Help with broken vase please.

cornz

My other half left her job about 6 weeks ago, a few weeks after she left she was bought a flower vase from a shop in town. Its a custom thing and although she has no receipt it has a sticker with the shops name on it.4
She used the vase once, took out the dead flowers, tipped out the water, filled it with moderately hot (easily hand tolerable) water, drop of detergent, brushed it out with a plastic scourer, tipped it out, put it under the cold tap, "CRACK"!!!.
Vase cracked...
So back off to the shop she went to argue the point that it was washing up water temperature, not boiling water and that it shouldn't fail like that. Abruptly told by the owner to go away and that was her lot and that she had no recourse.

So, whilst MY opinion is that the goods were not fit for purpose, before I get involved, i'd be grateful of any opinions. The shop is an independent else I would have been in touch with HQ.
Thanks.

jacques_chirac

It sounds like the vase had a hairline crack and the pressure/ change in temperature of the water caused it to break. Given that it is reasonable to expect the vase to be washed, I would agree it is not for purpose. As you are within six months of purchase, it is for the retailer to prove the fault was not inherent.

One caveat - if it was not your wife that bought the item she has no rights against the retailer. She would need to ask the buyer to handle this on her behalf.

cornz

Many thanks for that. I will ask my OSH if she has contact with any of the old staff....

heretolearn_2

It's because she had it in hot washing up water and then stuck it straight under cold tap. Quick changes in temperature will crack a lot of ceramic items - its not a fault, it's the nature of the material.

somethingcorporate

Really? I've done this with hundreds of ceramic items and not a single one has even broken.

I'd concur with reply post #2, sounds like it failed too quickly and too easily.

peachyprice

Is the vase ceramic or glass OP?

cornz

peachyprice wrote: »

Is the vase ceramic or glass OP?

it is sort of multi coloured glass vase. And the water was hand hot only...
if it is the case that the original purchaser has to instigate the complaint then i fear it will remain broken... Shame as its a nice vase. As far as vases go....

peachyprice

Sound like hand blown multi-coloured glass which is much more fragile that normal glass, I doubt it was the hand hot water that caused it to crack, but the rush of cold water immediately after could.

Still, you'd think the shop would have been more sympathetic.

cornz

She (other half) is gutted. She wanted an exchange or a credit note if they didn't have a replacement. Not cash...
Still, shall vote with my wallet and not entertain them....
:mad:

pinkshoes

Even with glass, you'd have to have a sharp and drastic temperature change to crack the vase like that!

Sounds more like a manufacturing fault.

I'd write to HQ and see what they say (explain it was a gift), then if they're equally as mean, name and shame!

(Post a piccie??)