Indesit Fridge/Freezer

djh77

Morning all,

Need some advice regarding our Indesit fridge/Freezer. I made a thread about it about a year ago as it had gone rusty. Anyway, since then it broke completely.

The fridge kept making a really loud noise and eventually stopped working altogether. It was still under the year warranty so Indesit sent out an engineer who confirmed that basically the back of the fridge had overheated and melted. It was a common fault he said and that they had updated the fridge/freezer since then so it now couldn't happen. It could not be fixed so Indesit arranged a new replacement to be delivered.

A new one was delivered in about September 2013, which came with a new 1 year warranty. Since we have had it, we have had to have a new door fitted as the original one leaked (water dispenser in the door - they fitted a new valve to this to start with, but it didn't cure the problem) and the lever for the water dispenser has snapped (apparently not covered under warranty!).

However, last night the fridge started to make a really loud noise again, the same as the first one had done, and when we have woke up this morning it is, again, not working at all. My gut feeling is that it is exactly the same problem and fault as the first (same noise and result), despite being told it could now not happen. We are waiting for a call-back to see when they can get an engineer out, but have been told it may be a couple of weeks. In the meantime we have had to rush out an buy a new fridge (the freezer part still works at the moment).

Now, having had 2 of these they have gone wrong, both times within 6 months of having them, I have absolutely no confidence that another new one will not go exactly the same way, and leave us in poo when it does (we live in a rural location with no shop for about 5 miles and young children/baby - so need a fridge to keep milk etc). Do I have any rights at all to ask for my money back and go and purchase another one that isn't an Indesit? I bought this from Comet who have gone bust so can't get anything out of them. Or am I just in a situation where I am stuck with Indesit just providing replacement after replacement?

Cheers for any advice.

unholyangel

What do the terms of the warranty state (very nice of them to give you a new 12 month warranty btw, they didn't have to!).

TadleyBaggie

Original thread here.

djh77

Got to be honest, I am not sure where I will find the warranty information. I can't see anything in the instruction booklet thing that came with the fridge/freezer, and can't seem to find anything on Indesit's website.

Any idea where I could look?

unholyangel

djh77 wrote: »

Got to be honest, I am not sure where I will find the warranty information. I can't see anything in the instruction booklet thing that came with the fridge/freezer, and can't seem to find anything on Indesit's website.

Any idea where I could look?

Are you sure the replacement came with a new warranty and wasn't running under the original warranty?

djh77

No, definately came with a new warranty. The lady on the phone, when she told me exactly when the replacement would be arriving, said it came with a new warranty. And, when we called today to get an engineer out, there was no hassle.

unholyangel

djh77 wrote: »

No, definately came with a new warranty. The lady on the phone, when she told me exactly when the replacement would be arriving, said it came with a new warranty. And, when we called today to get an engineer out, there was no hassle.

Sorry, was just checking after you said you had no documentation! Perhaps just ask them for a copy of the warranty?

If you paid by credit card, you may be protected under section 75 of consumer credit act (which makes credit jointly liable with retailer - meaning you have same rights with the card company as you do the retailer, even if that retailer went bust).

If you didn't pay by card them i'm afraid it is just down to the terms of the warranty!

djh77

I will re-check through all the documentation I have tomorrow on it, I guess it may be hidden somewhere in the pack I got with it?!

Paid for it all on a debit card, so can't go down the cca route.

I guess the worse case is we will just get another new fridge/freezer from them. Thanks anyway.

djh77

Sorry to bump this after some time, but thought it best to keep it all here.

We had an engineer out today to look at the fridge/freezer. Basically what is happening is a build up of ice at the back of the freezer. What happens on this model is that there is a fan at the back of the freezer compartment and this blows the freezing air up into the fridge. The loud noise we hear is when there is too much ice in the freezer and it is fouling on the fan. Then when the ice becomes too big the fan can not turn at all and therefore the fridge 'stops' working.

Okay, so the answer? Well according to the engineer, as soon as we hear the noise turn the fridge/freezer off for 48 hours! Now, this is supposed to be a frost free fridge/freezer. To get to the ice build up you have to take off 3 panels in effect and disconnect the fan. The engineer said it was a common fault with this model and it is just time before it stops working altogether.

So any advice as to what I should do now? It is still under warranty until August 2014. I have emailed Indesit to ask for a manager to call me as I don't feel it is an acceptable solution to have to turn it off for 48 hours (not sure what I am supposed to do with a fridge and freezer full of food in that time).

Thanks.

djh77

Again, really sorry to bump this yet again.

What happened last time was that the manager who I spoke to assured me there was no 'common' fault to this model and that as such they would not consider a refund, which is what I asked for. He did however give me extended warranty until August 2015 and said that they would re-consider their position should something happen to this one again.

Well, it has been making quite a noise for a couple of weeks. We phoned Indesit to tell them this, but they won't send someone out for an appliance 'just making a noise', despite the fact we know what is/was coming.

We went out today and came back home to find it not working again, with everything defrosting.

Fortunately we are borrowing one from my sister. However, and I know I have asked this before and the answer was 'what does the warranty say', would I have any kind of chance in a small claims court to get my money back from Indesit? I have no confidence that they can keep this working. I am fed up with being messed about, and frankly, can't keep taking the risk that it is going to keep breaking down like today.

wealdroam

In my opinion, you will have no chance of getting a refund from the manufacturer.

As has been said, the manufacturer only has to provide that agreed in the warranty.

Even if the seller was still around, they would only need to offer a partial refund which took account of the use you have had.

Remember also that Comet would've only paid Indesit a proportion of the amount you paid to Comet.

If the manufacturer has said this is not a common problem with this model, have they told you why your particular appliance is suffering in this way?

Having said that, if Indesit are not honouring their warranty terms, then you may have a case.