Trouble with getting my E bike repaired

alan2998

First post, so be gentle
In July last year i bought an £1100 e bike from a Halfords in Essex. I bought it via Klarna. So far ive had to take it back 3 times to get the brakes sorted, (which im ok with as i go down a fairly steep hill every day on the way to work). On the first of Feb i got halfway home and the motor was making a loud noise and not kicking in, so i got it home and arranged to have it checked over by this store, they took it in and said it would take a day for the diagnostics to get back and confirm whats wrong and that theyd call me back as soon as they could. Id heard nothing by the fourth so i called and spoke to their call centre who told me someone would get back to me. on the tenth i tried again and got told the same thing, no call back. So i popped in the store on the 11th and spoke to a couple of very young and rushed off their feet staff (possibly trainees thrown in the deep end) who told me someone would call be back, as you can guess, no call back. i called again on 13th and the call centre actually put me through to the store and the manager promised me a call back within the hour. still no call back. I called again on the 16th and spoke to the call centre and was yet again promised a callback, no joy. i called the call centre yesterday at 1 pm and was promised a call within the hour, at half four i called back and they put me through to one of the staff who actually told me what was wrong and that it would take 12 days to get the part in as the tech is off with covid and because of the storm. This has cost me a fortune in uber fees getting to work, what are my rights in this situation? i dont want to get anyone in trouble, i just want a working bike so i can get to work each day.

I know its a long rambling post, sorry

Sandtree

What outcome do you want?

As its been repaired once before your right is for the "final remedy" which is to reject the goods and receive a refund however as the item is over 6 months old the refund can be discounted to represent the use you got out of it before rejecting it.

If you don't want a refund then your options are more limited and its really about negotiating with them... they are obliged to deal with repairs within "reasonable" time frames but what that is will clearly be highly subjective and ultimately at the discretion of the courts.

TELLIT01

You have no rights to charge for your travel costs.  How did you get to work before last July?  I understand your dissatisfaction at the lack of contact from Halfords, but I would probably have gone into the store earlier in the piece and more often.

Alderbank

I sympathise with your frustration but there have been and probably still are horrendous supply problems with electric bikes and I'm sure Covid self-isolation does not help.

As Sandtree says, what do you want? If you prefer your bike repaired, Halfords have demonstrator electric bikes which they loan to customers to try out. Don't make a scene in the shop but try to coax the manager to lend you one until yours is fixed. If he agrees it would also encourage them to get yours back on the road ASAP. NB that is not a consumer right, it would be an expression of goodwill.
If you request a refund, since you have had 6 months use you should expect a deduction, perhaps 20%. However rather than lose the deal they might give you 20% off a new bike or agree to trade yours for a new one. That is above and beyond your consumer rights. However snow is falling at the moment where I live so bike sales might be slow just now.

Talk to them.

alan2998

basically all i want is my bike back and working asap. 

TELLIT01

alan2998 said:

basically all i want is my bike back and working asap. 

Understandable, so go to the store where you took it for repair, ask what the current situation is and ask the manager for a direct number for the store (preferably the manager's number) due to the problems in dealing with a call centre.

Alderbank

TELLIT01 said:

alan2998 said:

basically all i want is my bike back and working asap. 

Understandable, so go to the store where you took it for repair, ask what the current situation is and ask the manager for a direct number for the store (preferably the manager's number) due to the problems in dealing with a call centre.

If it is awkward for the OP to get to the store without his bike, as well as the National 0330 customer service number the website for each store lists a direct number for the store.