AEG/Howdens Help Please

jamcat_2

Very recently purchased a new kitchen and appliances from Howdens. Have been using oven for about 2 weeks and only a handful of times. It is faulty so we contacted Howdens who inform us that it is not their problem and to contact AEG. AEG Customer Service is not worthy of the name and it's impossible to speak to a human. We're bumped to a local approved repairer (and liable for call out costs etc.)
Question is: Surely it is down to Howdens to resolve this? We purchased from them not AEG. Also isn't it reasonable to expect a replacement (at no additional cost) considering a faulty product has been installed? It hasn't gone wrong - it's been wrong from day one!
Help/advice much appreciated. Thanks!

angryparcel

your contract is with Howdens. you have to give them a change to fix the issue before you can reject it

wealdroam

jamcat wrote: »

Very recently purchased a new kitchen and appliances from Howdens. Have been using oven for about 2 weeks and only a handful of times. It is faulty so we contacted Howdens who inform us that it is not their problem and to contact AEG. AEG Customer Service is not worthy of the name and it's impossible to speak to a human. We're bumped to a local approved repairer (and liable for call out costs etc.)
Question is: Surely it is down to Howdens to resolve this? We purchased from them not AEG. Also isn't it reasonable to expect a replacement (at no additional cost) considering a faulty product has been installed? It hasn't gone wrong - it's been wrong from day one!
Help/advice much appreciated. Thanks!

Hi Jamcat, welcome to the forums.

Have you read MSE's Consumer Rights guide yet?

Here's a short extract which confirms your view:

Know who's responsible

When returning items, beware shops trying the oldest trick in the book: saying they're not responsible for the shoddy goods and you must call the manufacturer. This is total nonsense!

If a company fobs you off by saying "go to the maker instead", it's wrong. It's the retailer's job to sort it.

It doesn't matter if it's an iPod from a high street shop or a designer frock from a department store. If something's broken, torn, ripped or faulty, the seller has a legal duty to put it right as your contract is with it.

Here's another extract that may help:

Get a full refund within 30 days

This is a nice new addition to our statutory rights. The Consumer Rights Act 2015 changed our right to reject something faulty, and be entitled to a full refund in most cases, from a reasonable time to a fixed period (in most cases) of 30 days. After that, you lose the short-term right to reject the goods and you'll have fewer rights, such as only being able to ask for a repair or replacement, or a full or partial refund if this doesn't work.

In summary, go back to Howdens and tell them you are rejecting the oven for a full refund because it does not conform to contract. As a consumer you do not need to accept any other remedy during the first thirty days following the sale.


Edited to add:
Now here's the tricky bit...
Howdens claim to be a trade only seller.
Did you buy from Howdens or did your kitchen fitter make the purchase?

If you purchased from Howdens did you buy as a consumer or a tradesman?

The earlier parts of my post were assuming you made the purchase as a consumer, but if that's not the case, you'll need to think again.

eddddy

As wealdroam says, Howden do not sell to consumers, only to trade professionals.

So I'm guessing that Howden supplied the oven to your kitchen fitter, and your kitchen fitter supplied it to you.

If that's the case, you have a consumer contract with your kitchen fitter, so you should approach them for a refund/replacement/repair.

The kitchen fitter will have a trade contract with Howden - which presumably allows the kitchen fitter to get the refund/replacement/repair costs back from Howden.

So Howden would just be fobbing you off, because you have no contract with them.



(Alternatively, if you happen to be a trade professional, and you bought direct from Howden, you need to check the terms of your trade contract, to find out the refund/replacement/repair terms.)