Hotpoint Dryer broke less than 1 month outside 12 month warranty!

pstones578

Dryer just broke and hotpoint said that I'll have to pay £89.98 to get it sorted! I can't believe they're being so anal when the 12 months has only just passed. I've got all Hotpoint appliances and am really dissapointed. Anyone suggest anything?

mebsy

I think you should send them copies of any Hotpoint receipts that you have and try the goodwill gesture to resolve the dispute.

Failing that I would call their bluff by making a claim through the small claims court (costs £25) to get them to perform the task on the basis that the dryer should have lasted several years rather than one year.

They are not going to defend the claim over this size issue as it would cost far too much for them to prepare their case.

Claudie

If they aren't open to repairing it under warranty as a goodwill gesture then I would be tempted to call a local Mr Fix It, you can probably get someone out far cheaper than Hotpoint.

thomasbentley_2

All recently purchased items are currently made to last the guarantee period + 1 day- thoroughly irritating isn’t it- except apple that break down well before the date on repeated multiple occasions!!

kwatt

Hi,

We get annoyed about this in the trade as well, but this is the way of things depending on the manufacturer and, since Hotpoint is really Indesit in disguise now as they own Hotpoint, don't expect a lot of sympathy from them, or much of anything really.

The fact of it is that the manufacturers warranty is provided "over and above" your statutory rights as a consumer the problem being, as I seem never to be done explaining to people, is that consumer rights do not guarantee against a failure as it is not a test of durability. All this does is state, in essence, that the goods are "fit for purpose", it clearly does not state for how long it is to be fit for purpose, that comes under the old chestnut of a "reasonable" period and that can vary massively.

In short the manufacturer, doesn't matter who it is, can as soon as the warranty expires, leave you to pick up the cost for any repairs and that's just it I'm afraid.

Sorry it's a bit negative, but that's what I find having lots of experience with some of these people and the only way I can advise avoiding this sort of treatment is to buy wisely in the first place, or at least as wisely as you can.

HTH

K.

stan747

on the positive side, hotpoint spares can be cheap if you know where to look, what exactly is the fault?

GeoThermal

You really do have a good case to push for a free fix. This is clearly not a reasonable length of time for a washing machine to last.

JulianF_2

I would take the advice of Mebsy and go to Small Claims Court if you can't get it fixed through goodwill.

You need to take the action against the retailer on the grounds that it should have lasted more than just over a year.

How do I know?

A colleague had a washer break down after 3 years or so - well out of the warranty period. She took the retailer to the small claims court on the basis that it was reasonable to have the machine last longer than 3 years. And she won. Plus expenses.

It's the hassle of doing it that puts people off. And the expense of it that stops vendors defending themselves. I'd say be tenacious and go for it unless it's resolved via goodwill (which is what I'd prefer). But don't threaten court action unless you're prepared to go the whole way.

Optimist

You really should have gone back to the shop you bought it from as that is who your contract is with. You have up to 6 years to pursue this under the sale of goods act. However your likely to have to fight on your hands so you might have to resort to the small claims court in the end for damages. Most if not all retailers are loath to admit you still have rights after the 12 months.

pstones578

stan747 wrote: »

on the positive side, hotpoint spares can be cheap if you know where to look, what exactly is the fault?

When the dryer is turned on it trips all the sockets out in the house!

stan747

sounds like a basic short, one of the crimped terminals has probably come loose and is resting against the case causing a short to earth. should be very easy to fix for someone with a little relative experience.