In June 2011, Laura Kilduff bought a laptop in PC World and spent more than €700 on it. Just over a year ago, it started slowing down before eventually shutting down.

She took it into PC World on Dublin’s Henry Street and was told by the technical department there that they would take a look at it. She went back a couple of hours later and was told that an air compressor had been used to clean it and it seemed to do the trick.

It went again, and months later she is still experiencing the same problem, only worse. “I took my laptop back only to be told by a different member of staff that she wasn’t going to look at it until I could provide proof of purchase.

“I tracked down my bank statement which proved I bought my laptop there and went back only to be told that I was in fact out of warranty. I explained that I had been in numerous times but to no avail and now it was worse. My laptop is literally unusable,” she writes.

She was told that the fan was no longer working, and when she tried to explain the situation and state her rights under the Sale of Goods and Supply of Services Act, she was rebuffed.

She points out that the laptop was defective less than 18 months after she bought it. "Can you advise if I am in fact within my rights to pursue this? It is so frustrating. Where do I stand? I’m not in a position financially to buy or replace my laptop.”

We contacted PC World to see if it was happy with how it had dealt with the customer and are eagerly awaiting their response.

Watch this space.