Choose the best IT help for your PC problems

The boom in computing and internet access has been accompanied by several companies offering to fix these IT products. Big businesses such as BT and PC World have entered the fray, offering dozens of fixed-price packages that aim to fix broadband connections, software problems and computer incompatibilities. Some involve a technician making a home visit, while others are remote services where a representative will call and then take full control of the problem computer via the internet. In this article we’ll explain what options are available, what they cost and how to pick the best service for any given problem ­ and reveal the results of our exclusive test of three of the biggest companies.

If it’s broken, fix it
PC support specialists can repair software, recover PCs from viruses and optimise home networks, but they won’t fix genuinely broken products. Physical damage, like if a paper tray has snapped off a printer or a computer screen has been cracked, won’t be repaired by the PC support companies investigated here.
If something like this happens, the manufacturer of the broken product should always be your first port of call. Even if the warranty has run out, their repair service may be cheaper than third-party support companies. Sony, for example, charges £141 to diagnose out-of-warranty laptops, which is much cheaper than The Tech Guys’ £229 laptop diagnosis charge.

Replacing the broken product could also be cheaper than paying for support. New wireless routers and printers often cost less than £100 ­ much the same price as getting broken ones fixed.

Warranties and statutory rights
Inspect the warranty before rushing out to employ an engineer. Most products include a warranty period of at least one year during which it should be simple to obtain a repair or replacement item. Some sellers offer extended warranties but these have, historically, been poor value.

If your warranty expires, don’t assume that there’s no possibility of help. The Sale of Goods Act, which applies to all UK purchases, provides protection against any faults that are ‘inherent’ ­ present in the product when it was made rather than the result of later damage or mistreatment. The time limit for this protection is six years, or five in Scotland.

If you’ve had the product for a while you may have to prove that it is inherently faulty; normally by getting an expert report. In any case, to make a claim under the Sale of Goods Act you should contact the shop where you bought the product, not the manufacturer. Alternatively, some companies have been known to extend their warranties should a product suffer from widespread problems: Microsoft, for example, extended the warranty on its Xbox 360 console after many suffered from the so called ‘red ring of death’ failure.

Packages on offer
So, technical support services shouldn’t be your first port of call for every problem ­ but there are some problems they can help with. Many provide software support, so if Windows has gone wrong and you can’t get it working properly they may be able to help. Also, if you’ve damaged your computer, it won’t be covered by a warranty or the Sale of Goods Act, but a PC support service might fix it for a fee. Some services also offer setup packages, so they can come out and install a wireless network, for example.

There are, broadly, three types of service package: in-home support, telephone and remote access support on a subscription basis and telephone and remote access support on for a pay as you go basis. Both the remote services have a two-pronged way of dealing with computer problems. An IT technician will call and direct you to a website that loads secure remote access software. The technician will speak to you over the phone while they take full control of your computer to try to help from there.