Homebase - should I have paid?

ljwilson_2

Last May I bought a new Lawnmower from Homebase, it came with a 2 year guarantee. I had a voucher that got me 15% off my purchase.

Yesterday I had to return the lawnmower as it had stopped working. They replaced it without any fuss but they charged me £13.50, the amount I had originally saved with my voucher. Is this correct?

Thanks for you help

Lorna

vuvuzela

That sounds pretty rubbish. I suspect they've got a dodgy IT system and they did it as a refund and then repayment so as the price hadn't changed, they needed extra money to make up the value. A terrible way to do business.

philatio

No that is not right.
You bought the item for a set price. If it's a direct replacement due to fault then it's like for like.

If said lawnmower had now dropped in price by £30 do you think they'd have given you a new one plus £30 cash? No chance.

Complain to head office.

unholyangel

philatio wrote: »

No that is not right.
You bought the item for a set price. If it's a direct replacement due to fault then it's like for like.

If said lawnmower had now dropped in price by £30 do you think they'd have given you a new one plus £30 cash? No chance.

Complain to head office.

Yes, like for like. So a 11 month old lawnmower would be like for like.

From what OP has said, sounds like they've gotten a betterment (ie, a brand new lawn mower).

philatio

But they charged him £13.50 for it.

Fair enough if they offered to send it for repair OR offered him a new one for £13.50 but if they said his only option was to pay the £13.50 to get a replacement then thats wrong.

ljwilson_2

I contacted HO and they said that all they had to do was put me back to the same state as before I bought the mower, i.e refund the money I paid for the mower. it was then up top me if I bought another! They said they did not have to exchange it for another one

halibut2209

Counter with "You are right, you need to put me back in the same state as before I bought the mower. I look forward to receiving my new 15% off voucher"

unholyangel

halibut2209 wrote: »

Counter with "You are right, you need to put me back in the same state as before I bought the mower. I look forward to receiving my new 15% off voucher"

I wouldnt go down the "i want exactly what my rights are" route bearing in mind they're allowed to deduct from the refund to account for use the OP has had or OP might end up with no voucher and a partial refund.

halibut2209

I was just referring to the fact that Head Office have themselves stated the OP should be put back in the same state.

But you are right, a partial refund for nearly a years use would probably be appropriate. Say 15%

DD265

HO's reply does sound right to me although perhaps as a gesture of goodwill it would've been nice to waiver the £13.50!

If the £13.50 had originally been paid with a gift voucher then I would've expected them to cover that angle as you paid that much, but with it being a discount it was just a saving rather than a payment.