Patch, I fully understand how you feel. After much thought and advice you decided which manufactures equipment you wanted to buy and what you could afford.

You then purchase this equipment in good faith from an outlet that must have been aware what you wished to do with it.

8 weeks later an item of your new equipment fails and you are entitled to expect a new replacement or your money back.

You are offered a secondhand repaired item and that is not good enough. You are entitled to expect a lens to last 20 to 40 years without fault so a repaired one after 8 weeks is a joke.

Stick to your guns girl, the way you are being treated says nothing for the retailer and not a lot for Nikon either, they, Nikon, have the power to tell the retailer what to do, so why don't they do it.

Despicable ((((((((((hugs)))))))))))) I can understand how awful you're feeling and I think both Nikon and Bennetts have a lot to answer for! Disgusting way to treat a customer - and if I were you, I'd go to press etc if it's not solved soon.

xx

Latest update : As per advise from Trading Standards I have done the formal letters stage and they have ignored them including so far the Letter Before Court which gives them 7 days to rectify the situation, they have just a couple of days left on that deadline after which I`m taking them to court. Nikon have just sent me an email apologising for the situation their kit has caused and that they are glad I am taking the correct steps to get satisfaction, [ copy of their email will be included in the court papers as they state absolutely that Bennetts should have sorted a replacement lens ], and Nikon have offered me a 2gig SD card - hopefully they mean it with best intentions and not as a slap in the face ie here have a card for the camera you can`t use without a lens

Meanwhile in the interests of my own sanity and realisation that every day I can`t take photos is another day Bennetts are flipping me the finger , s*d not being able to eat well for the next few weeks, I have just tonight gone and bought a lens - a different one of course as the court will award me a replacement for the 18-55. Will post a different thread to ask for user advice on the new lens [ nope not a Nikkor ], - cos its a monster [ for me anyway ]

[ The retailer of the new lens were also appalled at how Bennetts are behaving so they printed for me an additional written promise there and then of no quibble immediate replacement at any time during the years warranty if the new lens develops a fault ].

Glad you are sticking to your guns Patch, wonder why Nikon have not sent you a replacement and invoiced Bennets for it, surely the reputation of both Bennets and Nikon is being damaged and I would have thought they would have done their best to settle the matter asap. Customer relations seems not to be what it was, we have more legal standing as consumers and fewer large concerns who are so big they don't care about the final user one iota.