Washing machine fault

H_C

Hi,
This is my first post so bear with me if ive posted on the wrong section etc.

So to explain the current situation. I have a grundig washing machine that is all working fine besides the door handle which no longer works (probably a spring or something has come loose) so once you close it you cannot open it without force. Its still under warranty so someone cane out to have a look but they literally did nothing besides open it. So now i have to wait another week for a part so they can fix it.. (they guy didnt even unscrew the door to see inside. Or take the door with him and give us another whilst they fix ours)

But my question is can i get them to pay for the laundrette bills as long as i keep receipt as i also rely upon the washing machine for my current business and the inconvenience ?

Sorry if i rambled but all details are necessary.
Thanks

unholyangel

I wouldn't mention that you use it for business. It may invalidate any warranty you have with the manufacturer.

But as you are having the repair under warranty, I very much doubt they'll pay as they usually exclude business loses, consequential losses etc.

H_C

Really? So they wont pay for laundrette even if its not our fault thw washing machine is broken? 2 weeks is really dragging it just for a door handle replacement.

Ms_Chocaholic

Can you still use the machine though, you mentioned that you can open and close the door (with force).

H_C

Atm no. The guy who came out to fix it struggled. He even put some tissue in the locking mechanism to prevent it from closing.

wealdroam

H_C wrote: »

Really? So they wont pay for laundrette even if its not our fault thw washing machine is broken? 2 weeks is really dragging it just for a door handle replacement.

Although it's not clear, you appear to be talking about a manufacturer's warranty. Who are 'they', 'them' and 'someone'?

A manufacturer's warranty is in addition to your statutory rights and can include terms such as "business use will void the warranty" and "no consequential losses are covered".

If you made the purchase as a consumer, rather than a business, you do have statutory consumer rights with whoever sold the thing to you. These rights do include consequential losses, and any remedy must be made without causing significant inconvenience.

H_C

I see. So if you ignore the use of the machine for work does it make any difference? Can i charge the "manufacturer" for my laundrette bill?

Fosterdog

Is the any reason you can't just hand wash your clothes, no need to run up a launderette bill? It is annoying but a washing machine is technically a luxury item, there are still many people who don't have one. I had to go four months of hand washing once when my one machine broke and I couldn't afford a new one until I saved up.

wealdroam

H_C wrote: »

So if you ignore the use of the machine for work does it make any difference?

Not sure what you mean here - difference to what?
You need to read your warranty documentation to understand whether is covers 'business use'. Most don't. If yours doesn't cover that, then you might be wise not to mention business use.

H_C wrote: »

Can i charge the "manufacturer" for my laundrette bill?

Again, read your warranty documentation to determine whether or not it covers consequential losses. Most don't.

Did you read that part of my post about your statutory rights?

Have you read MSE's Consumer Rights guide yet?

shaun_from_Africa

Before anyone can begin to hazard a guess as to what consumer rights you may have there are a few things that you need to clarify.
When you state that you use the machine for your business, what exactly do you wash and how often is it used?
If it's just clothing that you or your family wear whilst at work then this is something that most people would class as domestic use.
If however you mainly use the machine to wash clothing for customers or employees of yours, this would be business use and as such your legal rights would be far more limited than if you were a consumer.

Another question is how did you pay for the washer?
If it was a business purchase (ie, it was paid for by way of a company account or credit card) or you claimed a VAT allowance for the purchase through your company accounts then there is no way that it would be anything other than a business to business transaction.