Boots Kitchen Appliances Refund

swerytd

Hi

Just bought a washing machine for my aging grandma and paid for connection and recycling of the old machine.

Delivery men turned up and refused to disconnect the old appliance claiming some liability if something happens whilst disconnecting it.

So, they've just left the new machine. As this is the case, I think I'm entitled to the connection charge and recycling fees to be refunded, as they haven't provided this service, nor was there any overhead on the delivery men, as they have had to do less work. What do my consumer rights say?

Additionally, if I get someone to disconnect the machine, am I entitled to demand they come and connect the new one and take the old one away, as this has already been paid for?

Thanks

Dan

visidigi

have you called them and asked?

If they don't provide the service you should be entitled to a refund on that portion of cost - I doubt they will revisit to fit - was the old appliance hardwired or something? there must be a significant reason why the refused beyond liability.

wessexw

I had something similar with Boots applicances where the delivery men refused to connect a new washing machine and dishwasher as the existing connection was of a non standard type that they refused to mess with. I rang the call centre afterwards who explained to me that on making the order I had ticked some box or other to confirm that the connection was of some type or other, and thats it's in the small print that the delivery men will only do the connection under certain conditions.

I explained to them that I'm not a plumber and I don't know by looking at it whether it's the right connection or not, and they said well tough but you ticked that box, but in good faith they refunded me half the connection fee and I had to get a plumber out to do it instead

I learned from that not to bother with delivery man connections again but to just get a qualified plumber

swerytd

We've asked and they are quoting terms and conditions and will not refund the connection and recycling charges, only the machine costs. However, they're telling me it's 49 pounds if we want them to come recollect it! The manager of the advisor in question is refusing to speak to us too, which is out of order.

They are utter scum, these Boots people.

Dan

visidigi

You need to be careful what you say.

These people are NOT Boots. Read the website you will see they are a company called DRL -you need to ask WHY they refused to connect the device, they must have told you why, they cant be referring you to terms and conditions with no reason. Please explain this for us to be able to advise you.

visidigi

Ok just went to the help page and looked this up... this is what I would be concerned about...

Connection can be carried out to an existing standard domestic appliance water connection situated within one metre of the appliances location and to a suitable existing 13 amp socket within reach of the appliance's power lead. Included in the connection will be the disposal of the transit brackets and a test of the appliance.

The delivery team will be unable to connect your new appliance if:

• The old machine is not disconnected
• Any electrical/plumbing supplies needed fail the delivery team’s testing or are unsuitable
• Any water supply needed cannot be isolated or is unsuitable.
• Any drainage/waste facilities needed are unusable.
• Mechanical adjustments are required to the appliance(s) to overcome such things as water pressure etc.
• Alterations to existing plumbing and electrical are required

Given your original post says they refused to disconnect it then it sounds like you didn't comply with the request correctly.

swerytd

Just found out they refused disconnection on grounds that the pipe has seized and can't be disconnected from the main pipe. According to the advisor on the phone, they did make an attempt to disconnect, though I need to confirm this with people at the scene.

T&Cs state that the machine must be disconnected, which it wasn't (though I think this could be a *lot* clearer at the time of purchase). However, being charged for a service that is subsequently not provided is a bit of a grey area in my head.

This is fair enough, I think. My main question was (legally) 'can they still charge us for services if they didn't provide them?'

Dan

wessexw

'
Any water supply needed cannot be isolated . '

I think is the one I was caught out on. When I tried to get the money back from the call centre, they told me that the deliveryman had been assigned a certain length of time at my property to install the applicances and the delivery charge was paying for that time. Even if that time wasn't actually used, the time wouldn't be assigned to making an additional delivery someplace else and they were reckoning on a certain amount of money coming in per delivery man so I couldn't get all the money back as I was paying for the time spent

Thats complete rubbish as the deliveryman was waaaaay behind schedule on my delivery so I was doing him a favour that the might get home at a decent hour in not making my connections. But they'd olny give me half the connection fee back, end of story

swerytd

They have agreed to come back and install it and take the other one away (thanks to the efforts of my wife) provided we disconnect the old one, so have arranged for a plumber to come around this afternoon.

I'm still intrigued by the legalities of connection/recycling fees if they are not performed. I understand, as you say, wessexw, that it's for the delivery man's time, but surely that shouldn't be called 'connection charge' and 'recycling charge' in that case?

Thanks all for the help by the way. It's much appreciated and a lot of comfort as everything went very stressful very quickly!

Dan

Forwandert

swerytd wrote: »

Just found out they refused disconnection on grounds that the pipe has seized and can't be disconnected from the main pipe. According to the advisor on the phone, they did make an attempt to disconnect, though I need to confirm this with people at the scene.

T&Cs state that the machine must be disconnected, which it wasn't (though I think this could be a *lot* clearer at the time of purchase). However, being charged for a service that is subsequently not provided is a bit of a grey area in my head.

This is fair enough, I think. My main question was (legally) 'can they still charge us for services if they didn't provide them?'

Dan

They came to provide the service of installing the washing machine, they couldn't provide the service as the old washing machine was still installed by the sounds of it.

jonnyd281

swerytd wrote: »

They have agreed to come back and install it and take the other one away (thanks to the efforts of my wife) provided we disconnect the old one, so have arranged for a plumber to come around this afternoon.

I'm still intrigued by the legalities of connection/recycling fees if they are not performed. I understand, as you say, wessexw, that it's for the delivery man's time, but surely that shouldn't be called 'connection charge' and 'recycling charge' in that case?

Thanks all for the help by the way. It's much appreciated and a lot of comfort as everything went very stressful very quickly!

Dan

You didn't meet your side of the contract though, when they turned up, the old machine was still connected. We got a new washer dryer earlier this year, I was away so we paid for fitting, and it was made quite clear to us when we ordered online that the old machine had to be disconnected.