Zanussi Fridge Repair - Breach of Contract?

Manxman_in_exile

p3ncilsharpener said:

Jumblebumble said:

p3ncilsharpener said:

Money_Grabber13579 said:

Al_Ross said:

The compressor motor will have failed.This can be replaced and would certainly cost less than £500 to do so.The engineer is taking the easy option by saying B.E.R.

I would complain to their head office and threaten them by posting on media,watchdog etc

I agree, it seems too easy for them to say that anything which would cost them more than £135 is beyond economic repair and then keep the money anyway. Plus, £75 off a new appliance purchase directly from them likely isn’t going to be a good deal as other discounts will be available from retailers.

The contract states that for £135, they will provide parts and labour to repair the fridge up to a cost (to them) of £500. Even if the parts aren’t available, a new fridge would be less than £500 so if you have contracted them for a repair (which the OP has), the fridge should be repaired, even if that means giving them a new fridge. That’s unlikely to happen in practice, so the money should be refunded.

No, it shouldn't.  The T&C's are quite clear, the fact that a new one might cost less than £500 is irrelevant.

Do you not think that this might just fall under unfair contract terms ?
We charge £135 to tell you that we will give you £75 discount which probably does not turn out to be a discount at all. 
Win Win for Zanussi
 Contrast this with Miele a few years ago
We had a Miele made by bosch fridge which packed up
Miele charged us £200 odd for a fixed repair but could not repair it as the leaking pipe was inside the sprayed foam insulation
Their response was to give us a brand new  fridge  now made by Liebherr with 2 years warranty and remove the old one
This is far fairer

No, it's not unfair.

I'm not so sure.  I think they should credit the full failed repair fee against a new one.

(By the way - are you still there?  I was trying to find another thread I knew you had posted on and your profile has disappeared...?)

Sandtree

Jumblebumble said:

Miele charged us £200 odd for a fixed repair but could not repair it as the leaking pipe was inside the sprayed foam insulation
Their response was to give us a brand new  fridge  now made by Liebherr with 2 years warranty and remove the old one
This is far fairer

Miele don't sell fridges for £250-£500... when you most the fridges you are selling are in the £1,000 to £9,000 you have more scope for being generous. 

Interestingly everyone says they are Liebherr (other than the Mastercool series) but Miele themselves say they're just the assembly providers any only 3 parts are the same as Liebherr (despite them looking identical)

EP

p3ncilsharpener said:

Money_Grabber13579 said:

Al_Ross said:

The compressor motor will have failed.This can be replaced and would certainly cost less than £500 to do so.The engineer is taking the easy option by saying B.E.R.

I would complain to their head office and threaten them by posting on media,watchdog etc

I agree, it seems too easy for them to say that anything which would cost them more than £135 is beyond economic repair and then keep the money anyway. Plus, £75 off a new appliance purchase directly from them likely isn’t going to be a good deal as other discounts will be available from retailers.

The contract states that for £135, they will provide parts and labour to repair the fridge up to a cost (to them) of £500. Even if the parts aren’t available, a new fridge would be less than £500 so if you have contracted them for a repair (which the OP has), the fridge should be repaired, even if that means giving them a new fridge. That’s unlikely to happen in practice, so the money should be refunded.

No, it shouldn't.  The T&C's are quite clear, the fact that a new one might cost less than £500 is irrelevant.

Repaircare.co.uk offer a refund

https://www.repaircare.co.uk/repair/help/faq

"What if your service engineer cannot repair the appliance?

In the event that your appliance is deemed to be beyond economical repair we will refund you the original fixed price fee paid."

ThisnotThat

EP said:

p3ncilsharpener said:

Money_Grabber13579 said:

Al_Ross said:

The compressor motor will have failed.This can be replaced and would certainly cost less than £500 to do so.The engineer is taking the easy option by saying B.E.R.

I would complain to their head office and threaten them by posting on media,watchdog etc

I agree, it seems too easy for them to say that anything which would cost them more than £135 is beyond economic repair and then keep the money anyway. Plus, £75 off a new appliance purchase directly from them likely isn’t going to be a good deal as other discounts will be available from retailers.

The contract states that for £135, they will provide parts and labour to repair the fridge up to a cost (to them) of £500. Even if the parts aren’t available, a new fridge would be less than £500 so if you have contracted them for a repair (which the OP has), the fridge should be repaired, even if that means giving them a new fridge. That’s unlikely to happen in practice, so the money should be refunded.

No, it shouldn't.  The T&C's are quite clear, the fact that a new one might cost less than £500 is irrelevant.

Repaircare.co.uk offer a refund

https://www.repaircare.co.uk/repair/help/faq

"What if your service engineer cannot repair the appliance?

In the event that your appliance is deemed to be beyond economical repair we will refund you the original fixed price fee paid."

You didn't ask repaircare to repair your fridge though, did you?

Tesco give me Clubcard points when I shop there, do I have a right to Clubcard points when I shop in Asda?

EP

Why then am I being criticized for expecting a refund when other firms offer one?

ThisnotThat

EP said:

Why then am I being criticized for expecting a refund when other firms offer one?

You're being criticised for expecting a refund when the company you chose to purchase a service from made it clear that the outcome for a failed repair is a gift voucher, not a full refund.

EP

There's no mention of not providing a refund.

ThisnotThat

EP said:

There's no mention of not providing a refund.

No,  there's this

• An offer of a discounted appliance if we can't repair 

EP

No...that's not a refund -where does it mention a refund?

ThisnotThat

EP said:

No...that's not a refund -where does it mention a refund?

It doesn't. Just like Repaircare don't say they'll give you a discount appliance, because if they don't say they'll give you something, then the assumption is they won't give it to you.

They don't say they'll give you a pack of hobnobs and a hug if they can't repair your fridge either.  Do you know why? Because (I suspect) they won't give you a pack of hobnobs and a hug if they can't repair your fridge.

You made an assumption and you assumed wrong. It happens. Move on.