Consumer Rights: MoneySavingExpert.com discussion

Sagar_Fuzz

We bought an oven from B&Q as part of a new kitchen in June 2009. The oven door is faulty, won't close properly and makes the outside very hot. In addition, the buttons have now stopped working (not that you want to touch them, as they get so hot!) so we've lost functionality.

Indesit wanted to charge us £104 to come and look at it, as it is more the 12 months old (it is 14 months old!), so I have called B&Q and said it is not fit for purpose, or lasted a reasonable amount of time. They said they would call me back, after calling Indesit.

I think they should repair it or replace it. Am I right?

Art_2

Yes B & Q should repair the fault that is causing the oven to overheat.

Regards,
Art.

CDB_2

I don't know if this is the right place, but I was just wondering......

When you buy computer components from quite a few computer shops, if anything goes wrong with said item, you can't send it back unless the shop gives you an RMA number (return to manufacturer authority or something similar I think) Is this approach legal as to me it is interferring with your consumer rights. Surely if something is faulty you should be able to return it without some sort of written aurthority?

Art_2

Your contract is always with the retailer and not the manufacturer. Any problems should be dealt with by them. If they want to involve the manufacturer that is their right but it doesn't absolve them from responsibility.

I assume you are talking about hardware.

Regards,
Art.

CDB_2

Yes, hardware. You send it back to where you bought it from, but they insist you have to have this number first.

I've just googled it and my mistake, it should be a "return merchandise authorisation" number. I've never come across this in any other scetor yet.

deanos

It very common to get a RMA number not just for computer hardware , its so they know the reason the item is coming back and from who , they tap in the RMA number and they will have notes about it on there system, cant see how it interferers with your rights ?

CDB_2

I was under the impression without it they won't let you send the item back. So that's why I thought it might be affecting your rights.

Sagar_Fuzz

Art wrote: »

Yes B & Q should repair the fault that is causing the oven to overheat.

Regards,
Art.

B&Q have come back to me with a £50 'Goodwill gesture' towards the cost of repair, which I have refused. I have written to them recorded mail as Consumer Direct advised me to do, and given them 14 days to respond.

To me, this is a clear cut case. Not only does the oven get so hot is is dangerous to touch the function buttons when on, but the buttons have stopped working well. If I was B&Q I would be bending over backwards to quickly replace this item before it hurt someone further.

Does anyone work in a store like this, who knows why stores are so reluctant to repspect consumer rights? The duty manager I chatted to (who was nice, but helpless) hadn't even heard of them after a supposed 28 yrs in the business. I told him to google it, and he could find out as much as I had.

Why do we have to force them to obey the law? Surely they lose more time and money (and customers) playing games like this?!

OlliesDad

Sagar_Fuzz wrote: »

B&Q have come back to me with a £50 'Goodwill gesture' towards the cost of repair, which I have refused. I have written to them recorded mail as Consumer Direct advised me to do, and given them 14 days to respond.

To me, this is a clear cut case. Not only does the oven get so hot is is dangerous to touch the function buttons when on, but the buttons have stopped working well. If I was B&Q I would be bending over backwards to quickly replace this item before it hurt someone further.

Does anyone work in a store like this, who knows why stores are so reluctant to repspect consumer rights? The duty manager I chatted to (who was nice, but helpless) hadn't even heard of them after a supposed 28 yrs in the business. I told him to google it, and he could find out as much as I had.

Why do we have to force them to obey the law? Surely they lose more time and money (and customers) playing games like this?!

Currently B&Q are not disobeying the law as you need to prove that the unit has an inherent fault (normally a independent report is necessary).

Once you have this proof contact B&Q, if they still dont offer anything further, then they are not obeying the law and you will be able to proceed with small claims court action.

fozzy97

Hello,

A slightly different angle on things as i'm a seller and not a buyer. I sold a guitar pedal board on ebay on 7th of june. it has an inbuilt power supply and it was tried and tested before selling. it worked just fine and the item was described accurately and correctly to the best of my ability. yesterday the buyer got in touch stating he'd only just tried it out (two months after purchase) and it does not power up. after some discussion i have declined a refund as i'm satisfied the buyer had plenty of time to inspect the item, and go through an ebay dispute if the item was not up to scratch (in which case i would have issued his money back). he is now threatening small claims court action against me.

anyone have any advice on this matter? i've never found myself in this situation before and it's all new to me.

thanks in advance