CURRYS - Return of faulty Hotpoint Washing Machine. Refund including delivery options question.

KitKite

CURRYS - Return of faulty Hotpoint Washing Machine Activecare NM11 945 WCA UK N 9kg. Full receipt refund knowledge required.

The above WM was installed at my home on Saturday 30th Oct 21.

After the 'first-time wash' (as instructions state) I noticed on the door seal some roughness due to small bits of loose rubber.

Towards and after the 2nd clothing wash on Saturday 6th Nov 21 there was a strong smell of burnt rubber with smoke in the air. I noticed some melted rubber along the edge where the steel drum meets the rubber door seal.

My elderly Mother (in her mid 80s), who has Asthma, found in difficult to breathe and became distressed.

A Hotpoint Engineer came on Thursday morning 18th Nov. He said it would need to be replaced.
He said that it was a faulty batch of Washing Machines that Currys had. The drum was too far forward causing it to rub against the rubber door seal, causing the rubber to burn, melt and then smoke. I assume the next stage would be fire.
Currys said they are not getting any more WMs of this Model.

The receipt for the WM was £394.99 which included £25 for installing + £20 for recycling. The WM was £349.99.

Question. My question is regarding attached options and rights to a total receipt refund for a dangerous appliance.
My view point is that Currys should refund the total receipt (£394.44) These add on options, as far as I am aware, are not sold as services that can be purchased independently but only when purchasing items such as a Washing Machine.
These delivery options form part of the ordered Washing machine.

Any knowledge and advice would be welcome.

Thanks in advice
Chris.

PS. If unable to obtain the full receipt refund with delivery options, would it be better make a complaint and claim via that way?

Jenni_D

Did they take away and "recycle" your old washing machine? If yes then that part of the contract was properly conducted.

Was there a delivery charge, or was that part of the £25? Either way I agree that your refund should be £374.44 - the cost of the installation service for a defective machine shouldn't really be retained, and the (standard) delivery charge would be refundable anyway.

mattyprice4004

The price paid for the washing machine and installation should be refunded - but if they took away the old one and recycled it they have done a service that should still be paid for. 

It doesn’t matter if they don’t offer it by itself as a service - think of it this way, you won’t need to pay for it when you re-order as it’s already been done. 

KitKite

Thanks mattyprice4004 and Jenni_D for your response,
 I can see that view point that the recycling service has been provided. That would be normally be ok but if that was my only requirement then I would have shopped around or got the local council to it. 

I purchased a 'package' to save time and convenience but it hasn't. I bought the package on that pretext.
The service has been terrible. No email to write to, limited online forms, webchat no good for me, telephone difficult for me. When I had no choice I tried to phone I was faced with a long mage of options only to say they are busy and would call me back. If I try to hang on they cut me off. I try again have to leave a number. They call back at an inconvenient time. And when they do the line is bad quality and difficult to understand with it being delayed.

I think I will have to write and complain, and claim back my time in compensation. Including the distress caused especially for my Mother.

Thanks Chris

baza52

you cant claim for distress just as you cant claim for something that didnt happen but could have.

molerat

KitKite said:

 I can see that view point that the recycling service has been provided. That would be normally be ok but if that was my only requirement then I would have shopped around or got the local council to it. 

My local council will charge £26.27 for a bulky uplift and certainly won't take it from anywhere other than the end of the drive !

Also a bit dodgy getting a man with a van, it is your responsibility to ensure they are a licenced waste carrier.

KitKite

baza52 said:

you cant claim for distress just as you cant claim for something that didnt happen but could have.

Of course I can complain and claim.  I doubt I'll get far. That's why I asking for advice and people's experience's in such things.

baza52

KitKite said:

baza52 said:

you cant claim for distress just as you cant claim for something that didnt happen but could have.

Of course I can complain and claim.  I doubt I'll get far. That's why I asking for advice and people's experience's in such things.

you can try to claim but i doubt you will get anything.

Ergates

So, to be clear:   You bought a washing machine.  It was faulty.  An engineer has been out and confirmed that it is faulty.  You would like a refund (to which you're entitled) including delivery (to which you're entitled - up to the cost of the standard delivery cost), and the charge to dispose of your old machine (which was actually carried out successfully - so I would expect you're *not* entitled to a refund of that).  And, as well as the refund, you want more money, for your "distress" ?

If you're after advice, mine would be:   Don't be greedy.  You *might* get away with it, but then again you might not.

macman

You can't claim for your mother's distress: only she can, unless you have a POA. Do you really want her to be interviewed, make a statement, and have to appear at court as a witness to her 'distress' if your claim is contested?

KitKite

macman said:

You can't claim for your mother's distress: only she can, unless you have a POA. Do you really want her to be interviewed, make a statement, and have to appear at court as a witness to her 'distress' if your claim is contested?

This is her WM. I am complaining (on my mother's behalf) to Currys because every step of the way way they have made it difficult. I'm acting on her behalf. She approves any correspondence.