Could use a little legal advice...

[Zaximus]

Once you posted the problem here...they caved in. Never underestimate the power of Zodville.

By they way, can't believe the instructor did not hold on to the thing a little longer. And why didn't he/she give Lost and Found your name? Why bother to find out who the laptop belonged to if they were just going to dump it in lost and found with no identity?

Good thoughts. Instructor just wanted to be nosy and read all your stuff. If not, she'd have just kept it locked up and gave it to you the next day, IMO.

[88 Bronco]

Since when has that ever been a disqualification of a case..

Case in point...hot coffee spilled in lap.

You know, there are more factors in play over the McDonald's coffee lawsuit than what the media spoon feed you.

http://lawandhelp.com/q298-2.htm

[SorthNarolina]

Bah! I just ran into a bit of a hang up in the situation.

The bookstore had a very meager list of laptops to choose from, they were all pretty modest in their specs and every single one(minus the netbooks) were $150-200 over retail outlets like best buy and Walmart.

I think I can see their logic, they're basically paying the money to themselves this way. But these are some pretty crappy laptops. They're barely better than what I lost.

It's still a good deal I suppose but I don't like being restricted when I could go get a much better one for the same price. It's flushing money down the toilet.

I'm pretty sure they have a contract with dell, and I asked the manager if he could look into that. Also he told me he would talk to their supplier.

They only need to replace it and the $500.00 dollars can do that. But I could replace much better if they allowed me to buy outside of the bookstore's list.

I can't do anything underhanded like buy the laptop and return it for cash, or buy books and return them for cash. I doubt they would let me and that is just kinda dirty. It's a little frustrating because the school has no problem with people buying PS3's and Xbox's from the bookstore with financial aid.

I only have 2 weeks to decide as well.

Hopefully they can help me out.

[Bob NC]

They're barely better than what I lost.

Are they supposed to replace it with BETTER than what you lost?

Now you're just trying to take advantage.

[Darth Biscuit]

Are they supposed to replace it with BETTER than what you lost?

Now you're just trying to take advantage.

No, he's just trying to get the most for the $500... I don't blame him for that...

[Happy Panther]

Do you have to use it on the laptop? Can you buy something else and just pay for the laptop out of pocket (since money grows on trees)

[SorthNarolina]

Are they supposed to replace it with BETTER than what you lost?

Now you're just trying to take advantage.

I'm not trying to take advantage I just want to get the most for my money. I wish they would give me the freedom to buy it outside of the store.

I told them the exact specs of it and 500 dollars is what they came up with. If I buy it at the bookstore they are essentially giving me 300 dollars.

I would rather take the $500 dollars and add that to some of my money to get a $1000 dollar laptop from somewhere. That doesn't seem like a crazy proposition.

Hopefully their contract with dell holds up and I can get a laptop that isn't 200 dollars over retail. The bookstore and school letd people buy video games and TVs with financial aid all the time.

[SorthNarolina]

Do you have to use it on the laptop? Can you buy something else and just pay for the laptop out of pocket (since money grows on trees)

Nope, I have to get a laptop. What I would ideally want to do is use the $500 dollars and some of my money towards a new laptop. None of the laptops they have have more than 2gbs ram, integrated graphics, dual core processors and none have windows 7, even the one that is 900 dollars. I could get something very nice for 900 dollars that would last me the rest of my college career and beyond.

[hepcat]

I think the solution to your problem is a murder/suicide pact.

Just kidding, I think you should just call the lost and found desk every hour of every day and ask if someone has returned your laptop until that lady quits. You probably aren't getting any money, unfortunately. Schools have a way of screwing you out of money, especially money they don't legally owe you.

My band won a battle of the bands at my school with a grand prize of $1000. It's almost two months later and I haven't even got a phone call returning my many messages at the accounts payable and cashiers office.

[Delhommey]

Bah! I just ran into a bit of a hang up in the situation.

The bookstore had a very meager list of laptops to choose from, they were all pretty modest in their specs and every single one(minus the netbooks) were $150-200 over retail outlets like best buy and Walmart.

I think I can see their logic, they're basically paying the money to themselves this way. But these are some pretty crappy laptops. They're barely better than what I lost.

It's still a good deal I suppose but I don't like being restricted when I could go get a much better one for the same price. It's flushing money down the toilet.

I'm sorry. Now you're just being entitled and whiny.

[SorthNarolina]

I'm sorry. Now you're just being entitled and whiny.

Just trying to get the most for the compensation that I recieved. I never felt like I was entitled to any compensation until the police told me as did security. I never lost patience with them or stuck out my hand expecting anything from them. I drove to every pawnshop I could find and scoured craigslist/ebay for a week. I called my insurance to see if they would cover it and they wouldn't. I've been in plenty of situations where I've done my best to refuse compensation because I felt like it was overkill. There are problems with western culture with people feeling too entitled to compensation and I don't like it anymore than you do. It's easy to make assumptions about me and this situation when all you know is what I've typed on here.

I they want to compensate me then I would rather not blow 40% of it on mark up.