Fridge Freezer stopped working!

Nurselayer

So, I got an email from Currys that said this:

"I have noted your complaint, regarding an out of warranty fridge freezer. As a company we do understand our obligation to repair or replace products under the twelve-month guarantee provided with the goods. I do appreciate that defects may not manifest themselves until after the initial guarantee period has expired. In view of this and in order that I may consider your request for the product to be repaired out of guarantee, I would request that you supply a diagnostic report from an authorised service agent.

The report must state the nature of the fault, the likely cause, and details of the diagnostic processes used. It should also state the estimated cost of repair and whether the fault is considered to be caused by an inherent manufacturing defect. We will reimburse any out of pocket expense that you might incur in obtaining this report if proven that it is a manufacturing defect.

Please send the report with a covering letter to the address below, or by email as a scan in .JPG or .PDF format to customer.services@teamknowhow.com.
Upon receipt of this we will consider your claim and contact you again once a decision has been made. Please accept my apologies for any further delay you may experience in the conclusion of this matter. "

So we booked an authorised service agent in (it turns out that an authorised service agent is any independent appliance repair company that has a VAT number!).

The guy came this morning and said that the compressor has gone. I said we needed a Diagnostic Report and here's what they sent me.

"Work carried out :A faulty main compressor ( with clicking sounds) the compressor is not starting and there is a possibility that the main control board also affected by this compressor which we can not check unless change the compressor and re gas. This is a manufacturer faulty compressor which is causing problems in terms of cooling system. It is not economical to repair, please supply a new one."

I told them that's not a proper diagnostic report and that it needs to address everything that Currys have asked for. They've asked me to provide them with an example of what I want them to write, as English isn't their first language although they seemed to think that what they'd written would suffice - I'm not so sure as I know that Currys are going to try an wriggle out of any obligation.

Can anyone word a Diagnostic Report suitably so that it incorporates what Currys are requesting, and is what the engineer diagnosed? Thanks in advance.

[Deleted User]

Nurselayer wrote: »

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Can anyone word a Diagnostic Report suitably so that it incorporates what Currys are requesting, and is what the engineer diagnosed?

It just needs to include what Curry's asked for.

Nurselayer wrote: »

The report must state the nature of the fault, the likely cause, and details of the diagnostic processes used. It should also state the estimated cost of repair and whether the fault is considered to be caused by an inherent manufacturing defect.

So far, they've only given you the answer to point 2 and 5 - the cause and it being a manufacturing defect.

So ask them to add
1) the fault (ie freezer not getting cold or whatever)
3) what they did to diagnose the problem
4) likely cost of repair

Then you've got what Curry's asked for.

Nurselayer

Update.

Got a proper report from the engineer that states the unit is suffering from a compressor fault, the fault is due to a manufacturing defect, and that the unit is beyond economic repair. Have sent this to Currys who have now (2 days later) told me that they will send this to their warranty dept. Let's see what they come back with and when.

Nurselayer

Update.

After receiving the email that said that Currys would send it to their Warranty Dept and that we'd have to wait 5-7 more working days for their opinion, I emailed their Customer Service dept back and said how disappointed I was to find out that we'd have to wait so long. I also CC'd in their CEO.

2 days later and they've now booked someone in to come and fix the fridge/freezer next week, they've agreed to pay for the cost of the independent report and they are generally being exceptionally helpful.

Will let you know the full outcome when I do. This wouldn't have happened at all if JJ Egan and THAT hadn't made me aware of the Consumer Rights Act 2015, so a huge thank you to all who've helped on here so far....it finally feels like we are winning this one. :-)

RealGem

Another thing to consider is that if the freezer is packed too full (especially in front of the fan) it will stop working, as the air inside needs to circulate. Good luck.

that

Nurselayer, get them to check that high temperature buzzer at the same time, if your fridge has one.

G_M

You've done well to keep jumping through the hoops Currys have set you.


Basically in law they did not have a leg to stand on - and they know that. But by first saying it's out of warranty, and then insisting you pay for an independant report, they hope, correctly in many cases, that you'll give up/go away or better still buy another fridge from them!


Had they refused to repair, you could have taken them to court. Any judge would agree that a modern fridge frezer should reasonably last more than 14 months, and would have ordered them to give you your money back, or a replacement freezer + ofcourse your court costs.


1 year warranties are a mixed blessing: yes, it's nice of a manufacturer to offer them when they don't have to, but it gives customers the impression that after a year they are on their own...........

DoaM

G_M wrote: »

Basically in law they did not have a leg to stand on - and they know that. But by first saying it's out of warranty, and then insisting you pay for an independant report, they hope, correctly in many cases, that you'll give up/go away or better still buy another fridge from them!

Nothing wrong with them insisting on that ... beyond 6 months from purchase then the onus (if the retailer requires) is on the consumer to prove (usually by means of an engineer's report) that the fault was inherent. (Up to 6 months it is for the retailer to prove that any fault was caused by the consumer's handling of the goods, otherwise any fault is assumed to be inherent). If the report finds an inherent fault then the retailer is duty-bound to refund the (reasonable) cost of the report.

whitegoods_engineer

This makes no sense at all!

This model is an electronically operated machine with an NTC sensor regulating the fridge actuator (and therefore fridge temperature), with the refrigeration taking place only in the freezer compartment. The actuator has an opening flap like a letterbox which opens to let cold air into the fridge from the freezer and shuts when the fridge is cold enough.

There's only one refrigeration circuit so if the fridge is fine then the freezer has to be fine also. It's the freezer section that supplies the cold air for the fridge.

The most likely thing is that ice has built up on the fan that blows the air into the fridge and into the freezer, stopping it.

This could have occurred if the freezer door had been left ajar for a while without being noticed as the moisture in the air turns to ice and builds up.

A thorough defrost (48 hrs with the freezer door open) will likely resolve this.