Currys/Kenwood Oven Nightmare

Touche

I'd appreciate some advice on my situation.

My elderly parents had an old gas oven which was becoming a pain to use. It no longer ignited unless you manually lit the flame and as my mum has developed knee arthritis and my dad is registered blind this was proving quite difficult... so I offered to buy them a new oven.

So off I went to Currys and purchased a new gas oven on 31/12/12.

It arrived on 12/01/13 and... the installation engineer didn't have a gas hose... so it was finally installed on 13/01/13.

All seemed well initially, but then it became increasingly difficult to light. My mum called to say she could no longer get it to stay lit and asked if I could help... So off I trotted to Currys on 10/02/13. There I was told that because it was purchased on 31/12/12 that I could not get a replacement/refund (even though it was installed on 13/01/13) but that it could be fixed only (I had actually asked for a refund).

So begrudgingly I accepted their engineer visit rather than a refund. It took 5 weeks and multiple engineer visits to fix the damn thing! During that time my parents had no oven On 20/03/13 it was finally fixed and my mum seemed satisfied.

On 27/03/13 I had a call from my mum to say that it didn't work anymore... same issue.

I went to Currys again and they called Kenwood. I demanded a refund. They refused. Currys said they couldn't do a refund without Kenwood's authorisation. Kenwood told me I had no consumer rights and they they would fix it or do nothing... take it or leave it. I had the store manager speak to their manager but no joy. So begrudgingly I accepted an engineer visit again.

The engineer came round on 02/04/13 and said he needed to order another part.

As of today I'd heard nothing. So went to the store again...

Kenwood have told the Currys manager that the part should be available tomorrow and an engineer "should" be round by the end of the week. They are refusing a refund. The Currys manager asked where they stand on the Sales of Goods act and they confirmed that they have been told never to authorise a refund or replacement!

I am stunned. My poor parents have been without an oven for 9 weeks+ so far this year and I feel extremely guilty.

Where do I stand in getting a refund? Who should I contact? I paid with a Barclaycard credit card so I assume my next ports of call are Barclaycard and Trading standards? I'm considering just buying them a new oven today and chasing a refund so they don't have to go without an oven any longer :-\

unholyangel

Have you tried putting your complaint in writing?

wealdroam

Once the goods have been accepted, Currys seem to think this happened before 10 Feb, you cannot reject the thing for a full refund.

After that, should the goods be inherently faulty, the seller only has to provide a remedy.

That remedy could be either a repair, replacement of refund.

The good news is that the consumer gets to chose the remedy.

The not so good news is that the consumer cannot force the seller to provide a remedy that is disproportionately costly.
So effectively, the seller chooses the remedy.

It appears that the seller has chosen repair as the remedy.

However, the seller must perform the remedy without causing significant inconvenience.
That might be an avenue worth pursuing.

The manufacturer would be right if he said the Sale of Goods Act does not apply to him.
Soga is between the seller and buyer, i.e. you and Currys.

Touche

unholyangel wrote: »

Have you tried putting your complaint in writing?

Have written a letter this morning. It's been emailed with my receipt as an attachment to their customer services. Will put it in the post also later today.

ThumbRemote

Any remedy must not cause significant inconvenience to you.

If they are persisting with a remedy which does cause signficant inconvenience, you'll need to provide your own remedy. In essence this means buy a replacement elsewhere (to avoid the inconvenience) and then pursue Currys for a refund of the original faulty product.

However as you've already had the inconvenience so far, it would be pointless trying this if an engineer is imminent.

Touche

ThumbRemote wrote: »

Any remedy must not cause significant inconvenience to you.

If they are persisting with a remedy which does cause signficant inconvenience, you'll need to provide your own remedy. In essence this means buy a replacement elsewhere (to avoid the inconvenience) and then pursue Currys for a refund of the original faulty product.

However as you've already had the inconvenience so far, it would be pointless trying this if an engineer is imminent.

I have no faith in the oven any longer. I am going to purchase an alternative oven this evening. With any luck it'll be in before the weekend.

I have written to the Currys Chief Exec and Chairman at head office demanding a refund threatening small claims/barclaycard claim.

If I get no joy that's what I'll have to do...

Touche

In case anyone cares, here's an update:

Wrote letters to everyone and their uncle. Got a call back from Currys customer services saying they'd look into it. The next day I got a call to say a refund had been authorised and I should go back in to store and speak to the manager. Went in and have arranged collection of the faulty unit on Wednesday. I have a receipt which states my refund will go to my account once the unit is collected.

The whole saga has definately put me off buying anything Kenwood branded again. They have shocking practices.

wealdroam

Touche wrote: »

The whole saga has definately put me off buying anything Kenwood branded again. They have shocking practices.

I think your anger should be directed more towards Currys, and here's why...


In your original post you told us...

Touche wrote: »

I went to Currys again and they called Kenwood. I demanded a refund. They refused. Currys said they couldn't do a refund without Kenwood's authorisation. Kenwood told me I had no consumer rights and they they would fix it or do nothing... take it or leave it. I had the store manager speak to their manager but no joy. So begrudgingly I accepted an engineer visit again.

It is ridiculous that Currys told you that they cannot give a refund without approval from Kenwood.

What Currys meant was that if they gave you a refund without Kenwood's authorisation, then they, Currys, would not get refunded from Kenwood.

Whether Currys get their money back from Kenwood or not is not your problem, and for Currys to blame Kenwood for not giving you a refund is very poor, in my opinion.


Anyway, glad you got your refund in the end.

zoob

Currys use the Kenwood name under licance on thier cookers, Kenwood only make small appliances, it's Currys own brand on larger appliances.
Don't let them full you.

patman99

Kenwood as a company are actually now a subsiduary of DeLonghi.

As you have learned, Currys aftersales are some of the worst around (now that Comet has closed). Persistence does, as you have found, eventually pay.