Faulty Hotpoint Fridge freezer. Insurance voided

Moobell

Hi we are looking for a little bit of advice as we have hit a dead end trying to sort out our faulty fridge freezer between hotpoint the manufactuer and Domestic and General the insurance company we took out a protection plan with when we first noticed a fault with our fridge.

On the 28th April 2012 we discovered our fridge was no longer working and food was going off and had been for a couple of days prior but we hadnt linked the 2 (blamed dodgy sell by dates!) so we called Hotpoint directly as our fridge was 1 month over the 2 year warrenty held with Comet where we purchased the item.

Hotpoint advised us that a protection plan was needed to cover any repair work to be undertaken by the engineer and paid for the repair call out. We took this out with their insurance company Domestic and General and the cost of this was £143.88 which covered the repair call, the work carried out and any subsequent repairs it may need for the next 12 months. Dated 28/04/12 to 28/04/13.

Engineer was unable to come to repair until the 3rd of May so we were fridge less until that point (5 days)

On the 3rd Of may engineer arrived and on taking the panelling out the back of the freezer discovered the element (I think thats what it is called?) was covered in ice and frost.
This has caused the air to not be able to funnel up to the fridge and cool the fridge part down and in turn was over freezing the freezer-food had frost damage.
Engineer cleared the ice (using hotwater) and fitted the freezer back together and declared the problem sorted and it was left as that.

21/05 engineer called back to our house as around the 18/19th May the fridge had once again broken and temperature was now at 16c-we brought a themometer after intial breakdown to keep check on temp.

Engineer (same chap) discovered it was the same problem again ice build up on the element/radiator which had prevented air flow and blocked up the freezer outflow. Once again he defrosted the ice and reset the fridge freezer and went away.

THREE days later it broke again and we lost our 3rd fridge full of food (meat and dairy I wasnt worried about the vegetables) and we rang again for a repair. Almost a week later the engineer could attend and came out for a 3rd time where he once again discovered the same problem.

He called his tech team where it was deemed irrepareable and that due to us having the protection plan we would be covered for a replacement and would only be liable for the collection and delivery fee's of the replacement. I was told I would hear from Hotpoint within 48 hours.
He defrosted the freezer as a good will gesture to keep my fridge cool as for the last week in 28c+ temps we were living out of a cool box!!

Today 4th June we have contacted Hotpoint to chase up this elusive replacement only to be informed that the protection plan was cancelled by domestic and general on the 1st of june, 48 hours after his last visit! They have offered us £250 towards a replacement but as yet we havent accepted or declined. Hotpoint hadnt been informed of the policy ending and neither had we.

We then contacted Domestic and General who are saying the fridge is deemed irrepareable from the initial visit and hence cancelled our policy. They cant explain why the engineer came 3 seperate times and it was only on the 3rd visit he declared it irrepairable. They are refusing to offer any assistance in the replacing of our fridge freezer.

I have paid to date £413 for the fridge freezer initially, with the extra £143 for the protection policy = £556 on a 2 year old fridge freezer which is now broken.

To date the temp is hovering around 8-12c and obviously aside from the financial impact this is having-Weve both had to stay at home from work to have the repair man out and this has been at a loss to my income and the cost of damaged food. Its the health impact I am most worried about.
With the risk of food poisoning and with a faulty fridge freezer is there an risk of fire??

If any one can help I would be very much appriciative. I am just lost for words right now

Thanks Sarah and Keith

vaio

two years life is not reasonable, remedy is SOG against the retailer

BobQ

vaio wrote: »

two years life is not reasonable, remedy is SOG against the retailer

I bought a Hotpoint FF three years ago. Worst purchase I ever made.

Within hours of receiving it I wanted to reverse the doors (which they claimed was a simple user job). When the instructions were shown to be nonsense these cowboys sent two engineers who took over an hour to do the jobwhich involved drilling out a screw they could not remove. The fridge never worked properly and was continually icing up and allowing the food to partially thaw. Their service was the worst I have ever encountered. After 13 months FF stopped working. I disposed of it as junk and bought a proper FF from another firm.

No help to OPs but I really think Hotpoint product quality is apalling. It is a safety issue as they say and I would not bother risking my health waiting for Hotpoint to behave decently.

My advice to them cut is cut their losses and buy another FF, tell anyone you meet that Hotpoint cannot make reliable !!!!!!.

I believe that they have been featured on Watchdog for a similar problem of a Frost Free product that kept partialy thawing and refreezing.