Credit card refund for purchase not fit for purpos

SueBEssex

I have charged the battery!

I have had an electric bike for years and at least know I need to charge the battery. I'm not proficcient at mechanics, but know to charge the battery.

With regards to the handlebars collapsing, the shop told me they had set it up and checked it. They seem as useless as the bike they sold me. The battery was fine on the 17th, fully charged, did a mile and a 1/4 before the chain came off, so if that's lost its charge it's faulty.

I will phone the shop up, ask for a refund, give them one chance at repair, if it fails I'll ask for a refund, if they don't give it, well 22 miles for 715 quid will be the most expensive mileage I've ever done, I got to America on British airways for 450, but that was a few years ago.

DoaM

To those saying the retailer may reduce the amount of refund ... I'm not sure an electric bicycle falls under the same auspices as a vehicle (car, motorcycle, etc.), therefore within 6 months from purchase any refund should be in full. (I'm happy for someone to prove me wrong on this).

Also, the retailer must bare any costs involved in providing the remedy for faulty goods - the OP shouldn't have to pay anything to return it. (I recall reading above someone suggesting the OP has to pay to return the goods).

SueBEssex

thank you DoaM, I hope you are right.

I will print out the bad reviews I have only recently found online, which state the same problems as the bike I have, I will print out the facebook messages I had with the chain of shops i bought it from.

Honestly, it's not like I've ridden the bike more than at most 22 miles, and all of that is on flat roads and short journeys. No bike should, within those constraints, be so utterly unrideable. It's not like i've ridden it over rough terrain and done hundreds of miles!

I'll get cracking tomorrow and contact the seller.

Would I have a better chance if I went the route of small claims court/not fit for purpose, would that be a possibility?

Thanks to all who have responded.

[Deleted User]

DoaM wrote: »

To those saying the retailer may reduce the amount of refund ... I'm not sure an electric bicycle falls under the same auspices as a vehicle (car, motorcycle, etc.), therefore within 6 months from purchase any refund should be in full. (I'm happy for someone to prove me wrong on this).

Also, the retailer must bare any costs involved in providing the remedy for faulty goods - the OP shouldn't have to pay anything to return it. (I recall reading above someone suggesting the OP has to pay to return the goods).

Unless bought online it's not down to the retailer to pay for return.

KeithP

_shel wrote: »

Unless bought online it's not down to the retailer to pay for return.

But Section 23 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015 says (amongst other things):

23 Right to repair or replacement

(2) If the consumer requires the trader to repair or replace the goods, the trader must—

(a) do so within a reasonable time and without significant inconvenience to the consumer, and

(b) bear any necessary costs incurred in doing so (including in particular the cost of any labour, materials or postage).

Angus_Og

SueBEssex wrote: »

Would I have a better chance if I went the route of small claims court/not fit for purpose, would that be a possibility?

So let's cut to the chase you don't like your new bike and don't want to give the seller the opportunity to fix it.

Your first two issues are minor, your third may perhaps be a fault but you need to let them check it's not pilot error before you start talking about small claims.

SueBEssex

Thank you KeithP, very useful i will write that down.

Angus Og, 22 miles, bike now unrideable to the extent that to return it will cost me 35 quid to return in a cab. yes. I am not at all happy and have no confidence in the bike and see it as not fit for purpose, money pit. Paid 715 pounds for the privilege.

Mr.Generous

SueBEssex wrote: »

Thank you KeithP, very useful i will write that down.

Angus Og, 22 miles, bike now unrideable to the extent that to return it will cost me 35 quid to return in a cab. yes. I am not at all happy and have no confidence in the bike and see it as not fit for purpose, money pit. Paid 715 pounds for the privilege.

Why now unridable?


You have no confidence in it - that doesn't mean the seller agrees.


You see it as not fit for purpose - because the chain came off once?

You know about electric bikes because you've had one before so did you check what the battery procedure is?

You see it s a money pit - what costs have you incurred so far, and what do you think needs doing next?

Have you asked the shop for help?

unholyangel

DoaM wrote: »

To those saying the retailer may reduce the amount of refund ... I'm not sure an electric bicycle falls under the same auspices as a vehicle (car, motorcycle, etc.), therefore within 6 months from purchase any refund should be in full. (I'm happy for someone to prove me wrong on this).

Depends on the bike in question. If its motor is more powerful than 250w or it goes speeds over 15.5mph, then its a motorvehicle (and comes with all the requirements of a motorvehicle - licence, insurance, lights etc). If less powerful/only does max speed of 15.5mph then its a bike/not a motorvehicle.

sinar

£715 is very much the lower end of ebikes, but it still should work properly.

It’s disappointing the handlebars were not tightened enough, it’s usually easy to solve with an Allen key, chains do come off bikes, even ones set up well, at least by putting it on yourself you’ve learnt something.

It really should be routine to check that everything is tight enough, a cheap set of Allen keys will cover most bits on a bike, perhaps you could take a basic bike maintenance/servicing course, and carry a small multi tool when you go out on your bike?

Hopefully the shop you bought it from will sort out the power issue, the bike might be perfectly usable after that.

I’m a 55 year old woman with arthritis in my knees and am loving being able to cycle again on an ebike, in the summer I commute to work on it, 25 miles each way.

I hope you get it fixed soon and enjoy a wonderful summer of cycling.