AEG Fridge/Freezer door dropped for 3rd time

thelurch

Hi all,

After a bit of advice.

We bought a nice AEG Fridge Freezer in Feb 2014 for £755

We were very happy with it until Jan 2015 (11months after delivery) when we noticed there was some resistance shutting the fridge door, which developed into the door popping open randomly. This quickly developed into the door not shutting at all.

A bit of detective work revealed that the door had dropped about 1cm due to the little hole on the underside of the door where the 'hinge' sits in had given way and sunk into the hollow of the door, thus making the door drop. It had to be lifted in order to be shut.

So I got a service call from AEG who ordered a new door and fitted it.

Then again in Sept 2015 (8 months after 1st door replacement) the same thing happened, and another service call resulted in a second replacement door being fitted.

At this point I aired my view at AEG that the door was a design fault, and it would happen again. We don't overload the door and no one hangs off it! Just normal use for 2 adults and a 9 year old.

They said its not something they had identified as an issue with other customers (obviously) but offered to extend the existing 2 year warranty by an extra year.

Now today, 7 months after the 2nd replacement door was fitted, and just over 2 years after purchase the door has dropped in exactly the same way.

Tomorrow I call AEG, and don't really want them to fit a 4th door, so will be asking for a refund so we can get a similar specced appliance from a different manufacturer that doesn't have the same door hinge set up as this will happen again.

Any tips on how to tackle this? as I need to say the right thing.

It's a great fridge apart from the door issue.

If we agreed to a further repair then that would be the 4th door fitted to the fridge, which I would say is pretty unreasonable on a £750 machine, especially in a little over 2 years.

Thanks

marliepanda

You've had it two years, so you're certainly not going to get a full refund.

That may be worth considering when turning down the door.

Legally I'm not sure you're entitled to much. You've had it a long time and they have repaired it. Unless you can get a report to show its not through misuse but even then they can replace, offer a partial refund or, as they have been, repair it.

thelurch

But in my opinion it was built to fail, so was inherently faulty, we notified them of the 1st fault after 11 months but that was when it failed completely. So in actual fact it's lasted 10 months, 8 months and now 7 months.

Surely goods have to be fit for purpose and it's had the same fault develop twice, almost 3 times inside their own 2 year warranty.

I won't turn down a further repair but I will push for a better resolution first.

I do know someone who repairs white goods, maybe I could get him to write an 'independant' report into the fact it was always going to fail and is a design fault, as anyone who sees the photos can clearly see exactly what I mean.

Thanks

marliepanda

That report, which may need to be backed up so no point just getting a mate to, will still only entitle you to a repair, replacement or a partial refund though, which they are currently doing.

If it is indeed a design fault then it strikes me as odd they are continuing to fit that door. Doors are not free. That lends weight in my mind to their statement that its not happening with others.

You can push for whatever you want, and you may well get it, just telling you the legal position.

DCFC79

thelurch wrote: »

I do know someone who repairs white goods, maybe I could get him to write an 'independant' report into the fact it was always going to fail and is a design fault, as anyone who sees the photos can clearly see exactly what I mean.

Thanks

Yes you could try that, depends if he would see it as being a design fault.

Re a refund, you would need to contact the retailer.

thelurch

marliepanda wrote: »

That report, which may need to be backed up so no point just getting a mate to, will still only entitle you to a repair, replacement or a partial refund though, which they are currently doing.

If it is indeed a design fault then it strikes me as odd they are continuing to fit that door. Doors are not free. That lends weight in my mind to their statement that its not happening with others.

You can push for whatever you want, and you may well get it, just telling you the legal position.

No worries, the local authorised repairers are also where I bought it from (Euronics) Each time I've called and the first time it happened I had to try and describe it to a lady who herself wasn't very confident of the fault but said they would call me back. I got a call back from her saying the part had been ordered, no one actually came out to have a look first each time, they just ordered a new door but then as they are just an an authorised agent that's what they would do.

thelurch

DCFC79 wrote: »

Yes you could try that, depends if he would see it as being a design fault.

Re a refund, you would need to contact the retailer.

Yes I think I'm going to call the retailer tomorrow, as they are also the authorised service centre for AEG too I can ask them what they, the retailer will do as its them I've spoken to each time to raise the fault.

If they say repair then I will mention getting an independant report done and ask who they would recognise as suitable. I understand that after 6 months it's up to me to prove that the item was inherently faulty.

There is the threat of the small claims court as the item has to be 'fit for purpose' but also 'of satisfactory quality' and that's the key bit as this door shell really isn't compared to the rest of the appliance.

I shall endeavour to update.

mije1983

Just be aware that if the retailer does choose to refund you, they are legally able to deduct a percentage due the 2 years usage you have had.

Say the expected life of a FF is 10 years (just a random figure), you have had 2 years usage so they could deduct 20% of your purchase price off any refund they offer, assuming a linear depreciation. Could you get a similar one for £600? If not, you would have to pay the shortfall.

thelurch

mije1983 wrote: »

Just be aware that if the retailer does choose to refund you, they are legally able to deduct a percentage due the 2 years usage you have had.

Say the expected life of a FF is 10 years (just a random figure), you have had 2 years usage so they could deduct 20% of your purchase price off any refund they offer, assuming a linear depreciation. Could you get a similar one for £600? If not, you would have to pay the shortfall.

Well that would be a result as the same spec fridge freezers have come down to that price, I would happily have another AEG if they have incorporated a different door hinge in the new model which is £595

agrinnall

Have you done any research to see if other people are reporting the same issue with that model? If they are then that might add weight to your request for a refund. I have an AEG FF myself that has had no door problems at all in the 15 years that I've owned it.

thelurch

agrinnall wrote: »

Have you done any research to see if other people are reporting the same issue with that model? If they are then that might add weight to your request for a refund. I have an AEG FF myself that has had no door problems at all in the 15 years that I've owned it.

I have done but not found anything.
You mentioning that you've had no problems with your AEG in 15 years really speaks volumes as that's the sort of lifespan I thought I might get out of this appliance seeing the retail price of it yet the same part has failed 3 times in 2 years through, in my opinion a design fault