Return Costs? - *Updated! Appalling customer service!*

tillymama_2

I bought my daughter a play kitchen for Christmas from Verbaudet.

She obviously got it on Xmas day, but by Boxing Day a big crack had appeared in the window of the oven She's only 17 months old, and had just been putting stuff in the oven, shutting the door, opening the door, taking stuff out...as they do. What I would consider as light-normal play.

I sent them an email on the 28th December explaining what had happened, that I was very annoyed that the perpex was flimsy enough to be broken after less than 12 hours play.

I've finally received a 1 paragraph, standard response to this today which basically says I need to return it for inspection "using the method relevant to the size of the parcel" - presumably at my expense I need to use a "Returns Form" but it doesn't tell me where I can get one. There is no other information regarding the process involved.

So I need to package up an assembled kitchen, arrange a courier, pay for the courier, and then just wait and see if they decide to refund? Meanwhile DD has no kitchen, and I have a living room full of play food/pots & pans? :mad:

Am I being funny, or is this a bit unreasonable?

What would you expect them to do in my situation?

charli_lennon

I would write back to the company requesting that they clarify the above points to you and that you do not find their response to be satisfactory. Whilst you understand that they will need to look at the item to check it is not a manufacturing issue the way they have worded their letter implies that they will not give you a refund for a faulty product and by law you are entitled to this.

If the product is faulty it is the companies responsibility to pay for the return. Do they not have their own returns service? I don't think the onus should come down to you to arrange the return. I would go back to them and kick up a big fuss. I work for another mail order company and know there is a lot more they could be doing to make this a painless process.

Hope that helps

somethingcorporate

When did you purchase it?

tillymama_2

I've spoken to them and the plot thickens.

It turns out they knew there was a problem with this kitchen, others have been returned with similar problems, and their residual stock has been sent back to the manufacturer.

Unfortunately, no-one thought to let their customers know :mad:

They've agreed to refund, but not til the item is received back. They've agreed to collect, but they can only tell me it will be collected sometime in the next 1-5 days!!!

They suggested I leave the kitchen outside if I'm going to be out, but I've nowhere safe to leave it, and it's unfair enough to take away DD's Christmas present...let alone leave it on the front door step for her to see every time we go out.

We can't really afford to buy a new one before this is refunded, and TBH I don't see why we should!

I'm waiting for a manager to call me back

Freddie_Snowbits

charli_lennon wrote: »

If the product is faulty it is the companies responsibility to pay for the return.

Absolute Codswallop
I will remember that and give Brenda some verbal this fine eve, when the Sausage bap comes out wrong, or I get the bus to SmitBorrys to return something.

aheaton46

Freddie_Snowbits wrote: »

Absolute Codswallop

No, you shouldn't have to pay return costs.

3.68 If goods develop a fault within the first six months of being sold, the law presumes that the fault was there when you sold the goods – unless you can show otherwise. You should not charge return costs for goods that have been rejected because they are faulty.

http://www.oft.gov.uk/shared_oft/business_leaflets/general/oft698.pdf

Freddie_Snowbits

aheaton46 wrote: »

No, you shouldn't have to pay return costs.

3.68 If goods develop a fault within the first six months of being sold, the law presumes that the fault was there when you sold the goods – unless you can show otherwise. You should not charge return costs for goods that have been rejected because they are faulty.

http://www.oft.gov.uk/shared_oft/business_leaflets/general/oft698.pdf

You have 7 working days to reject the goods under DSRs, goods that become faulty after this are covered by the SOGAs.

Bamber19

Freddie_Snowbits wrote: »

You have 7 working days to reject the goods under DSRs, goods that become faulty after this are covered by the SOGAs.

You can reject goods under the SOGA in those first 7 days also, the SOGA and DSR can exist alongside each other.

Although the poster has linked to a document on DSR the part they have quoted is actually talking about rights under the SOGA. None of this changes the fact that the point Charli made, which you disagreed with, was correct.

Freddie_Snowbits

DSR does not apply in this case, there has been more than 7 days since Christmas and bu99er today is the Epithany.

In this case, only the SOGAs apply, and remedy must be sought under that.

somethingcorporate

Freddie_Snowbits wrote: »

DSR does not apply in this case, there has been more than 7 days since Christmas and bu99er today is the Epithany.

In this case, only the SOGAs apply, and remedy must be sought under that.

Which was exactly the point I was trying to clarify up in post number 3!

Lip_Stick

Freddie_Snowbits wrote: »

DSR does not apply in this case, there has been more than 7 days since Christmas and bu99er today is the Epithany.

In this case, only the SOGAs apply, and remedy must be sought under that.

But, in the DSR you only have to inform a company that you're returning goods within 7 days. The OP could have had correspondence with the company about returning the goods within that time frame. But I agree SOGA applies here.