SchoolCare Warranty

Q. What is the SchoolCare warranty?

A. When you purchase new hardware from SchoolCare, you will receive a one-year warranty from the date of delivery. The warranty covers the cost of both parts and labour for the first year. The second and third year are parts only and return to base. When the installation is complete, we will demonstrate to a named individual that the system is functioning and ask him/her to sign off the installation as being complete.

Q. Is the warranty the same for all hardware?

A. In order to recognise the varying importance attached to different items of hardware we offer different standards of warranty as follows:

 Peripherals Return-to-base warranty
 Network cabling On-site warranty with a one week response time
 Network Hardware On-site warranty with a three day response time
 File Server On-site warranty with a next day response time
 Workstations On-site warranty with a three day response time
 Monitors On-site replacement warranty by manufacturer

The response time is the amount of time within which we aim to have an engineer at your school to assess the problem. In most instances the engineer will also be equipped to repair the problem during the initial visit, however, occasionally we will need to return to our workshop with the item and/or order parts.

The response time does not indicate the time within which we aim to repair the fault. We recognise that you need your hardware returned as soon as possible and we will therefore either courier it back to you or send an engineer to deliver it as soon as a repair has been effected.

Q. Who provides the warranty?

A. SchoolCare provides the warranty in most cases but some items of hardware are covered by manufacturers’ warranty that can only be exercised by the end user, e.g. printers. If so, we can supply all the details you need to contact the manufacturer yourself. Unfortunately we cannot make promises on behalf of the manufacturer with respect to their response times or the time taken to repair an item.

Q. What does the warranty cover?

A. Your warranty covers the hardware you purchase from SchoolCare and the general functionality of your system as a whole. If your system is not functioning correctly, either because of a hardware problem or an initial configuration problem, we will sort it out. In order to provide technical support we need to be assured the system will not be substantially altered. This is because we standardise our installations according to ISO9001 quality procedures so that if there is a problem, we can quickly identify it.

Q. What is not covered by the warranty?

A. If damage occurs to your system which is the fault of a user or other third party, whether malicious or unintentional, the cost of putting the system right will not be covered under warranty. The warranty does not cover damage due to environmental factors, e.g. rough handling, power failure, poor power supply, extreme temperatures, extreme humidity, lightening etc. The warranty will be rendered invalid if the system has been substantially altered without informing us of the changes. We retain the right to retrospectively charge our standard engineer rates if a fault is reported with a view to repair under the terms of the warranty, and subsequently proves to be excluded from warranty for any of the reasons detailed above.

Please note that software cannot be guaranteed per se. Software is sold ‘as is’ and is assumed to be fit for purpose. Although we test all the software we install on our systems, there may be ‘bugs’ in the software we do not know about. We will always endeavour to work with you to resolve problems of this nature but the responsibility for the functioning of third party software lies with the publisher of that software.

NOTE: Not all software designed to run on an IBM compatible PC will function correctly on a network. If you buy new software from anyone but SchoolCare, we will not guarantee its performance in a network environment unless otherwise specified. Please feel free to call us regarding any new software you wish to add to your system.

If you have a File Server, it is very important to keep a regular backup in case something disastrous happens to the hard disc storing your information. In case something does happen please bear in mind that our engineers can only recover your File Server if you have a complete backup. Data recovery is not covered by the warranty and service agreements provided by SchoolCare. In other words it is your responsibility to make sure your data is backed up on a regular basis. An optional tape backup system is specified in the quotations.

Finally, the warranty does not cover damage caused to the system as a result of infection by computer viruses. Even if you have the latest version of virus checking software, you may still be prone to a damaging virus infection and the warranty will not cover the cost of eradication.

Q. Can we extend our warranty?

A. Extended warrantees are available - please call us to discuss the options.

Q. How do we report a problem?

A. Read the next section describing the SchoolCare Support Helpline and follow the instructions.