Refund/Exchange for Fridge Freezer Advice needed!

ceppy

We have a fridge freezer that is now 3 years old. It has been faulty from new and has been 'repaired' each year under warranty with the manufacturer. Each time they have re-gassed the system as it doesn't maintain temperature. The final time it was visited by the engineer he stated it was leaking from the door seals and wasn't repairable and should be replaced.

The manufacturer has offered to replaced it but is asking for a 'concession' to cover the 'labour charge' of over £100. In my view as it has always been faulty and we were 'fobbed off' for the first couple of years by being told the problem would settle, I think we should have to pay anything to have it replaced.

What do you think?

bris

After 3 years they are entitled to reduce the refund to you for the use that you have had out of the freezer. They may be seeing this as a form of that, you would have to wait and see how it plays out if you refuse this offer. The freezer may be worth about half of what you paid for it if you go by a 6 year lifespan, of course the life span is subjective and everyone will have a difference of opinion on this, so you would need to see if you could replace it with half it's value.
It may be that £100 will be a good deal but you could refuse and see what they say. If they then insist on the partial refund you could be well out of pocket though so it's up to you.
Of coure they may just give in and replace it free but the gamble is yours.

visidigi

I agree you can reduce the refund, but if its annually failed that doesn't seem totally right.

OP ask if the company has a replacement policy, usually its three strikes at repairing and then replaced, if that is the case here point out to them that under thier own policy they now have to replace and that should be at no cost to you given the anual failure of the product.

If they refuse you need to advise them you will obtain an engineers report for replacement, a cost you will have to front but they will have to return when the engineer proves the device has an inherent fault.

ceppy

Thank you for the above advice, that is really helpful. It is the principal that it has always been faulty that is niggling me. I agree if it had suddenly developed an unrepairable fault I would be happy to pay £100 for a replacement.

I will try for the replacement policy angle and see if gets me anywhere! Their own engineer said it should be replaced free of charge! However of course, this was not in writing!

blinkythefish

That kind of sounds like a manufacturing defect to me. If a refrigeration appliance with a hermetically sealed gas system loses refrigerant, it has a leak. If an engineer has not been able to locate and fix it in three years my money is on the evaporator inside leaking.

IANAL, but that's a manufacturing defect if ever I've heard of one! Whilst you may have had three years out of it, you should have had five to ten. Insist on a total replacement and get in touch with Trading Standards to see what they say.

ceppy

Persistence has paid off! Hoover is replacing the fridge freezer for a concession price and I have got a partial refund from Curries which has covered the cost! Happy bunny now!

visidigi

calm accurate and providing guidance on a solution is so much better than kicking and screaming at companies nowadays

Glad it worked out well and thanks for coming back and letting us know!