My high-tech, all-electronic fridge-freezer has gone kaput after less than 2 years.

Can anyone recommend a repair route that won't cost more than a new appliance?

In article , Bob Martin
wrote:

My high-tech, all-electronic fridge-freezer has gone kaput after less than
2 years.

Can anyone recommend a repair route that won't cost more than a new
appliance?

Get the retailer to repair it. Such an item should last longer than 2 years
and should be covered under the original terms of sale.

--
John Cartmell john@ followed by finnybank.com 0845 006 8822
Qercus magazine FAX +44 (0)8700-519-527 www.finnybank.com
Qercus - the best guide to RISC OS computing

in 499337 20060213 100547 John Cartmell wrote:
In article , Bob Martin
wrote:

My high-tech, all-electronic fridge-freezer has gone kaput after less than
2 years.

Can anyone recommend a repair route that won't cost more than a new
appliance?

Get the retailer to repair it. Such an item should last longer than 2 years
and should be covered under the original terms of sale.

I eventually got through to Comet (where I bought it) and was told original
warranty was for 12 months. They are sending a man on Thursday, cost is
£60 plus parts.

In article , Bob Martin
wrote:
in 499337 20060213 100547 John Cartmell wrote:
In article , Bob Martin
wrote:

My high-tech, all-electronic fridge-freezer has gone kaput after less
than 2 years.

Can anyone recommend a repair route that won't cost more than a new
appliance?

Get the retailer to repair it. Such an item should last longer than 2
years and should be covered under the original terms of sale.

I eventually got through to Comet (where I bought it) and was told original
warranty was for 12 months. They are sending a man on Thursday, cost is
£60 plus parts.

That was the manufacturers' warranty. There is a minimum retailers'
responsibility. Get in touch with your trading standards or Citizens' Advice
and ask about the current EC regulations.

--
John Cartmell john@ followed by finnybank.com 0845 006 8822
Qercus magazine FAX +44 (0)8700-519-527 www.finnybank.com
Qercus - the best guide to RISC OS computing

On Tue, 14 Feb 2006 10:31:06 +0000 (GMT), John Cartmell
wrote:

In article , Bob Martin
wrote:
in 499337 20060213 100547 John Cartmell wrote:
In article , Bob Martin
wrote:

My high-tech, all-electronic fridge-freezer has gone kaput after less
than 2 years.

Can anyone recommend a repair route that won't cost more than a new
appliance?

Get the retailer to repair it. Such an item should last longer than 2
years and should be covered under the original terms of sale.

I eventually got through to Comet (where I bought it) and was told original
warranty was for 12 months. They are sending a man on Thursday, cost is
£60 plus parts.

That was the manufacturers' warranty. There is a minimum retailers'
responsibility. Get in touch with your trading standards or Citizens' Advice
and ask about the current EC regulations.

The EU only issues Directives in relation to minimum or harmonised
standards to facilitate trade or social conditions. National
governments enact legislation based on them.

Regulations that could have a bearing on this are in two areas:

- For first six months after purchase, the onus is on the seller to
prove that the product was manufactured properly etc. In practice,
they would find that difficult and defer to the customer. This would
no longer apply in this case since the product is older than that.

- Statute of limitations. The Directive requires member state
governments to enact legislation such that there is at least two
years. There has been much confusion over this. In Germany, for
example, there was previously no specific legislation in this consumer
area and consumer groups took it to mean that manufacturers must
provide at least 2 years warranty. They have lobbied successfully to
the point that this is what manufacturers are now doing, for the most
part to avoid the conflict.

However, in the UK we have had and continue to have 6 years statute of
limitations. If you read through the legislation, cases and words of
wisdom from TS departments, they will tell you that in the UK it is
done on reasonableness. The manufacturer warranty is simply a
convenience for the retailer and customer whereby the manufacturer
owns the problem for typically a year. It doesn't replace
statute, however.

In terms of reasonableness, had the product been a £100 special from
Makro, then a year's warranty and not expecting much after that is
probably fair. However, Bosch presents itself as a premium brand
(and generally is) and has a price point to reflect that. Therefore
a very good case could be made that a failure within two years is not
reasonable in terms of expecting the customer to pick up the tab for
the repair. It's quite likely to be £60 for the call out plus twice
that for bits.

Personally, I would push the retailer heavily on it. Of course, it
may be a distress situation - i.e. the freezer needs to be fixed now
and not in the geological time scales of the judicial process.
Therefore, I would discuss with TS department and the credit card
company (you did use a credit card so that the card company is on the
hook too?) It may be that it is acceptable to pay for the repair and
recover the cost afterwards.





--

..andy

On Tue, 14 Feb 2006 11:47:47 +0000 (GMT), John Cartmell
wrote:



The EU only issues Directives in relation to minimum or harmonised
standards to facilitate trade or social conditions. National governments
enact legislation based on them.

Yes. And the UK have enacted legislation - but mentioning the European regs
may push the right button.

Hmm.. not convinced. Since we are talking about Comet here rather
than sentient beings.


Regulations that could have a bearing on this are in two areas:

- For first six months after purchase, the onus is on the seller to prove
that the product was manufactured properly etc. In practice, they would
find that difficult and defer to the customer. This would no longer apply
in this case since the product is older than that.

- Statute of limitations. The Directive requires member state governments
to enact legislation such that there is at least two years. There has
been much confusion over this. In Germany, for example, there was
previously no specific legislation in this consumer area and consumer
groups took it to mean that manufacturers must provide at least 2 years
warranty. They have lobbied successfully to the point that this is what
manufacturers are now doing, for the most part to avoid the conflict.

However, in the UK we have had and continue to have 6 years statute of
limitations. If you read through the legislation, cases and words of
wisdom from TS departments, they will tell you that in the UK it is done on
reasonableness. The manufacturer warranty is simply a convenience for the
retailer and customer whereby the manufacturer owns the problem for
typically a year. It doesn't replace statute, however.

In terms of reasonableness, had the product been a £100 special from Makro,
then a year's warranty and not expecting much after that is probably fair.
However, Bosch presents itself as a premium brand (and generally is) and
has a price point to reflect that. Therefore a very good case could be
made that a failure within two years is not reasonable in terms of
expecting the customer to pick up the tab for the repair. It's quite
likely to be £60 for the call out plus twice that for bits.

Personally, I would push the retailer heavily on it. Of course, it may be
a distress situation - i.e. the freezer needs to be fixed now and not in
the geological time scales of the judicial process. Therefore, I would
discuss with TS department and the credit card company (you did use a
credit card so that the card company is on the hook too?) It may be that
it is acceptable to pay for the repair and recover the cost afterwards.

But best get the right form of words in advance and persuade the retailer that
you won't be a pushover. Not paying is easier than getting it back later.

Of course. Then it's a case of rapidly escalating to senior level in
their organisation and being a squeaky wheel for people whose time is
expensive and who can tell the minions to vary the stated policy.





--

..andy

In article , Andy Hall
wrote:
The EU only issues Directives in relation to minimum or harmonised
standards to facilitate trade or social conditions. National
governments enact legislation based on them.

Yes. And the UK have enacted legislation - but mentioning the European
regs may push the right button.

Hmm.. not convinced. Since we are talking about Comet here rather than
sentient beings.

I meant with the advice people. What Comet need to know is that they are
wrong, the customers knows his rights, he has the backing of people who can
cause problems, and the local Comet manager will get a bollocking if this goes
pear-shaped.

--
John Cartmell john@ followed by finnybank.com 0845 006 8822
Qercus magazine FAX +44 (0)8700-519-527 www.finnybank.com
Qercus - the best guide to RISC OS computing

On Tue, 14 Feb 2006 12:37:02 +0000 (GMT), John Cartmell
wrote:

In article , Andy Hall
wrote:
The EU only issues Directives in relation to minimum or harmonised
standards to facilitate trade or social conditions. National
governments enact legislation based on them.

Yes. And the UK have enacted legislation - but mentioning the European
regs may push the right button.

Hmm.. not convinced. Since we are talking about Comet here rather than
sentient beings.

I meant with the advice people. What Comet need to know is that they are
wrong, the customers knows his rights, he has the backing of people who can
cause problems, and the local Comet manager will get a bollocking if this goes
pear-shaped.


I completely agree.

However, the store manager will follow instructions from on high, the
regional manager cares only about his sales numbers.

The whole thing works on the basis of most customers believing that
the warranty is the be-all and end-all and statutory rights are a
nebulous thing about which we know little.

Generally I've found that if an issue like this can't be resolved with
firm pushing at store level, going straight to senior management is
the next effective option.

I've found this particularly effective with Kingfisher, but Comet is
no longer part of that group - now part of Kesa Electricals.



--

..andy

in 499697 20060214 114747 John Cartmell wrote:


But best get the right form of words in advance and persuade the retailer that
you won't be a pushover. Not paying is easier than getting it back later.

Not paying isn't an option. Payment by credit card is required (for the £60) before
the callout is confirmed, and the parts can then be booked to the same card.

In article , Bob Martin
wrote:
in 499697 20060214 114747 John Cartmell wrote:


But best get the right form of words in advance and persuade the retailer
that you won't be a pushover. Not paying is easier than getting it back
later.

Not paying isn't an option. Payment by credit card is required (for the
£60) before the callout is confirmed, and the parts can then be booked to
the same card.

In that case you do need advice - and consider escalating, ask for the product
to be replaced rather than repaired. For what you paid you must have expected
it to last much longer (eg 6 years plus) and, as the retialers now appear to
*expect* it to last 2 years they clearly missold the product in the first
place. Offer them the alternative of your full money back.

--
John Cartmell john@ followed by finnybank.com 0845 006 8822
Qercus magazine FAX +44 (0)8700-519-527 www.finnybank.com
Qercus - the best guide to RISC OS computing

On Tue, 14 Feb 2006 17:17:45 GMT, Bob Martin
wrote:

in 499697 20060214 114747 John Cartmell wrote:


But best get the right form of words in advance and persuade the retailer that
you won't be a pushover. Not paying is easier than getting it back later.

Not paying isn't an option. Payment by credit card is required (for the £60) before
the callout is confirmed, and the parts can then be booked to the same card.

Well Bob, this is a railroad.

If you are under pressure to get it fixed for whatever reason then
there is probably not a lot of choice.

However, it is at least worth a TS call to see if you can recover
something from it.


--

..andy

The local rag (The News) has a consumer champion page (Streetwise) each
Wednesday. This business of retailers fobbing people off comes up
regularly. The retailers know their responsibilities but do try in on,
in the hope that you don't.
Sometimes the mere mention of Streetwise has the desired effect.

Give them a ring, they are always seem short or news & love a
challenge. Comet, Curry's & Dixons are one of their favorites. The
email address is:

Tel: 01329 243002

or (for advice)