Comet - Sale of Goods Question

rayz_x

My Mother in Law bought a washing machine from Comet 18 months ago. This has developed a leak so I phoned Comet on her behalf. They said our only option is to pay them £70 for an engineers report to see whether it was a manufacturing fault. If it is a fault we get the money back and the repair done due to Sale of Goods Act. If they decide it was misuse caused the leak we lose the £70 and have to pay full cost of repair.
The machine was used less than once a week for the 18 months and I told them that if it leaks under these circumstances there is no doubt it is a manufacturing fault.

They will not let you speak to a supervisor but you have to give them your number so someone can call you back.

Can they insist on this payment?
Any advice appreciated.
(By the way, due to previous experience I had already told her NOT to buy anything from Comet.

Ray

anmarj

Yes, as it is over 6 months old the onus is on you to prove that it is a manufacturing fault

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3073916

shaun_from_Africa

Some of what Comet told you wasn't totally correct.

they said our only option is to pay them £70 for an engineers report to see whether it was a manufacturing fault

You will need a report to show a manufacturing fault, but you don't have to get Comet to do this.
If you can find an independent washing machine engineer who can do the inspection and report for less than £70 you are totally within your rights to get this done.
If the report does state a manufacturing defect then Comet should reimburse you for the cost.

and I told them that if it leaks under these circumstances there is no doubt it is a manufacturing fault

You must have proof of this. Thinking or knowing isn't enough.
There are a number of things apart from dodgy manufacturing that may have caused the leak, anything from not being plumbed in correctly to a foreign object getting in with the laundry and then damaging one of the internal pipes.

I'm not saying that anything like this did happen, but without an inspection, the retailer couldn't know for certain what may have happened.

alistair.long

Dont pay comet to examine it, as it will most likly reflect on what Comet wants. Ask your local washing machine service shop to see if they can make a report.

visidigi

Before you go the report route...

If it leaks from the door seals then this is likely to be internal damage from washing - a common cause for this is bra under wire which punctures the seal.

If there is a split in the door seal, check if its on a molding line from manufacturing, if its not near a molding line its highly likely to be due to something put in the machine, which wouldn't be covered by the manufacturer, save your £70 and put it towards the replacement seal...

neilmcl

rayz_x wrote: »

The machine was used less than once a week for the 18 months and I told them that if it leaks under these circumstances there is no doubt it is a manufacturing fault.

Then you'd be wrong. As the post above mentions leaks can easily be caused by misuse. It's not just door seals either, it could be the gasket underneath that gets punctured by items such as a loose bra underwire. I know, I speak from experience.

bod1467

Your own bras?

neilmcl

bod1467 wrote: »

Your own bras?

Who said anything about "owning" them. :rotfl::rotfl: