I have moved abroad but have a faulty laptop bought in the UK

I bought a HP laptop in 2008 from PC World in the UK. For some months the picture on the screen was intermittent. I searched online and found that I am not alone. It appears to be overheating and has problems with the video card.

I have now moved to Cyprus and the laptop is to be repaired by a local technician. The estimated cost is between 150 to 200 euros.

Paul Wilders

Mr Wilders asked us if we could get hold of HP to sort this out for him. Our regular readers will know that we can't because Mr Wilders' contract is not with HP. It is with PC World.

In fact, we can't do much more than offer some advice as he has not contacted PC World and is no longer living in the UK.

If he wants to seek redress he can. He still has rights under the Sale of Goods Act against PC World because he bought it in the UK. Living in Cyprus, which is a member of the European Union, means he is covered by the EU consumer protection laws. However, the distance from the UK makes it more expensive and difficult to return the product to PC World.

Our advice is for him to contact Beuc. This EU umbrella consumer-protection organisation can put him in touch with the Cyprus body that looks after consumer rights. Because he has owned the laptop for longer than six months, the onus is on him to prove to PC World that there is an inherent fault with the laptop.

He should contact PC World by letter and outline what he believes the problem is. His online research will help with belief that this is an inherent fault but it is not definitive proof. He said it is being examined by a PC repair shop in Nicosia but he would have to get any report in writing and in English.

He also needs to ensure this repair shop's findings would stand up to legal scrutiny and forward copies of this to PC World.

Less easy will be getting the computer back to in the UK if PC World wants to examine it. Under law it is allowed to do this. If he has relatives visiting he could get them to act on his behalf with PC World.

This may or may not require Mr Wilders to authorise someone to act as a legal intermediary for him but he can get a relative or friend to contact Consumer Direct and ask advice.