What rights do I have with my faulty extractor

foursunsp

Screwfix are refusing to deal with me and I wonder whether I have legal right to a replacement or not, on a faulty item with a guarantee. I explained to their customer services team, via email that, for (geographical) convenience, a plumber, on my instruction, bought an extractor fan for £74.99 from Screwfix in August 2016. I transferred money to him, as shown on my bank statement with his name and 'extractor' as a reference for £74.99. I have a copy of the invoice from Screwfix showing his purchase, a copy of my bank statement showing the transfer to him of funds and the faulty extractor, which has a burnt out circuit board and brown scorch mark on the outer casing. It has a 2 year guarantee so I am asking for a refund or replacement. Screwfix have stated that, due to Data Protection, they are unable to deal with me. They would need to speak to the original purchaser as their contract is with him and not me - unfortunately I don't have contact with the plumber who fitted it for me and I am now left with a broken extractor, which I bought as it had the two year guarantee. I have appealed to their common decency in order to try and resolve this, as I have all the proof I thought I needed, but have so far received 4 emails, from different representatives, saying they don't have to deal with me. If anyone can offer me advice this, I would be very grateful. Thanks.

shaun_from_Africa

Screwfix are 100% correct.
You did not make the purchase and as such there is no contract between you are them and they could well be breaking the DPA by discussing anything related to the transaction especially as they would have the address of the plumber and possibly some of the payment details they used.


Have you tried contacting the manufacturer directly to enquire about a warranty claim?

BorisThomson

Screwfix are correct. Your contract is with the plumber. It is the plumber that has a contract with the retailer.

ssparks2003

Screwfix's customer service has always been spot on and really helpful whenever I have had cause to speak to them, but since you did not buy the item from them they are bang on the money not to talk to you. It's either back to your plumber or buy a new extractor.

bris

Of course you transferred the money to him, it's how we work. We buy the goods at our discount and you then pay us.


This makes you our customer not the merchants.


The manufacturer will replace it for you so why haven't you been in touch with them yet?

zoob

Screwfix is a multichannel wholesaler retailer so your fitter bought the hood from screwfix acting as wholesale customer and then it was sold to you by the fitter acting as a retailer so your rights are with the fitter, so either use his reciept he give you for the job and go to the Cooker hood company and ask them to sort it or get your fitter to sort it for you as he’s the retailer who’s responsible

Alter_ego

Or just buy a replacement, which you find is faulty after a week. Return it with your receipt.
Trouble is that would be fraud.

foursunsp

Thanks for your all your replies, appreciate the information. Screwfix said that my warranty is invalid with the manufacturer too, as I am not the original purchaser, despite being able to prove I paid for it via the plumber. Lesson learned - always pay for the goods directly if you want guarantees to be honoured. Unfortunately, I cannot get hold of the original plumber, so looks like I will have to accept that I am not covered this time.

LadyDee

foursunsp wrote: »

Thanks for your all your replies, appreciate the information. Screwfix said that my warranty is invalid with the manufacturer too, as I am not the original purchaser, despite being able to prove I paid for it via the plumber. Lesson learned - always pay for the goods directly if you want guarantees to be honoured. Unfortunately, I cannot get hold of the original plumber, so looks like I will have to accept that I am not covered this time.

You might strike lucky with the manufacturer. I had a faulty thermostat control which had been purchased and installed by a tradesman about 2 years previously, I phoned Honeywell to explain it was faulty and they sent me a new one. Worth a try.