Comet Extended Warranty - avoid, this is a scam!

treznik

We took out a 5 year extended warranty on our £1,200 De Longhi bean to cup coffee maker.

Great machine, but it has developed a fault 18 months in. Thought this wouldn't be too much of a problem because of the Comet warranty - boy, were we wrong!

They told us to take it in (to the Friern Barnet store) so that it could be assessed and repaired or replaced. We got a bad feeling straight away when the manager, Delon, was disinterested to the point of being obstructive (welcome to Comet!). Eventually they reluctantly took it in and we were given a date in three weeks time when were expected to return to the store to either collect a repaired (or replacement) machine or receive a refund.

Three weeks went by (no coffee for us!) and not a word from Comet. It's impossible to get anyone on the phone who could tell us anything about what was going on either (welcome to Comet customer service!) so we had to go in and hope for the best. After half an hour hanging around the shop with some very rude staff that had no interest in helping us we eventually heard from the ever obstructive Delon that it hadn't even been looked at! And that we should go away. It seemed to irritate him to have to waste his breath telling us that he had no idea when it would be assessed.

Finally, FIVE WEEKS in (still no coffee for us!) Comet called to say it had been repaired and it was ready for us to collect. We rushed straight to the store, brought it home and plugged it in.

AND IMMEDIATELY IT HAD EXACTLY THE SAME FAULT!!!!!

Clearly no one had done anything whatsoever to the machine. So, 45 minutes trawling through the Comet help lines most of which lead to automated messages (welcome to Comet customer services again!) we were told that we would have to bring it into the shop and the whole charade would have to start again!!!

So we had to bring it in again - this time Delon was doing his best to be offensive as well as obstructive. Firstly saying he wouldn't deal with my wife as "he had no way of know who she was" despite her having the machine, receipt and warranty with her in person... and having dealt with her face to face three different times now! How Comet feel that this kind of behavior from their store manager is appropriate is beyond me, but given the scam they seem to be running with their extended warranty scheme (i.e. sit on items needing repair for weeks and weeks, then return untouched with original fault, cycle repeat until customer gives up) I guess it shouldn't be a surprise.

In any case, just so people know - DO NOT PAY FOR EXTENDED WARRANTY FROM COMET!

Or for that matter. I would avoid them entirely. Worst Retail Experience Ever.

heavensbug

Bob Darke
MD Comet

[EMAIL="bob.darke@comet.co.uk"]bob.darke@comet.co.uk[/EMAIL] - email
@bobdarke - twitter


www.ceo email.com

Your welcome

Esqui

I'd certainly try a different store! Does the documentation say they will guarantee a replacement if the unit's not fixed within a certain time period?

treznik

My wife has just pointed out to me that the obstructive manager at the Friern Barnet Branch wasn't Delon, but was in fact someone called Nat. So apologies to Delon, as apparently he's been the only Comet employee that has acted remotely professional throughout this fiasco.

The warranty doesn't mention any fixed time period and is not worth the paper it's printed on.

marmitepotato

Have you complained on their Facebook page? Might be worth a try.

Azari

treznik wrote: »

The warranty doesn't mention any fixed time period and is not worth the paper it's printed on.

I think that before you can say that you need to explore further possibilities with Comet.

I know they can be pretty dire but I very much doubt that the way you have been treated is company policy.

Someone at the branch you visited need to be 'spoken to'.

Kite2010

marmitepotato wrote: »

Have you complained on their Facebook page? Might be worth a try.

Or via Twitter (if Comet are on that site).

Might push your complaint up the chain a bit more that it's out in the open.

BillTrac

I don't do Facebook or Twitter.

Does that mean I wouldn't have a hope in hell?

Not that I would be stupid enough to buy anything from Comet/Dixons/PC World/Currys etc anyway

treznik

Nearly TWO MONTHS now and still no sign of them giving it back to us fixed.

Anyone have any advice on how we might take Comet to the small claims court?

kermitfrog

Did you actually read heavensbug's response? It's number 2 immediately below your OP.

treznik

kermitfrog wrote: »

Did you actually read heavensbug's response? It's number 2 immediately below your OP.

Yes, I did - and thanks for that info, heavensbug.

Sent a polite but firm email to Bob Darke at that address on 28th September. Got an automated reply saying my message would be looked at. Have heard absolutely nothing else since. I suspect it has been filed in the bin.

No avenue left to us now other than to pursue Comet through the courts. The Comet extended warranty scheme is nothing more than a scam.