Warranty on £700 dental crown void unless I pay £350 for periodic checkups

euromike

I had a tooth implant and a dental crown on it done over the course of several visits in 2014. This was in London, and the total cost was about £2100, of which about £700 was crown itself.

I was asked to sign a lengthy contract during my first visit. I was also told that the crown came with a 5 year warranty, subject to me showing up every 6 months for check-ups. These were going to be checkups on the crown only, not general dental checkups.

Stupidly I've managed to lose the warranty paperwork.

Fast forward 6 months, I'm trying to book my first crown check-up, and I'm told the cost will be £35. So over the course of 5 years, the total cost will come up to £350. Unless I continue paying that, the warranty will be void. This was never disclosed to me when I was making the payments, and I'm sure there was no mention of the extra cost in the warranty docs.

I tried talking to the manager, but, through a receptionist, a message was passed back to me that "no-one else complains" and that "it didn't say it was going to be free". Well, I'm of the opinion that since it didn't say it was going to cost me, it should be free, and I disagree with their view.

Can someone please advise?

molerat

A warranty is in addition to your statutory rights and they can put whatever (reasonable) demands they wish on that warranty. The same as with a new car, you don't get it serviced for free.

agrinnall

euromike wrote: »

Well, I'm of the opinion that since it didn't say it was going to cost me, it should be free....

But you don't know what it said as you've lost the paperwork, so it might have said it and you just didn't spot it. Can you get a replacement copy of the paperwork so that you can be certain what was said, or not said, about ongoing costs?

euromike

sure, but shouldn't the extra conditions be disclosed at the time of making the purchase?

euromike

agrinnall wrote: »

But you don't know what it said as you've lost the paperwork, so it might have said it and you just didn't spot it. Can you get a replacement copy of the paperwork so that you can be certain what was said, or not said, about ongoing costs?

they confirmed on the phone that it didn't say there would be additional costs involved. Their argument was that "no other customer complains about it" and that "it didn't say it would be free, either".

unholyangel

Does the dentist in question normally give free check ups? I've never encountered a dentist who didnt charge.

The thing is, you''re not bound to have a check up every 6 months. Just if you wish to take advantage of the warranty it came with, you need to have it checked regularly.

I'm struggling to understand why you'd think the cost of appointments 5 years in advance would be included in the treatment unless they specifically said they were. If they didnt....I think its just been a (unfortunately wrong) assumption on your part.

Toothsmith

Is this a different practice you have to go to or is it your usual dentist anyway?

If they only look at the implant, it seems a bit strange to me - because then you'll be going to 2 dental practices twice a year to get different bits of your mouth checked.

The place I refer implants to like to see the patient again after 1 year - but after that, so long as they come and see me regularly, are happy that care is being continued.

Is it going to the dentist every 6 months you're objecting to? Because if you don't have regular checks, it's not just the £700 crown that's at risk, but the £2100 implant, and the priceless natural teeth as well.

Or is it having to get different things checked at different places - which I can understand.

Maybe this place could check everything for you every 6 months - or come to some agreement that so long as you are checked regularly by your own practice - that the warranty will still be valid?