root and warranty in the EU/UK

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ianuk

Member
Apr 2, 2014
14
4
Hi,

I am sorry if this common knowledge around here, but it took me a while to find so I thought it might be worth posting this info here.

I am considering rooting just so that I can save large files from games to my sd card, I was worried about this knox thing (never had a Samsung before) and voiding my warranty just so I can do this.

I have found the following post that seems to confirm that rooting alone DOES NOT void your warranty if you are in the UK, regardless of what happens to Knox...

http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1998801

This forum is obviously international and this just applies to the EU, but I thought it worth posting if it helps others like it helped me.
 

Stiflerlv

Senior Member
Apr 9, 2010
249
20
I posted it before in one of the topic, but Im gonna repost again.

Regarding this topic discussed and this EU directive, I contacted both, Samsung Latvia, aswell as Consumer Rights Protection Centre.

In short - Samsung still stands on its warranty card, saying that rooting will void the warranty.

CRPC States, that they take sides with Samsung. Because they have such point in warranty, they cannot "protect me".

So only way something would change in Latvia (its in EU) is, if I would take Samsung to court telling that, the "rooting voids warranty" point in their warranty card is against EU rules (or w/e rules) and court would agree on me. No way Im doing that :D

Whats unofficial way of dealing against KNOX 0x1 when you take your phone to warranty service center is different story. Sometimes they might just fix your phone under warranty and reset the fuse (Like it was sayd in different post). Just dont count on that.
 

ianuk

Member
Apr 2, 2014
14
4
Hmmm, thanks,

This looks to be a very complex area, I was not meaning to mislead and I apologise if that's what has happened.

There looks to be a lot of concussion over who the warranty is actually with, either EE (in my case) or Samsung. I have to admit I don't understand the difference, if there is some law that states that the phone should be covered by the warranty, then what does it matter who it is with?

Has there been no precedent of someone having their phone rooted and still having it covered under warranty?

i also don't understand why Knox changed things? My understanding from reading some Samsung press is that Knox is designed for business platforms where the 'one device for work and home' idea can be supported by corporations it departments to make sure the devices are safe. It's disappointing that this same technology prevents personal users from doing what we want with our phones.

i appreciate that all I am trying to do is save large files (in this case for games) is a google policy change, not Samsung, but if rooting is the only way that I can utilise the expansion that the SD offers then it's also disappointing that this would void my warranty?!

I understand the 'root voids warranty' that is plastered all over can, but am just asking...
 

ac2002

Member
Dec 29, 2010
37
9
btw
I do not understand why even the warranty is lost just because I got root??? :mad: whether it is this or that Samsung or HTC or some other mobile.

I find it this is an old primitive law.

For me it means: root = admin
Fo example: I'm admin on my PC with Win7 and I still do have warranty for all my coponents or?

Just try to imagine you loose warranty for your motherboard or graphik card cos you have admin rights. lol

A S5 is for me like an PC that I can use how I want it to.
 

Orka82

Senior Member
Aug 26, 2008
427
57
Stockholm
In Sweden we have a nice law for the consumer.

Warranty is totally optional. Samsung voids the warranty when rooting but we have something called "reklamationsrätt".

This forces the seller (not Samsung) to fix the phone (factory faults) within 3 years from purchase. The store has to solve the problem with Samsung (not our problem).

http://www.hallakonsument.se/other-languages/other-languages/english-engelska1/consumer-sales-act/

"During the first six months after the purchase, it is up to the seller to prove that the fault did not exist when the good was first purchased. When more than six months have passed after the purchase, the onus is upon you as the purchaser, to prove that the fault existed from the very beginning.

According to the Consumer Sales Act, your right to complain expires three years after you received the good. This applies to goods and services you purchased on that day or later. The product may have a guarantee period shorter than three years, but this does not shorten the complaint period according to the act."

Burden of proof is much higher for businesses compared to the consumer.
We really don't need the warranty here.

It is always optional for the seller to provide guarantees. They can't negotiate their way around "reklamationsrätten" regulated in the consumer purchases act. IT'S THE LAW! ;)

Read about warranty here:
http://www.hallakonsument.se/other-languages/other-languages/english-engelska1/warranties/

So, if they can't prove that the fault is caused by root, they can't deny us to get it fixes. After the six months they will still fix obvious errors that can not be explained by root or bad use. As I said, the burden of proof is much lower for the consumer.

Other countries could have laws like this? At least within EU?

Edit:
I understand why Samsung voids the warranty. Samsung can't be held responsible for problems with the software on the phone if you have modified it. Then it is not something that Samsung want's to waste money on to fix. It's your problem.
 
Last edited:

craigcrawford1988

Senior Member
May 21, 2010
79
94
In Sweden we have a nice law for the consumer.

Warranty is totally optional. Samsung voids the warranty when rooting but we have something called "reklamationsrätt".

This forces the seller (not Samsung) to fix the phone (factory faults) within 3 years from purchase. The store has to solve the problem with Samsung (not our problem).

http://www.konsumentverket.se/otherlanguages/English/Consumer-rights/Defective-goodsComplaint-/

"During the first six months after the purchase, it is up to the seller to prove that the fault did not exist when the good was first purchased. When more than six months have passed after the purchase, the onus is upon you as the purchaser, to prove that the fault existed from the very beginning.

According to the Consumer Purchases Act, your right to complain expires three years after you received the good. This applies to goods and services you purchased on that day or later. The product may have a guarantee period shorter than three years, but this does not shorten the complaint period according to the act."

Burden of proof is much higher for businesses compared to the consumer.
We really don't need the warranty here.

It is always optional for the seller to provide guarantees. They can't negotiate their way around "reklamationsrätten" regulated in the consumer purchases act. IT'S THE LAW! ;)

Read about warranty here:
http://www.konsumentverket.se/otherlanguages/English/Consumer-rights/Guarantee/

So, if they can't prove that the fault is caused by root, they can't deny us to get it fixes. After the six months they will still fix obvious errors that can not be explained by root or bad use. As I said, the burden of proof is much lower for the consumer.

Other countries could have laws like this? At least within EU?

Edit:
I understand why Samsung voids the warranty. Samsung can't be held responsible for problems with the software on the phone if you have modified it. Then it is not something that Samsung want's to waste money on to fix. It's your problem.

Nice post. I can't understand why they can't just void the software side of warranty...
 

gareth261987

Senior Member
Apr 22, 2014
64
23
Southampton
Nice post. I can't understand why they can't just void the software side of warranty...

I rooted my Galaxy S 5 the second day I got it but that was my choice and whenever you root your device you must realise the minute something goes wrong it is your own responsibility to fix it. The software in an android phone is responsible for a lot of aspects considering hardware like managing how hot and fast the cpu is, how your light works, your file system etc. The hardware is designed in a very specific manner and is set to run in a specific manner, when you root your phone you can change all that. You can force the hardware to run in "untested" ways so Samsung and other mobile manufacturers will not support when things go wrong because you use the phone in the way it wasn't designed to do.

I wouldn't go jumping on the rooting bandwagon if you're unsure about anything. I'd say do your research first and ask yourself why you want to root and also ask yourself are you going to be able to afford to fix it when things go wrong? I rooted my phone to change how my phone looks and get rid of things I don't need. Just remember when you root you cannot expect to receive help from the manufacturer when it goes wrong.
 
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Stiflerlv

Senior Member
Apr 9, 2010
249
20
I rooted my Galaxy S 5 the second day I got it but that was my choice and whenever you root your device you must realise the minute something goes wrong it is your own responsibility to fix it. The software in an android phone is responsible for a lot of aspects considering hardware like managing how hot and fast the cpu is, how your light works, your file system etc. The hardware is designed in a very specific manner and is set to run in a specific manner, when you root your phone you can change all that. You can force the hardware to run in "untested" ways so Samsung and other mobile manufacturers will not support when things go wrong because you use the phone in the way it wasn't designed to do.

I wouldn't go jumping on the rooting bandwagon if you're unsure about anything. I'd say do your research first and ask yourself why you want to root and also ask yourself are you going to be able to afford to fix it when things go wrong? I rooted my phone to change how my phone looks and get rid of things I don't need. Just remember when you root you cannot expect to receive help from the manufacturer when it goes wrong.

Im thinking about PC and Windows. Its responsible for the same stuff. If you want, you can cook your PC in breakfeast... But still - I have full access on my computer, I want same things on my phone. And it shouldnt void the warranty...
 
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gareth261987

Senior Member
Apr 22, 2014
64
23
Southampton
Im thinking about PC and Windows. Its responsible for the same stuff. If you want, you can cook your PC in breakfeast... But still - I have full access on my computer, I want same things on my phone. And it shouldnt void the warranty...

the computer is still more robust in that sense, also if you deleted files from windows which you shouldn't delete then the manufacturer would not fix it for free. If you fried the motherboard due to over clocking your computer that too wouldn't be covered by warranty. Now am not defending the manufacturers but with the amount of people that brick phones or root without knowing what they're doing would cost a lot of money to rectify.
 

Stiflerlv

Senior Member
Apr 9, 2010
249
20
the computer is still more robust in that sense, also if you deleted files from windows which you shouldn't delete then the manufacturer would not fix it for free. If you fried the motherboard due to over clocking your computer that too wouldn't be covered by warranty. Now am not defending the manufacturers but with the amount of people that brick phones or root without knowing what they're doing would cost a lot of money to rectify.

and I would never go for service center just because of software glitch... Reinstall and move on. Same goes for Phones. Its normal if they wouldnt cover software problems with rooted phones, and approch same way you can apporch computers - reinstall -> test -> give back.
 

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    In Sweden we have a nice law for the consumer.

    Warranty is totally optional. Samsung voids the warranty when rooting but we have something called "reklamationsrätt".

    This forces the seller (not Samsung) to fix the phone (factory faults) within 3 years from purchase. The store has to solve the problem with Samsung (not our problem).

    http://www.hallakonsument.se/other-languages/other-languages/english-engelska1/consumer-sales-act/

    "During the first six months after the purchase, it is up to the seller to prove that the fault did not exist when the good was first purchased. When more than six months have passed after the purchase, the onus is upon you as the purchaser, to prove that the fault existed from the very beginning.

    According to the Consumer Sales Act, your right to complain expires three years after you received the good. This applies to goods and services you purchased on that day or later. The product may have a guarantee period shorter than three years, but this does not shorten the complaint period according to the act."

    Burden of proof is much higher for businesses compared to the consumer.
    We really don't need the warranty here.

    It is always optional for the seller to provide guarantees. They can't negotiate their way around "reklamationsrätten" regulated in the consumer purchases act. IT'S THE LAW! ;)

    Read about warranty here:
    http://www.hallakonsument.se/other-languages/other-languages/english-engelska1/warranties/

    So, if they can't prove that the fault is caused by root, they can't deny us to get it fixes. After the six months they will still fix obvious errors that can not be explained by root or bad use. As I said, the burden of proof is much lower for the consumer.

    Other countries could have laws like this? At least within EU?

    Edit:
    I understand why Samsung voids the warranty. Samsung can't be held responsible for problems with the software on the phone if you have modified it. Then it is not something that Samsung want's to waste money on to fix. It's your problem.
    1
    Nice post. I can't understand why they can't just void the software side of warranty...

    I rooted my Galaxy S 5 the second day I got it but that was my choice and whenever you root your device you must realise the minute something goes wrong it is your own responsibility to fix it. The software in an android phone is responsible for a lot of aspects considering hardware like managing how hot and fast the cpu is, how your light works, your file system etc. The hardware is designed in a very specific manner and is set to run in a specific manner, when you root your phone you can change all that. You can force the hardware to run in "untested" ways so Samsung and other mobile manufacturers will not support when things go wrong because you use the phone in the way it wasn't designed to do.

    I wouldn't go jumping on the rooting bandwagon if you're unsure about anything. I'd say do your research first and ask yourself why you want to root and also ask yourself are you going to be able to afford to fix it when things go wrong? I rooted my phone to change how my phone looks and get rid of things I don't need. Just remember when you root you cannot expect to receive help from the manufacturer when it goes wrong.
    1
    I rooted my Galaxy S 5 the second day I got it but that was my choice and whenever you root your device you must realise the minute something goes wrong it is your own responsibility to fix it. The software in an android phone is responsible for a lot of aspects considering hardware like managing how hot and fast the cpu is, how your light works, your file system etc. The hardware is designed in a very specific manner and is set to run in a specific manner, when you root your phone you can change all that. You can force the hardware to run in "untested" ways so Samsung and other mobile manufacturers will not support when things go wrong because you use the phone in the way it wasn't designed to do.

    I wouldn't go jumping on the rooting bandwagon if you're unsure about anything. I'd say do your research first and ask yourself why you want to root and also ask yourself are you going to be able to afford to fix it when things go wrong? I rooted my phone to change how my phone looks and get rid of things I don't need. Just remember when you root you cannot expect to receive help from the manufacturer when it goes wrong.

    Im thinking about PC and Windows. Its responsible for the same stuff. If you want, you can cook your PC in breakfeast... But still - I have full access on my computer, I want same things on my phone. And it shouldnt void the warranty...