Currys/PCWorld Whatever Happens - Mis-sold?

Mrs_Yorkshire

Went to our local Currys/PCWorld today to buy a fridge - we needed one urgently as ours suddenly stopped working.

The sales assistant was very helpful when I said we needed something they had in stock and we chose a Currys Essentials model.

At the checkout, he said there was an extra discount, which obviously pleased me, and the total - £139.99 - was around £20 less than I had expected based on the display price. Yay - or so I thought.

Having got home and looked at the receipt, I've noticed that the fridge is listed as costing £119.99. There is a £9 discount, listed as 'manager offer - Manager Discretion' and then a £29 charge for Whatever Happens, which having looked it up I now know is some kind of service/care plan.

I was NEVER offered this and would certainly have declined it if I had been.

I've fired off an email to their customer services department to ask them to explain why this has happened but I'm not expecting a quick response seeing as it's Friday evening.

Just wondered if anyone else had come across this, what they did or what my rights are? I'm so cross - thought I was getting a discount but it looks as though the sales guy I thought was so nice has actually sneakily charged me for something I didn't want!

Or is this now something they add on to their products as standard and there's no choice but to pay for it? :mad:

InsideInsurance

The problem is that DSG have gone to very long extremes to ensure the Whatever Happens policy does not legally count as insurance and therefore doesnt have to follow the insurance rules nor have the Financial Ombudsman Service protection.

Ultimately they shouldnt just slip things in even if the total price is below the headline price. Check the cancellation terms on the plan and see if there is a cooling off period and if so cancel it following those and register the complaint with the store.

Personally I find that being loud in the middle of a store works much better at getting what you want -v- firing off an email or being taken into a side room etc.

Esqui

There's a 45-day cooling off period.

I presume that the price of the item had gone down but they'd not changed the ticket. Whether a mistake or not, they should have given you the choice.

dacouch

Esqui wrote: »

There's a 45-day cooling off period.

I presume that the price of the item had gone down but they'd not changed the ticket. Whether a mistake or not, they should have given you the choice.

If this was a bona fide Insurance product rather than a moody service plan they could be in serious trouble for selling insurance without seeking acceptance and whether it was suitable for the customer along with supplying policy documentation.

Apart from increasing their profits via avoiding Insurance Premium tax, contributing to the Financial Service Compensation Scheme and contributing towards the Ombudsman I can't think why Currys would want to avoid contributing towards the Financial Conduct Authority and the associated tight regulation on Insurance sales...

No_tongue.

'Moody service plan' ???

dacouch

No_tongue. wrote: »

'Moody service plan' ???

They cannot call it an Insurance policy as there is no cast iron guarantee your claim will be paid, you're relying on the solvency of the trust fund they've set up.

They will not call it a warranty as they would have to pay Insurance Premium Tax at 20%.

They've set up a complicated off shore system of trusts to avoid being regulated as an Insurance product with the protections a Insurance provides policyholders and to avoid paying Insurance premium tax.

They call it a "service plan" to avoid the above, where I come from that would be called moody. As in if someone came into my local and tried selling a moody Rolex we would call it a Rol ish

To clarify an Insurance Policy means the seller is regulated by the FCA who check their Fit and Proper and adhere to strict standards especially at point of sale. It also means the Insurer and broker (If applicable) contribute to the Financial Services Compensation Scheme which guarantees your claim will be paid (Some limits) http://www.fscs.org.uk. You would also have access to the Ombudsman if you're not happy about how your complaint was handled. It also means 6% of your premium is paid in tax for general insurance but 20% for warranties.

With a Whatever Happens "Service Plan" none of the above happen as it means Currys can make more money at the expense of protection for their customers.

People moan about Starbucks etc, they may be depriving the UK of tax revenue but they do not also take away customer protection

Which is why I would describe it as moody...

SuperHan

dacouch wrote: »

With a Whatever Happens "Service Plan" none of the above happen as it means Currys can make more money at the expense of protection for their customers.

It's not at the expense of protection for their customers. The "plan" does what it says on the tin. I myself have used it several times quite happily. Customers are fairly well protected under the terms of the product, so there isn't really a compromise, unless as you say the Trust 'underwriting' the plans goes bust, which is unlikely, considering the business model and how it is not directly linked with the trading of Dixons.

It's wrong it's been added without the customers consent (although you saved £20 and effectively got a 3 year warranty, which may not be the worst thing in the world), but as a service plan, it really isn't the hell you make it out to be.

Mrs_Yorkshire

Thanks folks. I'm heading down there shortly to ask them to refund the cost of the plan.
The fridge is a short-term solution until we move house - leaving the country in six months, so I certainly don't need a 3-year warranty!

There is reference on the documentation to the 45-day cancellation so they shouldn't argue. I could probably just sort it out myself, but I'm cross enough about their tactics - and in the right part of town to pop in - to go in and cause a wee fuss.

No_tongue.

[QUOTE=dacouch;



With a Whatever Happens "Service Plan" none of the above happen as it means Currys can make more money at the expense of protection for their customers.

People moan about Starbucks etc, they may be depriving the UK of tax revenue but they do not also take away customer protection

Which is why I would describe it as moody...[/QUOTE]


Wow! You really do have a passion for currys service plan...... Can I ask how their 'tax avoidance' compares with Starbucks (in monetary terms) and also what 'customer protection' Starbucks provide???

earthstorm

No_tongue. wrote: »

also what 'customer protection' Starbucks provide???

i think they will give your £1 million that they should of given HMRC if you spill your coffee :D

Esqui

The story reminds me so much of my old managers. Dodgy as f.... they were.