Faulty radiators - labour cost recoverable?

Innys1

Hello

I hope someone on here can help me.

A year ago I purchased a couple of radiators which came with a 25 yr guarantee. The supplier was online.

A couple of weeks ago they developed started leaking and I had to replace them with substitutes. I paid a plumber for the labour.

The supplier has said they will refund me the cost of the radiator. However, they are saying they won't pay for the labour as the Consumer Contract legislation doesn't require them to. Is this correct?

It seems a bit unfair as the only reason I paid through the nose for a plumber was because of their faulty radiators.

Thanks

AJXX

I don't understand why you mention a 25 year guarantee then go on to say you went out and replaced them (assuming with something else) at the first sign of trouble.

Surely what you (the plumber) should have done is repair the leak or block off that particular radiator while you invoke the 25 year guarantee for a remedy?

It seems a bit odd that multiple radiators would start leaking at the exact same time? Perhaps there was a pressure spike in your system or something else which caused the leak?

Surely this would have mitigated your loss? I can't see them paying for the labour when you've replaced the radiator with something else.

Innys1

There were two identical radiators.

One started leaking and I contacted the supplier and asked for a replacement. The leaking radiator was blocked off by the plumber.

I contacted the supplier and they agreed to send a replacement radiator but it would take a couple of weeks to source one. I agreed to wait until then as I thought it was a one off.

While I was waiting, the second started leaking and the plumber had to be called out a second time to lock that one off too. Both radiators ended up leaking in exactly the same place.

At that stage I lost all faith in the product and asked for a refund which the supplier agreed to.

The only reason I had to call a plumber out four times was because of their faulty radiators so why should I pay for it, especially given the fact they had a 25yr guarantee.

bod1467

Did the radiators leak? Or was it the couplings with the pipes? Or the valves?

I suspect the guarantee only related to the construct of the radiators, and perhaps also the valves if they were supplied as part of the package. If the leak was at a coupling then this would not likely be covered.

Innys1

bod1467 wrote: »

Did the radiators leak? Or was it the couplings with the pipes? Or the valves?

I suspect the guarantee only related to the construct of the radiators, and perhaps also the valves if they were supplied as part of the package. If the leak was at a coupling then this would not likely be covered.

The radiators leaked where the horizontal pipes meet the verticals - you can clearly see where the water had emerged because it has stained the external finish.

AJXX

Innys1 wrote: »

While I was waiting, the second started leaking and the plumber had to be called out a second time to lock that one off too. Both radiators ended up leaking in exactly the same place.

But to be fair, Radiators generally don't have many places they can leak from do they? it'll either be one of the pipes or the air release valve.

At that stage I lost all faith in the product and asked for a refund which the supplier agreed to.

This was probably a knee jerk reaction on your part - as I said, the fact that both started leaking suggests to me that there may have been air, excess pressure or something else with your system that caused this. Possibly even badly fitted in the first place.

The only reason I had to call a plumber out four times was because of their faulty radiators so why should I pay for it, especially given the fact they had a 25yr guarantee.

What does the guarantee say regarding labour? There's a difference between a guarantee and your rights under SOGA/CRA....

Under SOGA/CRA there's a very small potential for 'consequential loss' but I doubt that their guarantee would cover this. If they've offered a refund then it sounds like they've met the conditions of their guarantee and offered a refund without inspecting the radiators for damage etc... which seems fairly reasonable to me.

Innys1

AJXX wrote: »

But to be fair, Radiators generally don't have many places they can leak from do they? it'll either be one of the pipes or the air release valve.

This was probably a knee jerk reaction on your part - as I said, the fact that both started leaking suggests to me that there may have been air, excess pressure or something else with your system that caused this. Possibly even badly fitted in the first place.

What does the guarantee say regarding labour? There's a difference between a guarantee and your rights under SOGA/CRA....

Under SOGA/CRA there's a very small potential for 'consequential loss' but I doubt that their guarantee would cover this. If they've offered a refund then it sounds like they've met the conditions of their guarantee and offered a refund without inspecting the radiators for damage etc... which seems fairly reasonable to me.

I have pictures which show the leaks were where the verticals met the uprights which I sent to the supplier.

Yes, I could have waited for replacement radiators to be sent but given my experience with these two, I felt there was no guarantee they would be any better. As for the cause of the failure, no other radiators in the system have been affected. If it was a systemic problem, the other radiators should have suffered too - not just these two.

The faulty radiators were aluminium ones and the others were mild steel. Since the problem I have found out mixing these two types of radiator in one system isn't a great idea but the suppliers website never mentioned this. Indeed, they haven't even asked since the problem arose.

I guess your last paragraph is the key. If the SOGA/CRA limits consequential loss, I don't have much chance of claiming the cost of the labour. Thanks for your response, though

Innys1

Update, for anyone who is interested.

The labour cost me £500 and the supplier have agreed to cover £70 of that.

Having spoken to Citizen's Advice, I can still submit a claim for consequential loss which I will do.

The consequential loss claim is separate to the claim for refund of the cost of the faulty goods which the supplier have agreed to.

marliepanda

You didn't take any steps to mitigate your loss, at all, so your claim will likely fail.

neilmcl

Innys1 wrote: »

Update, for anyone who is interested.

The labour cost me £500 and the supplier have agreed to cover £70 of that.

Having spoken to Citizen's Advice, I can still submit a claim for consequential loss which I will do.

The consequential loss claim is separate to the claim for refund of the cost of the faulty goods which the supplier have agreed to.

Wow, £500 to substitute 2 radiators, somebody's having a laugh. :eek:

Innys1

neilmcl wrote: »

Wow, £500 to substitute 2 radiators, somebody's having a laugh. :eek:

That's four visits, two of which were emergencies in the middle of the night - in London.

You try getting a plumber out in London at night and see how much it costs you.