DIY fridge freezer door reversal - does this affect rights?

sarah194

A week ago I bought a Hotpoint FFFL2000G fridge freezer from Comet (in store). The item was described as having reversible door, and reversing the door wasn't offered as part of the delivery.

There were instructions in the user manual for reversing the door (as were there spare parts to swap over the hinges etc) so I managed (with help) to reverse the door. However almost immediately I noticed the inside of the door (and freezer drawers) frosting up quite badly on opposite corners, which being opposite which makes me believe there is something inherently wrong e.g. the door being warped (unfortunately I never turned the unit on prior to reversing the door so I have no impirical evidence).

I eventually got through to arrange an engineer however on responding yes when she asked me whether I had reversed the door she told me that if it was found to be a fault of my reversal he would be charging me to fix it.

My question is whether they have the right to charge me even if that is the case? The instructions were followed and I would have thought if it is stated how to reverse the door (and it doesn't say you need an engineer to do it), then this should be a user adjustable part and thus any fault is with the unit not the user (to me it would be like putting together a chest of drawers where, once assembled per instructions, the drawers didn't fit).

Does anyone have any experience like this/know what my rights would be? I have tried looking on MSE website and the general net but can't find anything conclusive.

InsideInsurance

Reversing the door is a user accepted modification (like changing the RAM in a laptop).

Simply by doing this wont invalidate the warranty/ your rights as this would be a design flaw. If you have actually caused secondary damage by not following the instructions properly, using unreasonable force etc then it would be your fault (similar to if you forced the wrong type of ram into a laptop).

Given it is less than 6 months old it is their responsibility to prove it is your fault though rather than your responsibility to prove it isnt.

mttylad

put it back the other way and see if it still does it first.

If so then call them out.

Obukit

If it's frosting up on the edge which now opens, it's likely because the seal isn't being made properly. Often this happens because people don't follow the instructions properly on reversing the door, normally not putting in the spacers required behind the hinges so the door is at an angle and permanently open on the side opposite the hinges.

If this is the case you will be charged by Hotpoint, AFAIK it was about £110 last time I checked. It's a surprisingly common job for engineers. The fact you just bought it has little to do with it - if you buy a new car and add 10 litres of engine oil, ruining the engine, you wouldn't expect the manufacturer to pay for the repair, even if the manual explained how to check the oil.