Refilling ink cartridges

Q: Some time ago I decided to have my printer’s ink cartridges refilled at a local shop offering this kind of service instead of replacing them.

The second time I took my ink cartridges to be refilled, I was informed the colour ink cartridge was damaged and had to be replaced. I was very surprised to hear this because I am always very careful when I handle this kind of hardware and informed the shop owner about this.

To my surprise, I was told that what I get back when I hand in an ink cartridge for refill is not my cartridge but one in stock which has already been refilled. I was also told that if I were to purchase a new, original ink cartridge and take it for refill, the same procedure applies.

Now I am worried that my printer’s head may have been damaged while I was using the faulty cartridge. What is my position as a consumer if I choose to use this service?

A: If this is the standard procedure adopted by this shop, then you had the right to be informed about this the first time you used this service. Such information would have given you the opportunity to choose whether you want to make use of such a service or not.

If you were not informed about such a procedure, and if you suffered any damages because you may have been given a defective cartridge, you can seek redress by filing a complaint with the company in question.

If you are not offered an acceptable solution by the trader, you can then file a complaint with the Office for Consumer Affairs.

At the same time, however, it should be pointed out that since the shop owner told you the cartridge was damaged when you took it for refill this means that the ink cartridges are actually checked out for any damages before they are accepted to be refilled.

This could mean that the ink cartridge might have been damaged while you were using it and not that it was already damaged when given to you.

When we are informed about terms and conditions we do not like, or that do not seem fair to us, we should keep in mind that weare always free to shop around for better offers.