Unreasonable/anticompetitive callout charges - window repair

CraigTLeics

Robin9 said:

Why don't you at least ask your local installer.

That is a fair shout. But (and I am one of life's optimists), I assume I will draw a blank. In that case, I loop right back to the start, where I basically have to bend over, splay my buttocks and ask the manfacturer to make one of their "high value-add" service visits. Let's see, but I appreciate it's worth a shot.

pbartlett

thanks for clarifying that.

you seem to have bought a product where no generic spares are available and you thus rely on the supplying company.

i am struggling to think.of an analogy but maybe banham locks - you cannot get replacement keys for high security locks other than via their approved network. And yes, the keys are very expensive.

There is no consumer rights here - in fact, they are under no.obligation whatsoever to even deal with you at any price.

Availability if spares is not a consumer right. 

To me is seems you have only 2 options - pay them or have the windows removed and replaced with ones that are easier to service going forward.

Aylesbury_Duck

CraigTLeics said:

... To all who have posted replies - there seems to be a general theme here ... i.e. why don't you get somebody else to fix it ??
The plain answer is that I can't. These are not generic windows, which use generic parts. They are a specific design and spec, from a Scandinavian manufacturer (so, OK, I'll name them - Rationel). In my belief (and maybe I am wrong) there is not a generic window company in the UK who can/will be able to fix these like for like, without using genuine parts and having specific product know-how.

Therefore, my first thought, clearly, was to try the manufacturer's approved installer network. As I have stated these are not able (for some reason - presumably contractual) to take on domestic service work of this nature.

So, to me, it seems that the manufacturer is distorting the market, by effectively forcing me to use them. I appreciate they are able to charge "what they want" - as long as they are not operating anticompetitively. If there are (by bent of their own commercial practices) creating an environment where I can't go elsewhere, then how is that just, from a Consumer Rights perspective ??

Understood.
In which case, it comes back to the choice you(?) made when installing them, and whether or not you (or whoever bought them) did research at the time to understand the restrictions that go with such a specialist product.

I don't see that you have any UK consumer rights, nor do you have a case that they are acting anti-competitively because there was presumably a free choice to buy these windows in the first place, and you still have a free choice: to pay Rationel to repair them, or to have the broken units replaced with a more generic product.

It would only be anti-competitive if you had no choice but to have Rationel windows in your home, and they exploited that situation with their service fees.

user1977

CraigTLeics said:

In my belief (and maybe I am wrong) there is not a generic window company in the UK who can/will be able to fix these like for like, without using genuine parts and having specific product know-how.

But are they actually preventing anybody else acquiring that knowhow etc? You can't do much if the only reason there's effectively a monopoly is because nobody else can be bothered competing.

justwhat

i have had 4 sets of windows and doors installed/fitted in different properties . Never broke a handle or had them blow and some house's i was in them for over 10 years (maybe i was just lucky)
The handles can be bought online. The blown units could possibly  be fixed by someone local, as someone has said.
We have a similar situation in our current house with a kitchen.  (German made and parts are extortionate) Although its an expensive kitchen we would never have put that brand in from new. 

Manxman_in_exile

As said above, if the decision to purchase these units was yours (eg they weren't bought by a previous owner of your house) then the onus was really on you to ask questions of the manufacturer/supplier as to what sort of costs would be incurred if the units failed outside the guarantee period.  I think this is even more true when the manufacturer/supplier(?) is based outside the UK.

You really should have factored those costs into your decision whether to buy.  It's not something you can calculate with precision, but the sort of question to ask your self was:  "If the units fail outside the guarantee period looks like I'll have to pay at least 2 x £400 call out fees.  Am I willing to run that risk?".   If you answered "Yes", then you don't really have a complaint.  If you answered "No", you should not have bought them.  If you didn't ask yourself the question at all, you should have done.

Having said that, I fully understand that you are unhappy at having to pay what might seem like an unreasonable amount for two call-outs.  Have you tried to negotiate the manufacturer/supplier down to what you might consider a more reasonable amount?  Have you said to them:  "Look - I'm certain it's just a single blown unit and a broken handle.  As it's outside the guarantee period can't you just send me the parts and I'll get a local fitter, or you come and install them and just charge me one call-out?".  If they refuse to even attempt to accommodate you, then I think they are being rather unreasonable.

If you haven't already got local glaziers around to look at it, follow the advice above and ask if they can do anything.

It's not an anti-competition issue.

(I'm ignoring the question whether you have any statutory rights after 5+ years, but I presume you don't)

pinkshoes

How many glass or window companies have you ACTUALLY had out so far to have a look and see if they can be repaired?

If none, then I would get a few out to give you a free quote.

If they THEN state that they have no idea what to do, then you have a point (although no actual case) and will need a plan B of coughing up the money or replacing them with more generic ones. With plan B, I would also be publicising truthful facts about this window company so others do not make the same mistake. 

bris

Replacement windows are made to the glaciers instructions, if the company you have has a special patent that they can't replicate then fair enough, but that would be hard to believe.

Let a local window specialist in to take off the trim and have a look, it's just a double glazed unit like anyone else's is my bet, it can be built to size like anyone else's.

Telling you only they can fix them is just there way of keeping the repairs in house.

Apple don't want me changing my own broken I phone screen, they want me to pay them upward of £180, didn't stop me buying a £30 screen of Amazon and spending an hour researching and doing it myself.

It's still out of warranty but fixed and I didn't complain that Apple are doing anything wrong. a do they and every other manufacture who only want you to use genuine parts installed by them need investigate too?

JamoLew

2 blown units and a broken handle - maybe not as "super-duper" as you expected.

OP can you name the manufacturer ?

The_Fat_Controller

JamoLew said:

2 blown units and a broken handle - maybe not as "super-duper" as you expected.

OP can you name the manufacturer ?

They did so already, RATIONEL