The Medway Handyman wrote:

B&D 550w impact drill
died in a plume of smoke last week so I returned it to B&Q
he reluctantly agreed to a refund

is it deliberate policy to palm off the gullible?

Maybe you should be thankful ...

http://service.blackanddecker.co.uk/...WarrantyPolicy

"If your Black & Decker product becomes defective due to faulty
materials or lack of conformity within 24 months from the date of
purchase, Black & Decker guarantees to replace all defective parts,
repair products, subjected to fair wear and tear, to make sure of the
minimum inconvenience to the customer, unless:

· The product has not been used for trade, professional or hire purposes"
^^^
Actually reading the wording on B&D website it's such that only
trade/pro/hire qualifies for the warranty!