Lazy spa - destroy before we replace

andyroo100

I bought a Lazy spa hot tub direct from their site and with about two weeks use notice the glue under the material was discoloring the material and some of this yellow glue was seeping out of the seems. Its a new design (Singapore). Although happy with the normal function thought this was a bit nasty to look at so contacted them. After jumping through a few hoops such as send many pictures and a set video of the set up they agreed it was faulty. 
They however want me to cut up the hot tub and post pictures of it before they will send another, which could be days or weeks depending on stock. This seems very odd when they could just send a new one and pick up the old one at the same time. I've never heard of this practice before which seems something a dodgy ebay seller would do.
Any advice? Many thanks. Andy

ThisnotThat

Presumably, they don't want the old one back, hence their request to destroy it.

Doesn't seem like a particularly unreasonable request to be honest.

MattMattMattUK

andyroo100 said:

I bought a Lazy spa hot tub direct from their site and with about two weeks use notice the glue under the material was discoloring the material and some of this yellow glue was seeping out of the seems. Its a new design (Singapore). Although happy with the normal function thought this was a bit nasty to look at so contacted them. After jumping through a few hoops such as send many pictures and a set video of the set up they agreed it was faulty. 
They however want me to cut up the hot tub and post pictures of it before they will send another, which could be days or weeks depending on stock. This seems very odd when they could just send a new one and pick up the old one at the same time. I've never heard of this practice before which seems something a dodgy ebay seller would do.
Any advice? Many thanks. Andy

This could be so that you do not end up with two working units as the first is fully functional, it could be based on import tax declarations (eg they need evidence they are replacing an original unit which has been put beyond use), they might not even want the old one back and will ask you to dispose of it etc.

Aylesbury_Duck

andyroo100 said:

I bought a Lazy spa hot tub direct from their site and with about two weeks use notice the glue under the material was discoloring the material and some of this yellow glue was seeping out of the seems. Its a new design (Singapore). Although happy with the normal function thought this was a bit nasty to look at so contacted them. After jumping through a few hoops such as send many pictures and a set video of the set up they agreed it was faulty. 
They however want me to cut up the hot tub and post pictures of it before they will send another, which could be days or weeks depending on stock. This seems very odd when they could just send a new one and pick up the old one at the same time. I've never heard of this practice before which seems something a dodgy ebay seller would do.
Any advice? Many thanks. Andy

Nothing unusual about it.  It's to stop people profiteering by selling on the original, even if only for spares/repair.  From their point of view, they don't know that you won't sell this one on (after all, it's only a cosmetic fault). They're entitled to wait until it's back with them before issuing a refund or sending a replacement, so this method provides an easier and faster resolution for you.

born_again

Clearly they do not want the old one back. Not cost effective. So want proof it has been destroyed, rather than either still being used or sold on.

If you want your new one, then you will have to do what they want.

andyroo100

I understand they the profiteering selling of it etc so why not just pick up the old one when the new part (liner) is delivered would it really cost them much to do that. I could be without a tub for weeks. This does not make for a happy customer, I presume they don't really care about that. 

[Deleted User]

andyroo100 said:

I understand they the profiteering selling of it etc so why not just pick up the old one when the new part (liner) is delivered would it really cost them much to do that. 

Yes, it would cost them a lot to do that (double courier charges, return to warehouse, disposal), so they won't want to incur further costs that don't benefit them.

Aylesbury_Duck

andyroo100 said:

I understand they the profiteering selling of it etc so why not just pick up the old one when the new part (liner) is delivered would it really cost them much to do that. I could be without a tub for weeks. This does not make for a happy customer, I presume they don't really care about that. 

They've decided they don't want to incur the cost of doing so, which they're entitled to do.

You don't have to be without a tub for weeks.  You could ask for a refund instead of a replacement and order a new one straight away.  Or, if using the tub is really important to you over the next few weeks and a new one won't arrive soon enough, cancel the request for a replacement and live with the one you have.  Or rent one for the intervening period.  From their point of view, you seem to want to continue using the current one for a while, until the new one arrives, so the problem can't be that bad.  

andyroo100

Thanks AD and all the others. I may well ask for a refund if the discoloration gets worse. Hot tubs are hard to get or certainly were up to now. I just never been asked to do this before and was worried they play hard to get once I'd destroyed it and have done a stupid thing trusting them.

Jumblebumble

Aylesbury_Duck said:

andyroo100 said:

I bought a Lazy spa hot tub direct from their site and with about two weeks use notice the glue under the material was discoloring the material and some of this yellow glue was seeping out of the seems. Its a new design (Singapore). Although happy with the normal function thought this was a bit nasty to look at so contacted them. After jumping through a few hoops such as send many pictures and a set video of the set up they agreed it was faulty. 
They however want me to cut up the hot tub and post pictures of it before they will send another, which could be days or weeks depending on stock. This seems very odd when they could just send a new one and pick up the old one at the same time. I've never heard of this practice before which seems something a dodgy ebay seller would do.
Any advice? Many thanks. Andy

Nothing unusual about it.  It's to stop people profiteering by selling on the original, even if only for spares/repair.  From their point of view, they don't know that you won't sell this one on (after all, it's only a cosmetic fault). They're entitled to wait until it's back with them before issuing a refund or sending a replacement, so this method provides an easier and faster resolution for you.

I also  imagine that the Hot tub company dont want anyone else to try and claim on the warranty a second time

visidigi

Id tell them you re happy to send a photo of it destroyed when they are ready to dispatch its replacement it for delivery - therefore you get use of the unsightly item and are only without it for a day or two.

It is a bit odd to ask for photos of it destroyed before they order the replacement.