Universal Gadgets - www.universalgadgets.co.uk

My phone worked well for a few weeks, but then failed. I sent it back. they said it would take 2-5 days to repair.

After 3 and 1/2 weeks I'm still waiting. I've been emailing them, but they just say it will be repaired asap.

I asked for a new phone, they didn't reply. I asked for speak to someone, they then started to ignore my emails.

They have just sent me a phone number which they say I will be able to speak to someone on. I just rang this, and they are SHUT for the next 3 days.

I have no other option than to try and claim a refund through Paypal

Bought 2 refurbished iphone 5s. One developed fault after 6 months and after protracted phone calls/emails etc it was eventually replaced. 8 months later phone stopped working - could not connect. Being out of warranty took phone to local Apple shop. They said phone was counterfeit - a good fake but still a fake. As you might expect, Universal Gadgets did not want to know, and even worse Ebay wouldn't take any real action as the original purchase was over 12 months previous. I wish I had read reviews of this company's trading performance rather than being lulled by an apparent good Ebay score. People should avoid any deaoings with this company.

I purchased a refurbished iPhone from Universal Gadgets on eBay and had nothing but problems with phone, accessories and customer service for the following 8 months. They "repaired" the faulty phone I first received but it was still broken, so they "replaced" it and it was STILL faulty. They then told me the refund period had ended when I asked them for one. If you want a refund from them, I have FINALLY been able to get one promised (we shall see if it is actually issued!) 8 MONTHS after purchase and first problems after I spent months sending A LOT of emails and got advice from the Consumer helpline. CH advised that I send a recorded delivery letter listing the problems and stating that (as CH confirmed) they had indeed breached my consumer rights by not proving to me within 6 months that they were capable of providing a product that matched the original description. I also told them I was reporting them to Trading Standards (which I have and recommend others doing to shut them down for good!) and that I would not hesitate to take them to Small Claims Court if they did not agree to the refund I had a right to. After months of them completely ignoring me or refusing to budge on non-refund, a manager responded within days to say they'd issue a refund (amazing what a backed-up threatening letter will do for motivation!). So if you are unfortunate enough to purchase from this company - contact the Consumer Helpline, follow their instructions, and report them to Trading Standards. TERRIBLE TERRIBLE company. I am 100% convinced now that what they are doing is a sham - selling faulty phones and claiming they are simply refurbished but solely offering repairs and replacements until it's "beyond the refund period".

DO NOT USE!!!!! I placed an order for a Apple iPhone 6s Plus that was showing estimated delivery for the 22nd-23rd February. After the product had not arrived by the 26th I sent a request though the eBay resolution centre that they refund me my money as it wasn't worth the hassle of dealing with them and I order an phone from else where. After all this then decided they would dispatch my item. Which means that i have now got the pay to send the phone back to them and wait even longer to get my money back. Would never buy from them again what is even more frustrating is that i order my last phone from them and had great service. Just goes to show that they don't care about returning customers.

These people are being sheltered by Ebay and Pay Pal. My letter to Ebay and Paypal executives:

Apple iPhone 5s 32GB Factory Unlocked - Champagne Gold mailed-by: gmail.com

Dear I write to you in the hopes that you are businessmen who realize that it is not ethical to provide cover to sellers who bring you many sales but do so by taking in your customers.

You systems are NOT easily navigable to redress these kinds of circumstances and you provide no relief to many persons.

I am willing to accept the resolution of my daughter's case but I would very much hope that you take the necessary further steps to prevent repeated problems from occurring on your sites and via your systems. I am frankly surprised that you allow known Nigerian fake sellers scope to take money from your customers on a massive scale.

Alternatively I will see what can be done to contact other affected buyers to begin a class action suit against your companies and Universal Gadgets.

I purchased for my daughter a I phone from Universalgadgets01. The phone came non functioning, it would not charge from day one. It had a faulty charging module in the circuit board. Relying on the one year guarantee and having faith that Ebay and Paypal would not be a party to this we did not seek a refund and instead sent the phone back for repair. It came back to us in exactly the same condition. A series of emails were exchanged and the phone was returned and again it was returned to us in exactly the same unusable condition. It is apparent that the idea was to first overcome the 14 day return window and now to overcome the one year guarantee for repair that they advertise openly on Ebay.

I can provide you with many dozens and dozens of persons who report having the same experience as ourselves.

Please refund us our money immediately or a definitive solution to this problem. This entire experience, unless swift and appropriate action is now taken by responsible persons, has left me to believe that neither the Ebay nor the PayPal platforms can be trusted. Please scroll down for some of the email texts that were exchanged. Originals can be sent on request.

Sincerely,

I purchased an iPhone 5c on eBay for my son for school.

The phone was unresponsive and unreliable - the screen didn't allow you to touch it or swipe properly so was basically useless.

I contacted the seller and they advised me to carry out a list of instructions to verify it was not software related. I carried these out but they did not work. I returned the phone to them and a over week later the phone came back - with the same problems.

I contacted them again and they said reboot the phone etc etc. I did all this and the phone still does not work. Now they are asking me to send it back again for their engineers to look at. What are they going to do this time that they didn't last time? My son needs his phone now for lifts etc and I don't want to be without it for over a week again.

It seems that this firm use delaying tactics so you fall outside the ebay protection period.

I have told them that I don't want the phone back but a refund or a replacement.

I am now left without a working phone with no hope of them replacing it or refunding me.

It seems that all iPhones they sell are problematic in some way.

I purchased I-phone 6S, meant to have been cleaned back to factory settings and checked. What a joke. I finally had time to set up the phone to transfer all my data in August 8 months after purchase and it is still locked to a previous owner. They have tried to say I must have lent it to someone and it is my fault !

Customer service appeared helpful then fell into rubbish land very quickly, so am taking matters to Trading Standards.

Do not use this supplier.

I purchased a used iPhone 5s. Within the first week the screen failed. I sent it back to UG at my own expense, and it was returned and stated to be "fixed". Shortly after it was "fixed" it began to randomly crash and fail to boot past the apple logo screen. I returned it again and was informed I had violated the warranty by attempting to disassemble the device myself. This was not true - I had tried nothing of the sort, but UG would not budge. I'm now left with a useless iPhone, £138 out of pocket plus return postage charges.

I'm sure others have had successful experiences with UG - just be aware of the risk you're taking in buying second hand products from them. Their “warranty” is worth nothing.

Disgusting Company, bought a iPhone 6 Plus off them, was faulty, sent it in for repair, they sent it back with the same fault, sent it back again, they agree to a replacement, they send out a replacement, covered in dents, chips and scratches, with the screen hanging off, send that back, they offer a replacement but they send back the same phone but "repaired" of course the chips, scratches are stilly there, advertised as "good to excellent condition", will be reporting to trading

I received a faulty 'phone. I told them immediately but I couldn't return it within 14 days (time to get a replacement) and so there was no refund. They told me it would take 2 to 5 days to repair. Five weeks later I still don't have it. Read reviews elsewhere about this company. Don't fall for the eBay rating. Buy elsewhere.