Microwave - just out of warranty. Company want £40...

nice_cup_of_tea

Hello All

I wonder if anyone can help me. I imagine it is a case of tought luck and I should just move on....

• Basically I purchased a microwave from Richer Sounds on 20th Jan 2012.
• In the last weeks it has been making a terrible burning smell (after only being on for seconds) and when i say burning, I mean electrical burning (not food!) and then it switches off after 2 - 3 mins. Need less to say that is not much use.
• We don't actually use it very often - maybe once or twice a week - mainly for porridge so am even more miffed it has broken.

So I contacted Richer sounds and there response is as follows:
I am sorry that your microwave has become faulty.

I can have the unit collected from you and sent to our service engineers. Unfortunately the manufacturers 1 year warranty has now expired and the repair will now be chargeable.

I will need to take a repair deposit of £40. This covers the cost of the engineers time for 1 hour. If the unit can be fixed within this hour and does not require major components, then the unit will be fixed and returned to you with no extra cost. If it does require parts and / or will take longer than 1 hour to repair, the engineer will send you a quote and they will require your permission to continue.

Please note that if you refuse the quote, the repair deposit is not refundable

Now I am certainly not going to pay it as the microwave cost me £50 and don't want to throw good money after bad. But as it is only a few weeks out of warranty was I being unreasonable to expect it to be repaired free of charge?

Any advice appreciated.

Many thanks

McKneff

I;m astounded that Richer Sounds actually sell Microwaves, I thought it was just sound systems, telly etc. There are certainly none on their website.

nice_cup_of_tea

That is not answering my question but to answer yours, they certainly sold me a microwave a year ago, as that is where I purchased it from! I have receipts, emails etc! Don't forget they also own empire direct

Here is a link www.hotukdeals.com/deals/sharp-r756slm-microwave-grill-for-49-95-delivered-richersounds-1121578

This is the one I purchased

shaun_from_Africa

This sounds like a recipe for disaster.

nice_cup_of_tea wrote: »

In the last weeks it has been making a terrible burning smell (after only being on for seconds) and when i say burning, I mean electrical burning (not food!) and then it switches off after 2 - 3 mins.

If something electrical is making a "terrible burning smell" why are you continuing to use it until it turns itself off a couple of minutes after the small starts?

If the retailer or manufacturer was to find this out then they would have every right to refuse any repair, free or otherwise.

ThumbRemote

Under the Sale of Goods Act (different to the warranty), items have to last a reasonable time. It may be worth pointing this out to Richer Sounds, and saying you are not claiming under the warranty but under your statutory rights.

However, after this long, they can insist you get a report to claim the fault is inherent, ie not down to misuse. If this report is obtained, they can offer a refund which takes into account the use you've had of the product - so potentially you'd only get half back on it, as the expected life on a cheap microwave is probably pretty short.

Personally, I'd try asking Richer Sounds again, but would spend too much time on it for £25.

nice_cup_of_tea

It is a case of me not being gramatically correct in my first post. Of course I have not attempted to use it again after it started to smell and switch off. What would be the point?! Also I am always a little scared with microwaves

nice_cup_of_tea

ThumbRemote wrote: »

Under the Sale of Goods Act (different to the warranty), items have to last a reasonable time. It may be worth pointing this out to Richer Sounds, and saying you are not claiming under the warranty but under your statutory rights.

However, after this long, they can insist you get a report to claim the fault is inherent, ie not down to misuse. If this report is obtained, they can offer a refund which takes into account the use you've had of the product - so potentially you'd only get half back on it, as the expected life on a cheap microwave is probably pretty short.

Personally, I'd try asking Richer Sounds again, but would spend too much time on it for £25.

Thank you for your helpful response. I think it will take too much time and effort to get anywhere with this.I think I will have to put this down to experience...