Leisure Cooker purchased from Appliances Online

jevban

Hello

my mum replaced my cooker for me earlier this year and we bought a Leisure Range cooker from Appliances Online. On using the oven, the vent at the rear of the hotplate, that vents the steam from the oven, has become damaged, ie the paint has got a 'bloom to it' and looks like it has lost its colour, from black to a grey, and at the weekend, I cleaned off what looked like the starting of rust. I have emailed Appliances Online and Leisure and received this reply tonight from a customer service representative:

Further to my email below, I have spoke with Leisure today to discuss the complaint that you have with your appliance.

They’ve advised me that the grill is designed to be able to withstand the heat of the steam dispelled, however as the steam is being generated from the food cooking inside, it is likely that grease can gather in the vapour and will eventually damage the paintwork if not cleaned regularly.

I apologise if this isn’t the resolve you were hoping for, however Leisure are unable to offer any further advice.

We're open between 8am and 10pm daily to help you and can be called on 0844 3249222, or through an email to customerservices@ao.com. We look forward to hearing from you again soon.

Now, I cook with the oven no more than x 1 per week, as I have a halogen oven I use more frequently, and , I clean my cooker after each use, I do not allow grease to build up and damage paintwork . My argument is that this cooker is not yet 9 months old and is cleaned very regularly. What are my next steps please as I would expect paintwork on a cooker to last much longer than this.

Any replies gratefully received.

Jan

wealdroam

Duplicate post:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/63681305#Comment_63681305

jevban

Hi duplicated because I was unsure which forum to post it into. Please place in whichever you think is correct.

SevenOfNine

I'd be insisting they send an engineer to look at it.....& I certainly wouldn't let him/her fob me off when they came.

Point out that contrary to their response 'not being the resolution you were looking for', you were (and still are) expecting them to NOT to make a big assumption in order to wriggle out of their responsibilities and to INSPECT it first then make an informed 'diagnosis' of the problem.

Leisure seem to be blaming you for letting it get dirty and put you on the defensive ie "I only use the oven once a week and clean it after each use". You don't need to be defensive.

Allowed to get greasy or not, discolouration and rust should not be present so fast, though I'd have to say that after 16 years of frequent use my own white cooker has an element of brown discolouration in a very small area where the venting is (NO rust).

If that had happened in the first 9 months I'd have had some very strong words with the manufacturer AND the supplier (though I think Appliances Online are a pretty good company myself).

I'd probably email and refer to the 12 month warranty, the item does not meet your expectation of what a cooker should/should not do within a mere 9 month timescale. Therefore given Leisures initial unsatisfactory brushing aside of your concerns regarding rapid discolouration and rusting you are rejecting the goods.

Hopefully someone better qualified than I can help you more. Ordinarily I wouldn't start out by being snotty (well, actually I probably would) but you may need to bring in the 'still under warranty' bit before it actually runs out!

In the meantime OP try to do everything in writing (email) and keep copies. If you telephone anyone note down exactly date/time/name of who you spoke with. If you can attach a photo of the damage to your email to AO then that might be useful.

jevban

Hi SevenofNine

I have done almost all of what you recommend as emails are flying back and forth between AOL and myself. They are saying I have to prove the item is not fit for purpose and the fact that it is working is proof that it is. The offer to send an engineer out is backed up by the indication that I will be billed for that visit if the engineer finds it is something I have done/not done. I have also sent a photo of the section, but it really looks worse when I have the oven on and the steam is venting. I have just replied to them tonight, but will get back and remind them of the 'under warranty' bit, that's the only section I have omitted.

This is the most recent response:


Hi..................

Thanks for your reply.



I'm sorry to hear you're unhappy with the Leisure cooker, I understand the disappointment this is causing you.



The Sales of Goods Act does protect you, however, the cooker is fit for purpose as the cooker is working and cooking your food. After the first six months, it is down to the customer to show the appliance is not fit for purpose, once an engineer's report has been received we will look into the best resolve for you.



Alternatively, I would be more than happy to arrange an engineer visit for you, please be aware if the engineer visits and finds the problem is due to a customer issue, you may be charged for the call out.



If you would like me to arrange an engineer visit, please reply to this email and I'll arrange this for you.

SevenOfNine

So now they appear to be resorting to intimidation, if they deem this discolouration/rust is down to you then you'll be charged for the visit!

They should be champing at the bit to visit and ascertain what is actually happening, not trying to frighten you off with threats of 'charges'.

Any mention of the cooker no longer being quite so aesthetically pleasing after 9 months in the description or sales pitch when you ordered it? What will the thing deteriorate to in 5 years - yes it may still cook perfectly well, but who wants a tatty looking cooker taking centre stage in their kitchen.

Another suggestion, have you been on AO's website and left a suitable review of the product with a 1* rating, also Ciao and Reevoo are pretty good as well. Might help you feel better when you've aired your experience with the cooker on those sites, warning others of this 'acceptable' flaw and Leisures disinterest in investigating thoroughly.

jevban

Thanks SevenofNine

I will do what you suggest

thanks for the input


Jan

PZH

SevenOfNine wrote: »

I'd be insisting they send an engineer to look at it.......

Who are "They" ? (i.e. AO or Leisure ?)

SevenOfNine wrote: »

So now they appear to be resorting to intimidation, if they deem this discolouration/rust is down to you then you'll be charged for the visit!

To be fair, as far as I can see, AO are correct.

IF the OP is claiming under SOGA, then after 6mths it is up to the OP to get an independent report to prove that the issue was inherent (i.e. there at the manufacturing stage - and this could include a faulty paint coating around the steam vent)

However, it is up to the OP to pay for this and, if successful, claim the cost of the report back from AO as the retailer.

The alternative, as suggested by AO, is for them to send an engineer out and inspect it themselves. Again, if this proves NOT to be an inherent fault, then the OP would be charged for the visit.


However, if you want Leisure to send out an engineer under the terms of their Warranty (i.e. Leisure Warranty), then you probably find it easier to request that through Leisure directly.



Just to add - in my opinion - people jump too readily on the "Fit for Purpose" argument. The oven IS fit for purpose as the cooker is clearly working as a cooker.

The issue is with the quality of the product...


Often banded around these forums is the phrase SAD-FART

Satisfactory quality,

As

Described,

Fit for purpose,

and last a

Reasonable length of

Time!

jevban

Hi PZH

I wrote in terms of the SAD FART acronym. To give much credit to APO, they are in lots of dialogue with me, Leisure have not bothered to respond. I fully accept the cooker works, so in terms you describe it is fit for purpose, but the quality of it is another issue. I accept discolouration will occur on any unit given time, but not on a big ticket item like a cooker where the oven is used only x1per week and looks less well than my old cooker that was around 15 years old. Have manufacturing deteriorated so much in so few years?

Thanks for your comments though.

Jan

jevban

Just spoken with Leisure customer service and again questioned about how I clean my cooker and referred to the cooker manual. Interestingly, it says on PAGE 24, maintenance and care, 'do not use steam cleaners for cleaning'. This suggests to me that steam may damage the material...precisely my argument, in that the steam venting out of the oven is discolouring the paintwork. Again, Leisure, the same as AOL are saying if an engineer visits under the warranty, then if he deems this not to be a manufacturing fault and instead, some fault of mine, then it will cost me between £50 and £90 . I am befuddled.

SevenOfNine

PZH wrote: »

Who are "They" ? (i.e. AO or Leisure

Leisure

However, if you want Leisure to send out an engineer under the terms of their Warranty (i.e. Leisure Warranty), then you probably find it easier to request that through Leisure directly.

Good idea.....if they were being more responsible for their product.


Just to add - in my opinion - people jump too readily on the "Fit for Purpose" argument.

Not an opinion I share in this instance, I do not consider an already rusting cooker to be suitable for food preparation, but I suppose we all have different standards.