Knowhow Customer claims help

hiltonian09

Hi

This is my first post. I am at a loss dealing with the inept staff at Knowhow.

Without going into the details too much ( i can provide if needed ) , i have been informed by 3 separate employees of KnowHow that my claim should not be an issue but it has been declined.

Every time i have spoken to the team they have provided me different reasons as to why the claim was declined and each time i rebuff they come up with something else.

They declined the claim for my laptop eventually siting negligence, it had been knocked into the sink while cooking which was accidental FYI we have used it in the kitchen for many months without an issue this one time it was unfortunate, this is why we have insurance / protection plans.

I have raised a complaint around the overall process and negligence in dealing with the claim from their side. They seem to have decided very early on in proceeding before they were even aware of the circumstances that they were not honoring there agreement.

Every question i raise to the customer care team is met with a generic response, i been told verbally on their recorded lines that the claim should be honored. They said they would look into and agreed to reply to me within a given period of time that has past without reply.

What are my options ?

I want to obviously get the service i have paid for, but i also want to try to ensure this doesnt occur to others.

Does anyone know the next steps i can take.

macman

But what 'insurance/protection' plan did you take out? The manufacturer's standard warranty does not cover accidental damage. If you want to claim for that, then turn to your household contents insurers, assuming you have accidental damage cover.
Dropping a laptop into a sink is clearly negligent and not the responsibility of the manufacturer or retailer, I'm bemused you could think otherwise.
If you are referring to the DSG 'Laptop Care Plan', then this does cover mishaps but not negligence: using a laptop next to a sink of water could well be seen as negligent.
Even if these policies do pay out, they are incredibly bad value for money: the retailer normally marks the policy up by 100% at least.

bris

TBH they have cited a good reason, you can't possible state you weren't negligent using a laptop whilst doing the dishes now can you?


I am also sure it will help make sure it won't happen to others, perfect example on what to not play with when doing the dishes.

hiltonian09

Well i would dispute the negligence as it was knocked into the sink when cooking, i do agree it was silly but it is covered within the accidental damage policy it was the protection plan you mentioned above.
If you watch daytime tv you will see that the ipads and other portable devices are used in the kitchen around.
It was left on the worktop and accidentally knocked into the sink. If you watch the latest ipad advert it is being used in a kitchen to assist in cooking next to a sink unit ?

The whole purpose of portable devices are to be portable, i would have claimed via the house insurance but they informed me it was covered. I have since moved house and i am unsure on whether i can claim.

Thanks for your responses.

I understand the point that it could be construed as negligent but the main gripe is around the treatment and even today they responded confirming that they have incorrectly told me that it was covered. Surely this is enough evidence to get this resolved

agrinnall

hiltonian09 wrote: »

I understand the point that it could be construed as negligent but the main gripe is around the treatment and even today they responded confirming that they have incorrectly told me that it was covered. Surely this is enough evidence to get this resolved

I'm not sure what else you would consider it: I presume you didn't shove it into the sink deliberately, and I'd guess that the house wasn't affected by a localised earthquake that tipped it into the sink, which only leave negligence. So if negligence is covered, your claim will succeed, if it isn't (which seems to be the case) it won't. Your only remaining argument is with them for providing incorrect information, but I doubt whether that is enough to get the resolution that you want.

Fosterdog

Using a laptop or any device of the sort in a kitchen anywhere near a sink is negligence, how can it be anything else?

What if it had been a bathroom and fell into a bath full of water would you agree that that would be negligent?

What about using outside in the garden in the summer right next to a swimming pool full of water?

They are not the sort of places a laptop should be used and common sense would tell most people that, to go ahead and use it there anyway is negligent.

waamo

Do you have accidental damage cover as part of your warranty?

wealdroam

waamo wrote: »

Do you have accidental damage cover as part of your warranty?

If it's Knowhow's Computing Care Plan then it offers:

Protection against mishap - we don’t expect you to wrap your computer in cotton wool. If your product suffers a mishap, we’ll fix it.

But of course there are some restrictions in the T&Cs.
One of which is:

WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED:

Repair or replacement of the product which has been neglected, abused, misused, or damaged intentionally. You must take reasonable care of the product.

They have obviously decided that placing the laptop where it could be knocked into the sink was not taking reasonable care.

I agree with them.

Leo2020

You can usually appeal their decision but in this I doubt you will be succesful. Have you asked about the appeals process?

Knowhow pay out on most claims, it is rare for them not to.

I think if the circumstances had been different then they would have paid if say you had a small child who had managed to get hold of it and put in the bath.

But as an adult using it near water you have to take responsibility.

williham

I don't think using a laptop in the kitchen is negligent, if they think it is then it should say 'you can't use it in the kitchen', it's probably 1/8 of your house so big enough to mention you can't use it there . Keep complaining and email the CEO if they don't approve the claim.

Leo2020

williham wrote: »

I don't think using a laptop in the kitchen is negligent, if they think it is then it should say 'you can't use it in the kitchen', it's probably 1/8 of your house so big enough to mention you can't use it there . Keep complaining and email the CEO if they don't approve the claim.

I don't think its using it in the ktchen which is the problem. I use my laptop in the kitchen on the dining room table sometimes, I don't put it on the worktop next to sink. Water and laptop equals bad idea.

Its like the lifts in Meadowhall shopping centre that tell you to leave when the doors open. You really don't need to state the obvious.