You probably will have to open a help ticket with Kobo. Unless the UK process is different, write to
help@kobobooks.com. At some point they will need 10 or so things/points of information. You may find it easier to just answer them in your initial email.
The questions they seem to want answered
(beyond a complete description of the problem and the steps you have already taken to try to fix it) are:
1. What model of Kobo eReader do you own? (Kobo Original, Kobo WiFi, Kobo Touch, Kobo Vox)
2. What colour is your Kobo eReader? (On the Kobo Original, Kobo WiFi, and Kobo Touch please look at quilted back. On the Kobo Vox, please look at the sides.)
3. If the color your purchased is not available for replacement, are you willing to accept a different color?
4. What is your full name?
5. What is your mailing address? Please include the street, city, state, country and zip code. (Due to signature requirements, PO Boxes are not accepted)
6. What is your contact telephone number?
7. What is your Kobo account email address?
8. Where and when did you purchase your Kobo eReader? (Please attach a scanned copy of your proof of purchase)
9. Did you also purchase an extended protection plan from Kobo?
10. Have you provided a picture of the device already? (Please attach a picture of both the front and back of your device)
Note that they will want a scanned copy of the receipt that has the date etc. When I was in the process, they wanted the pictures even though mine was not a problem that showed up in a picture. I would copy in the questions, numbers and all. It might just save you some time and back and forth emails.
In the past, folks have reported that they had a whole series of emails and that information needed was scattered throughout them. Someone new would pick up the file, and it ws like starting over from the beginning.
I believe that providing the most complete information you can, from the beginning, will expedite the process. I opened a ticket on Sunday, it went to Tier 2 on Monday, and the same day, they provided me with the information to return the device for examination/exchange.
Did I get special handling? Maybe, after all I have been around for a long time and I am known to Kobo staff. However, even if that is all true, they still needed all the information in the 10 questions above before they could make the determination to have me send the device for replacement consideration.