How can I - under UK law - return an oven that I bought brand new & online

moneyunwise

Hope you can help. I want to return an oven that I bought online and I am not sure how to get a refund.

At the end of November 2021, I bought a Hotpoint oven from Currys online. I got the oven because of the feature that there are icons on the display/control panel and they light up from a backlight behind the panel. Unfortunately: when it was delivered, it transpires that on the digital display panel only 2 sections on this black panel light up: the information icons & the numbers on the digital clock. The 3rd section does NOT light up. This means the functional icons, of which there are 6 - including 1. the important power on&off icon 2. the 'go' - i.e. start cooking icon - do not light up!! I did not know this when I bought the oven and there was no information when we purchased it to say this was the case.

The display panel is reflective and black, and the print (which forms each icon) is not bright without any light shining behind the icon. There are effectively 3 'parts' or 'sections' of the panel. And although we can see 2 sections on the panel - to operate THOSE icons - we cannot see-to-use the icons on any of the 3rd section. Meaning that because the icon buttons don't light up, it is impossible to see the icons to press them. They are also flat against the display panel i.e. there is NO actual - i.e. raised - button under any of the printed-icons to feel or press. This makes it impossible to use those icons!!

So I found it impossible to use the oven because of the icons which do not light up, so can't be seen to be pressed so effectively cannot be used. Even using a handheld torch would not solve the problem; to make it usable as an oven it needs a backlight like the other icons on the display. It was new, of course. I purchased it over the internet, not in person. I only installed the oven about a week before I used it in January 2022.

We now wish to return it to Currys or to the manufacturer Hotpoint, as it is unusable as an oven.

As I understand it, under current UK law, I might have a limit on some return criteria e.g. the 14 days any-reason to return the oven to Currys might have ended at the middle of December. Then there are I think some other UK legal parameters concerning 30 days, which would go to the end of December, but I am not sure on that.

However, as the oven can't be USED as an oven, I am thinking we are covered in some way by UK law.

Also, the oven is within its 12 month manufacturer warranty. Another option to use, perhaps?

Is there anything I can do? 

Ideally I'd like someone - either Currys or Hotpoint - to refund me and take away the oven.

Is there anything that I can do with this major problem?

jon81uk

Are they meant to light up?
you haven’t made it clear if it’s faulty or not.
can you give the model number of the oven.

if it’s faulty then Curry’s have to accept the return at their cost and refund you the oven and delivery costs. 

If it’s not faulty then the return is at your cost and you need to inform them within 14 days of receipt. they can deduct a sum for any excessive handling over and above what you would be able to do in store.

porkisnotmeat

Ovens are not unusable because the buttons are not easily visible. That's a bit silly.

What is the model number of this device? It might help, rather than just taking your word for it that an oven from a major manufacturer sold by a major retailer is unusable.

Phantom151

Is the problem the lighting in your kitchen? I can see Hotpoint online that has touch interface where the middle bit lights up but the marking do look visible. I don't think you'll get a return for a non-usable oven as it sounds like it does actually work.

Is it something like

Hotpoint Class 6 SI6874SPI?

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

If any part of the oven doesn't function as the manufacturer intended it to then you are entitled to a remedy.

You are outside the 30 days to reject for a refund but are entitled to a repair or replacement (assuming it's not impossible or disproportionately expensive).

Within 6 months it is taken the issue exists unless it is established otherwise and it is Currys job to do but these big companies are fond of diverting you to the manufacturer (although I would still contact the retailer first).

If the oven does work as the manufacturer intended that makes things are little less clear cut but if the average person would be unable to use functions advertised due to the design of the goods I would assume you are still entitled to a remedy. 

Have you checked Youtube for a review of your specific model, most things tend to be reviewed and it may give you a good indication as to whether this issue is the oven is not functioning as it should or whether it's an aspect of the design. 

Just to add if you are entitled to a remedy there is no time limit to raise this with the retailer (although you are limited by 6 years for taking recourse via small claims, maybe 5 in Scotland with their process).

TELLIT01

Did you report the issues/faults at the time?  If not why not? 

MattMattMattUK

moneyunwise said:

Hope you can help. I want to return an oven that I bought online and I am not sure how to get a refund.

At the end of November 2021, I bought a Hotpoint oven from Currys online. I got the oven because of the feature that there are icons on the display/control panel and they light up from a backlight behind the panel. Unfortunately: when it was delivered, it transpires that on the digital display panel only 2 sections on this black panel light up: the information icons & the numbers on the digital clock. The 3rd section does NOT light up. This means the functional icons, of which there are 6 - including 1. the important power on&off icon 2. the 'go' - i.e. start cooking icon - do not light up!! I did not know this when I bought the oven and there was no information when we purchased it to say this was the case.

The display panel is reflective and black, and the print (which forms each icon) is not bright without any light shining behind the icon. There are effectively 3 'parts' or 'sections' of the panel. And although we can see 2 sections on the panel - to operate THOSE icons - we cannot see-to-use the icons on any of the 3rd section. Meaning that because the icon buttons don't light up, it is impossible to see the icons to press them. They are also flat against the display panel i.e. there is NO actual - i.e. raised - button under any of the printed-icons to feel or press. This makes it impossible to use those icons!!

So I found it impossible to use the oven because of the icons which do not light up, so can't be seen to be pressed so effectively cannot be used. Even using a handheld torch would not solve the problem; to make it usable as an oven it needs a backlight like the other icons on the display. It was new, of course. I purchased it over the internet, not in person. I only installed the oven about a week before I used it in January 2022.

We now wish to return it to Currys or to the manufacturer Hotpoint, as it is unusable as an oven.

As I understand it, under current UK law, I might have a limit on some return criteria e.g. the 14 days any-reason to return the oven to Currys might have ended at the middle of December. Then there are I think some other UK legal parameters concerning 30 days, which would go to the end of December, but I am not sure on that.

However, as the oven can't be USED as an oven, I am thinking we are covered in some way by UK law.

Also, the oven is within its 12 month manufacturer warranty. Another option to use, perhaps?

Is there anything I can do? 

Ideally I'd like someone - either Currys or Hotpoint - to refund me and take away the oven.

Is there anything that I can do with this major problem?

Based on what you have said that is an entirely inaccurate statement.

If this is a fault, eg. they should light up, then you have a right to have it fixed. If it is not a fault then you do not have a right to anything and it would appear to be user error rather than anything else. 

Sandtree

It sounds more like a change of mind rather than a fault in which case because you bought it online you had 14 days to cancel the order.

If you maintain it is a fault then you are over 30 days to reject the item and so Currys have the option to repair, replace or refund if they agree with you that it is faulty. 

pinkshoes

I'm confused! How does a display not fully lighting up mean you cannot use an oven? Are you saying there are no markings whatsoever on the control panel so you cannot see what temperature to set it to because it should have a backlight over the 3rd section but there isn't?

Which model is it?

Under UK consumer rights, as it is over 30 days, you would now have to give the retailer an opportunity to repair or replace it IF it is faulty. 

To me it sounds like it doesn't do what you would LIKE it to do, rather than what it does do?

jon81uk

Sandtree said:

It sounds more like a change of mind rather than a fault in which case because you bought it online you had 14 days to cancel the order.

If you maintain it is a fault then you are over 30 days to reject the item and so Currys have the option to repair, replace or refund if they agree with you that it is faulty. 

Not sure if the OP is going to return to this, but this is the correct advice and they need to clarify the model really.

It does very much dound like they didn't properly research the oven to start with and therefore would be a change of mind rather than a fault.

moneyunwise

Thanks for all your help so far.

As an update, I have had an engineer from Hotpoint out to look at it. He says it is not a fault.

As I find it impossible to see the icons which don't light up, someone has now suggested that it is Not Fit For Purpose. Do I have any options with the "Not Fit For Purpose" argument, or any other arguments? As the salesman in the Curry's shop (I later purchased it online at their website) said that the icons & control panel all light up, is there an argument that it is "Not As Described"? The unlit icons are not able to be seen against the black background on the display panel: they are too thin a graphic, plus are on a very shiny reflective glossy black surface. Not a good/usable feature at all! And a style that is a very poor design choice by the manufacturer.

The oven was £300+, and was produced by a supposedly reputable manufacturer AND seller. If we had purchased a shoddy brand from a shoddy shop, we'd have understood the risk. But we investigated the item in depth before we made our choice. So we are extremely 'peeved' about this purchase not being what we were told.