Travel expenses for returning a faulty goods?

minicooper272

I bought a flask from a supermarket while I was visiting friends. The flask was faulty and leaks when you drink from it or lay it on it's side. Unfortunately the nearest branch of the supermarket is around 4 miles away. The flask cost £7, and I would like to return it, but this is going to incur travel expenses. I can either drive (which will take me via some very stressful city centre roads and I'd need to pay for parking), or take a £2.50 train and walk a mile.

Altough these are small sums of money in the grand scheme of things, I am interested in knowing - if you incur travel expenses directly as a result of having to return a faulty item, what are your rights?

In this case, I have no need to visit this supermarket except to return the flask, and once I pay these expenses, the refund on the flask will barely be worth the effort involved.

Any thoughts?

tomtontom

Do you never go in that direction for any other reason?

Does the supermarket not have free parking? Very stressful city centre roads?

My thoughts are that, whilst you can reclaim the costs, you are making this far more difficult than it needs to be.

shaun_from_Africa

Why not send the head office of the supermarket an e-mail explaining the problem (attach a copy of your receipt) and see what they suggest.

For the sake of £7, you may well find that they either offer to send you another one in the post or to refund you without the need to return the faulty flask.

System

What will happen if you throw it in the bin and forget about it?

How much time will you spend on it for £7?

minicooper272

Tomtontom - I go out that way about twice a year and I don't think this one has parking so it's pay and display nearby.

Shaun - head office is a good back-up, but they will send vouchers usually.

Mutzi - £7 isn't worth much time at all, but for the most part, I'm intrigued about what people's rights are if they incur costs to return faulty goods.

hcb42

you can sue if all else fails..reasonable costs incurred and all that.

stevemLS

hcb42 wrote: »

you can sue if all else fails..reasonable costs incurred and all that.

Was wondering how long it would take.

8 miles at, generously, 50p/mile - claim for the princely sum of £4 - would love to be the DJ that came before.

hcb42

stevemLS wrote: »

Was wondering how long it would take.

8 miles at, generously, 50p/mile - claim for the princely sum of £4 - would love to be the DJ that came before.

How long what would take?

kingfisherblue

You can ask the supermarket. Nobody here can say for definite what their answer will be, but at a guess, they will probably refuse travelling expenses.


Having said that, I bought a purse for £18 from the Clark's outlet shop in Cheshire Oaks a couple of months ago. Once I arrived home, I transferred my cash and cards into it, but it wouldn't close. Obviously it isn't worth having a purse that won't shut, so I rang the shop. I explained that I live several miles away and don't go to Cheshire Oaks very often - maybe once or twice a year. I asked about travel expenses and they agrees to pay £5 towards my costs, in addition to a full refund for the purse as it was faulty.


I live a lot further away than four miles though.

hollydays

Yes, I've been in this position once or twice , asked and got it. It wasn't just the petrol it was my time and the inconvenient time I had to go and return the item as I needed it the same day.In my case it wasn't a supermarket.
My thoughts are find out the store managers name,not just the duty manager, then ring back and discuss it with him? You are relying on their goodwill , and being polite and reasonable gets you a long way. If they insist on vouchers , you could sell them on ebay .
If that fails, I'd forget it.

JournalGirl

We asked Ikea after havoc to drive 17 miles back to store to change some faulty kitchen panels. they paid ;-)