Wrong spare part sent for electric shower

kamoshika

Hi,
Can someone advise me as to what my rights are in this situation? The electric shower that was already fitted when we bought or house has developed a fault. I think I've narrowed the problem down to the main circuit board, so I ordered a replacement from an online shower spares supplier. The original part is no longer available, but they recommend an alternative, so I ordered that. It arrived, I fitted the part, but the shower is still not working, I opened a support call with them, and during the course of trying to get their assistance I noticed the part they've sent me is not the part I ordered. The part number on the box is the one I ordered, but the part it contained is different. That part number is also listed on their website as being discontinued, with the same suggested alternative part. During the course of the support call they've suggested on a couple of occasions that they won't be able to accept a return because I've already fitted the part and may have damaged it in doing that. As far as I'm concerned I should be entitled to a full refund because they've sent me the wrong part, but I have fitted it, so that might no be the case. Can anyone advise? Thanks!

Jumblebumble

I think you need to find out what the manufacturer of the shower has to say
The wrong part number on the box may be irrelevant.
Eg Crucial list and have on the box identical memory sticks under multiple different part numbers with a different one for each application or it may be a supplier part no which references to a manufacturer number to stop shopping around
I fear You will not be getting any money back as you were not experienced/skilled enough to realise the part was wrong (if it is wrong!) before fitting
The board supplier does not know some other faulty component in your shower has blown their board

kamoshika

They are listed as separate parts on the suppliers website. I've got a shower with faulty part A. Looking on the website part A is shown as being discontinued with a recommendation to buy part B instead. I ordered part B, and got a box labelled as part B, but containing part C. If I look up part C on their website it is also shown as discontinued, with a recommendation to buy part B instead. The parts are all the same size and shape and very similar appearance, so I don't think it's unreasonable to expect that if I open a box labelled part B and it contains an item that looks exactly like part B is meant to, that the item is actually part B.

molerat

Part A, B and C all do the same job and are interchangeable so where is the problem ? I suspect something else is the cause of your non working shower.

kamoshika

The problem is they are not interchangeable - there is a second circuit board in the shower that has all the buttons and LEDs mounted on it and that requires a different version for each of parts A, B & C. They advise, when ordering part B to replace part A, that "you may also need to replace the cover PCB". I've swapped in the part C they sent me which didn't work with the existing cover PCB. I've raised a support call with them asking whether there is a cover PCB available that works with part C and their answer is that I need a part B and the cover PCB for that. When I've already ordered a part B and been sent a part C, being reluctant to swap the part C I was sent for the part B I ordered while advising me that I need part B is particularly unhelpful. Unless they can also supply the cover PCB for part C (which I've asked and they haven't answered, so I assume not) the part C they've sent is completely useless.

Hence my question about what my rights are....

bris

kamoshika wrote: »

I think I've narrowed the problem down to the main circuit board!

This is more likely your problem. You should have just got the experts in.

kamoshika

To be honest, by this stage I'm so sick of them being unhelpful and going round in circles that I just want a refund and to try again with a different supplier. I've posted it back to their returns address with a note asking for a refund as the incorrect part was supplied. I'll see where that gets me.

DoaM

How much was it?
How did you pay?

kamoshika

To their credit I've sent the part back and they've issued a refund without further query, so all good in the end.