm Thu 16 Aug 07
The engineer has a right to work in a smoke-free environment. That's it. If the engineer does not want to handle the messy innards of a computer, he should have a pair of gloves.
As for those who say "smokers should pay more tax, my tax is paying for their smoking related poor health" - tobacco taxation brings £9.5 - £10.5 billion (depending on the source) to the treasury. NHS spending on smoking-related illness is £1.7 billion. That leaves £7.8 - £8.8 billion over. So, where is that argument again? Ah, lost. I love people who don't bother with facts (a bit like the main article).
Jack Harkness, Torchwood Hub says...
2:29pm Thu 16 Aug 07
plastic front of judea, on location says...
6:25pm Thu 16 Aug 07
eyboard when it gets swapped?
andy, spain says...
9:12pm Thu 16 Aug 07
Jack Harkness, Torchwood Hub says...
9:20pm Thu 16 Aug 07
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OFF LINE: Rosemarie Dunn claims that a technician said he could not fix her computer because it was full of nicotine'
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