Z5 misbehaving

[Icotec]

some 4-5 weeks ago my Z5 started misbehaving after a forced system update and wouldnt charge following the update, I contacted support who recommended i do a hard reboot all that achieved was turn my phone off and then it wouldnt turn back on again! Support then suggested i downloaded xperia companion and done a software repair, thats all fine and well except my phone wouldnt switch on, i connected my USB cable to my computer and immediately the charging indicator went green indicating I had a full or almost full battery despite it having less than 10% when it switched off, but connected to xperia companion it still wouldnt come on, the software couldnt even see the phone, reluctantly i send it back (believing it to be under warranty) at thier insistance (read my other post to find out whats been going on since then) today whilst clearing out my drawer I came across my old Xperia X8, still working, just needed a bit of a charge so i charged it up got the battery to near 100% then decided to set up the phone for use, ive been 5 weeks without a phone, but its more than a phone, its not just for staying in touch with friends and family, its my instant banking apps, my work email and my sat nav so losing the phone put me in a bad position, i lost nearly 3 weeks of work and I have to travel long commutes for work so a phone is imerative, i thought i can use my old X8 until sony resolve my issue and cosequent dispute

(it got damaged somewhere between my front door and the technicians work station, i have time stamped photos of evidence to prove theres no damage, its not why i was sending it, your software update had done something to the operation, thats why i was sending it)... 

So aas i was setting up my old X8 it told me there was a software update available so i connected it to my computer and set about doing the update because with a phone this old the wifi and 3g are slow no matter how good your signal is, best and quicker to go through the usb cable and the companion suite... i plugged it in, it was detected immediately by windows but not the suite software... i followed the instruction of disconnecting the phone, rebooting it and rebooting my computer, restarted the suite, it just gave the start screen then telling me to connect my usb, its connected, windows can see it but xperia companion cant? i went through the management options on the software update/repair/backup/restore and no matter which one i selected it still wasnt seeing my device so i finally got to therepair option, again it tells me no phone was connected so i tick the check box and carry on the steps it gave me... i thought i was actually getting somewhere when i got a new window that said initializing and had a progress bar, after hanging about 2/10ths of the way for over 30 mins i gave up and hit cancel, now im back to the Z5 probelm wont switch on, not even to recovery... so in the space of 5 weeks sony xperia companion has rendered 2 phones useless and with my ongoing dispute for my Z5 im getting really angry with sony because they just keep fobbing me off, "we must uphold whast our technician says" and as a resul im not paying 8x the courier cost for them to send me back a phone that not only did thier software screw up but they have damaged in the time they have had it... i provided photographic time stamped evidence that my Z5 was of immaculate condition but they seem hesitant to show me any pictures of the damage thier technician "discovered", they are shirking all responsibility and want me to pay for it... this is my quote £350 for a replacement (i paid £250 brand new) or they will send it back to me for £40 unrepaired.... but its thier fault, and why would i want to pay for a damaged non working phone that i will then have to cough up even more money to have repaired?... i dont tink  so... so since sony are clearly terrible at maths here is a break down

£350 refurbished replacement hand set to repair damage that was not an issue and didnt exist when it was sent to them, apparently screen damage is so bad its beyond economical repair? there wasnt even fingerprints on the screen, it spent its life in a Lov Mei Armoured case with protective glass, its never been dropped. it was photographed immediately before packaging for the courier, i went OTT with bubble wrap,taking no chances, padding, boxes, bubble wrap, tape, it was secure, so where has this damage occurred? The technicians said the parcel arrived undamaged so that rules the courier out but also raises the question of since they wont show me this supposed damage has it been done purpoesely by the technician to het more money out of me? is it really damaged at all?, now ive fixed a few phones in my time and know a screen replacement can be done in less than 30 mins, you claim a broken screen is beyond economical repair? utter nonsense, old screen off, new screen on, easy but parts and labour cannot be justified at £350, nor can a refurbished handset that retails for less than £200 be justified. Finally, i can have it sent back to me unrepaired, i had a software issue, i dont want a broken phone! the cost of this will be £40 to cover shipping, seriously? i am a former DPD courier and can tell you for a fact that the phone is within 100 miles of my location and it only costs £5.99 to send a parcel that size anywhere in the UK. As i am already suffering a real financial hit because of this malfucnction and subsequent damage dispute, i will drive to the repair shop and collect it myself but they wont allow me, its now basically pay £350 for a replacement/repair or pay £40 to have it shipped back in a condition it was not sent to them in, but im just being fobbed off with the same carbon copy email reply every time. it seems they have decided to ignore the letter provided on my behalf by which? consumer and ombudsman because no matter what i will need to pay someone for repairs and it wont be sony! i just waant my phone back, what was supposed to take 3-5 days ahs taken 4-5 weeks or running into brick walls, being ignored and fobbed off repeatedly.

So heres the maths help i promised you sony

(an A grade refurbshed Z5 retails between £129.99 and £179.99)

(a replacement screen and digitiser costs from £20.41 - £49.98 (with next day delivery)

taking the high end of the scale you are attempting to overcharge me between £170 and £300 more than costs for damage caused by you.

but sony still wont send it back, let me collect it or show evidence of this damage unless i give them money? it was thier suggestion i sent it back, i was misquoted on my warranty cover by support, had i known that I wouldnt have sent it to them because i could have had the software issue resolved at a local certified technician shop for £30 in one afternoon, but i didnt have £30 on me, not until after sonys promised turnaround time as it is it took over a week for it to be couriered to Sonu when i was not only assured my issue was covered by warranty but it would only be 3-5 working days turnaround but 11 days later they now tell me its economically unrepairable due to screen damage (that wasnt there on sending it) and refusing any level of resposnibility for what may have occured in thier posession, basically holding my phone hostage until i give them an extorionate amount of money for n unfixed problem they caused both directly and indirectly... this has been going on now 4-5 weeks, they wontgive me any solid information or proof ive had no means of contact for work meaning ive lost a lot of money already, on top of that i had only just topped my phone up the day before the update so now ive lost all my credit and talktime for that whole month... more money lost and now to really upset me off ive had the exact same problem with a second older handset (X8) afte connecting to xperia companion software suite!!! angry doesnt begin to describe how i feel about thier negligence and ignorance, but i smile in the knowledge that since which? consumer and ombudsman have written on my behalf which sony have ignored they now have 12 days to return my device (without the software repair and no damage) before a legal dispute is lodged against thier chosen technician and customer services, should my device be returned or collected in person with any sign of cosmetic damage then they are going to have a whole new storm to deal with

but what are the odds? 2 phones developing the exact same problem after using the official software suite, only my Z5 is apparently broken beyond repair since sending it to them so i dont think Ill be sending them this X8, its years out of warranty but either way im still going to have to cough up to have the X8 repaired or buy a new phone altogether before i lose any more money with sonys hostage situation