A question about returning something that may not be faulty......

Gingernutty

I bought an electric fan heater from Tesco. Texet brand, made in China - cheapy thing.

Annoyingly, it's fairly noisy, but the thing that worries me is that during use, the cable and the plug also get quite warm. Very warm, in fact. Worryingly warm.

I want to use it in my bedroom to warm the room whilst I shower and I've done this with a previous electric heater in the past.

The heater is left on for no more than half an hour in the evening and 20 minutes or so first thing.

However, as it is, I'm too worried about the warming plug and cable to use it much, if at all, let alone leave the room with it switched on.

I've got the receipt and the original packaging, would it be worth lugging the thing back to the supermarket to get a refund?

forgotmyname

If its a 3kw heater then it will get warm. As long as its not too hot to touch thats the main thing.

The cable will be just enough to do the job and the same with the plug. Notice how light the new plugs are compared to old fashioned ones?

I ordered a phone charger from china. I only wanted the USB part. But it came with a USB - Shaver plug and a Shave socket - standard mains plug.
They are going in the bin. Im sure the pins are hollow. So they will heat quickly in use and nothing to absorb the heat.

Pulling that much power though its bound to get warm.

frugal_mike

If the item is not faulty and the contract was not concluded at a distance then you can only return it if Tesco have a returns policy that says you can. If they have no returns policy or if the returns policy says the item should be unopened then you may not be able to return it.

You can always ask them and see what they say.

ThumbRemote

frugal_mike wrote: »

If the item is not faulty and the contract was not concluded at a distance then you can only return it if Tesco have a returns policy that says you can. If they have no returns policy or if the returns policy says the item should be unopened then you may not be able to return it.

You can always ask them and see what they say.

That all depends on what you mean by 'faulty'.

The Sale of Goods Act doesn't use that definition. It says goods must be of 'satisfactory quality', which includes safety as a measure of quality.

Even if the heater is working correctly and therefore not faulty, if the plug and wire are getting so hot it's unsafe then OP is entitled to return it.

neilmcl

There's no proof that it's unsafe, only the OP's opinion.

TBH, I'd imagine that Tesco would indeed give you a refund.

maninthestreet

Is the fan heater CE marked?
Just how warm is 'warm' - is it too hot to hold or even touch?

Gingernutty

maninthestreet wrote: »

Just how warm is 'warm' - is it too hot to hold or even touch?

Almost as warm as the outer casing of the heater. :eek:

I understand that it may not be faulty. I understand that it may well be supposed to do that - but I just don't feel safe!!

frugal_mike

ThumbRemote wrote: »

That all depends on what you mean by 'faulty'.

The Sale of Goods Act doesn't use that definition. It says goods must be of 'satisfactory quality', which includes safety as a measure of quality.

Even if the heater is working correctly and therefore not faulty, if the plug and wire are getting so hot it's unsafe then OP is entitled to return it.

Fair point. I should have said there is no right to return if the item conforms to contract, not just if its not faulty. Coloquially speaking though, I would describe an item that cannot be safely used for the purpose it was sold for as faulty.

Prothet_of_Doom

Is it as you expect ? You don't expect it to be noisy. So return it.

Gingernutty

I finally returned it and Tesco refunded with a brief explanation.

I told the lady that even if they didn't refund me, they were going to keep the thing. There was no way I was having something back in the house that I was too scared to use.

They refunded with no quibble anyway.

neilmcl

Out of interest when did you return it to them?