AO - Aftercare Protection Plan

27cool

I've been getting letters from Hotpoint about our "new" washing machine for several years now. Not a problem, we just bin them. Luckily they don't have our phone number.

Kynthia

27cool wrote: »

I've been getting letters from Hotpoint about our "new" washing machine for several years now. Not a problem, we just bin them. Luckily they don't have our phone number.

Yes Hotpoint had my address and kept sending me letters about extending my warranty but neglected to use my contact details when it turned out my tumble dryer was on the recall list.

To be honest I find self insuring beyond the free warranty the best. If you add up how much you could spend on various extended warranty and cover plans compared to how many products you actually need to repair or replace within those time frames I'd bet the latter costs less.

Clive_Woody

We've had our Bosch fridge freezer for 15 years and other than a new door handle it's still going strong. The lady in the shop actually said I wouldn't bother with a warranty on a fridge, with so few moving parts compared to say a washing machine they really aren't worth spending out on. Any major issues are likely to crop up in the first year while under warranty.

B99

Just had this phone call from AO after buying a washing machine. After a long but hurried spiel about how amazing it was, I was asked for my bank details.

I explained that I hadn't agreed to taking it out so why would he need my details, to be told that it was free to set up (like any direct debit would be!) and therefore that wouldn't cost me anything.

This is blatant miss-selling. The salesman had no idea of my own insurance or warranties and completely disregarded them when mentioned. He also pushed the point about it being free to set up which is irrelevant. Worst of all, the practice of trying to set up a direct debit without even asking if I would want this is astounding.

Really well priced products but avoid the hard sell.

worried_jim

I've just got a tumble dryer from them and the overall service was excellent but also got the call, I'm normally switched on to this BS but it took a minute of chatting to realise it was a sales call so I just said please have a nice day but foxtrot Oscar and never call me again. Job done.

CLW4590

They were pretty underhand with me. They gave the pitch "just checking your address and what you ordered..can you confirm xyz...blah...." total bs....then said "right, do you have a pen, I'm going to give you this emergency call out number for Domestic and General. It means that you can call them out should there be any issue, and they'll repair or replace absolutely free"...I said "No it won't be free, I'll be expected to pay a fee" to which he said "There may be a nominal charge, but only coppers". I told him to categorically do one at this stage (he'd already been on 10 mins and I was at work). I said I do not want an extended warranty, it's what you are selling, please go away. He'd annoyed me more with the way he was trying to get me to agree - not transparent at all and if I wasn't as switched on, I could see people being sucked in.
It sort of spoilt an otherwise good service - good price - quick delivery.

alumende27

I would imagine they do it with all customers. Had the same experience when I bought a fridge from them back in 2015. All very chummy and then the sales pitch. I simply declined and they didn't push the issue. They were, by far, the cheapest retailer of the item in question so I suppose they need to try and claw back some money somehow to increase their profit margins.

arbrighton

smudger1964 wrote: »

AO are brilliant with price and delivery but they are very persistant with their trying to flog the warranty..Had 3 phone calls from them..Had to tell them to stop phoning in the end..

^^^ My experience too.

And not very transparent about what it was they were offering initially

arbrighton

Clive_Woody wrote: »

We've had our Bosch fridge freezer for 15 years and other than a new door handle it's still going strong. The lady in the shop actually said I wouldn't bother with a warranty on a fridge, with so few moving parts compared to say a washing machine they really aren't worth spending out on. Any major issues are likely to crop up in the first year while under warranty.

Indeed and the only thing we've replaced on ours was a shelf, which wouldn't have been covered anyway.

Bosch/ Siemens spare parts are easily available (genuine ones I mean)

northwalesd

dsdhall wrote: »

I would imagine they do it with all customers.

I recently (i.e. Feb) bought a c£500 appliance from them and didn't get a phone call - I'm feeling all left out now