Comet Breakdown Plan?

nrishiraj

Please move this post if its in the wrong section, have I posted in the correct section?

I just received a letter from Comet saying my manfuactuer's gurantee is about to expire for my Pioneer DVD recorder/player which I bought over a year ago. It also says if it breaks down, I will have to pay for any repairs.

They are recommending me to take out a Comet Breakdown Plan (£50 for the year). The plan pays for repair bills - call-out, parts and labour all included - and could even give a brand new replacement.

Is this a con? Can I still get a repair under the Sales of Goods Act 1979 despite outstanding gurantee?

Thanks

jonesMUFCforever

How is the machine behaving? Is it still working properly with no problems>
How much did it cost new and how much would it cost to replace now (to give you an idea of depreciation over the year). DVD recorders have come down in price a lot over the last few years.
Say it cost you £300 last year but would only cost you now £200 - you've lost £100 already ;add a year's cost of insurance and this rises to £150.
Who's to say what the price be next year £150 perhaps or lower??
If you can make sense of my reasoning for smaller items - I think you would be wasting your money. Put the £50 in a savings account like a pot for emergencies and when it does break down (they all do eventually) you will have a wedge of money towards a new one.
I do not think you will have a valid claim under SOGA once out of guarantee.

derrick

SoGA applies for up to 6 years, don't waste money on the breakdown plan.

deanos

derrick wrote:

SoGA applies for up to 6 years, don't waste money on the breakdown plan.

Not quite you have up to 6 years to make a claim, there are so many factors to take into consideration.

Concidering you can get branded DVD recorders got about £70 now £50 does seem a rip off.

derrick

deanos wrote:

Not quite you have up to 6 years to make a claim, there are so many factors to take into consideration.

Concidering you can get branded DVD recorders got about £70 now £50 does seem a rip off.

From HERE
For up to six years after purchase (five years from discovery in Scotland) purchasers can demand damages (which a court would equate to the cost of a repair or replacement).

Also from HERE:-

Guarantees

Many makers now give a guarantee on their goods. During a stated period they promise to fix any faults free of charge. Don't let the seller try to tell you that nothing can be done for you because you're outside the period of the guarantee. While a guarantee is fine, it may be more appropriate if the goods are not of satisfactory quality to insist on getting your money back. Goods should do what they're supposed to do for a reasonable time. The period covered by the guarantee is not necessarily a reasonable time. A guarantee is over and above your legal rights and cannot limit these.

deanos

Q3. Are all goods supposed to last six (or five) years?

No, that is the limit for bringing a court case in England and Wales (five years from the time of discovery in Scotland's case). An item only needs to last as long as it is reasonable to expect it to, taking into account all the factors. An oil filter would usually not last longer than a year but that would not mean it was unsatisfactory

jonesMUFCforever

Which is why I indicated to OP that a claim under SOGA would not succeed.
Who is to determine what a reasonable length of time a particular unit should last??

deanos

ejones999 wrote:

.
Who is to determine what a reasonable length of time a particular unit should last??

A judge is to decide ultimately, if you have to take the store to court

philljp

I was about to post a similar question of the Comet warrenty. I dont like paying for warrenties because they are so expensive and chances are the goods will be ok anyway.

Is there a cheaper alternative do this? Can you purchase cover for electrical goods from another company or something? Is it better to just try and claim off your house insurance if something goes wrong?

I ask cause ive just bout a TV for about £2,000 and comet warrenty is about £400.

deanos

https://www.domgen.com do warranties

Wyndham

Avoid extended warranties. It's better to put some money aside for repairs instead. Most goods these days are reasonably reliable (of course, there are exceptions) or if they have a fault it will become obvious in the manufactures guarantee period.

We first furnished a house 12 years ago. In that time we've repaired the washing machine once (and replaced it after 10 years) and all our other applicances have been fine. If we'd paid £50 per item, it would be a substantial amount of money. The repair cost less than £100.

Which? have a reliabilty report for brands that is published each year (your local library will have back copies). I tend to use that as a guide.