Broken washing machine - 16 months old 27 January at 7:37AM in Consumer rights 30 replies 712 views

pmk741

Hi all,  

I bought a washing machine from Currys in October 2021, I still have the receipt. It is now broken, Currys are not willing to help me and they will not offer a free repair, repair only available at my own cost. Despite quoting the consumer rights act on the phone I’ve got nowhere the manufacturer is also not willing to help. Is the next step to give up and buy a new washing machine or do I make a claim via the credit card company I purchased the machine on? It was a 500£ machine and it should last longer ? unfortunately we are desperate for a washing machine so we can’t hold out for too much longer so I’m not too sure what the best thing to do is give up and just just accept that we didn’t buy the extended warranty or try and claim for a refund now a repair has been refused by the retailer? Any help much appreciated. 

jon81uk

Get a local repair person to take a look and do a report, if they find it is a manufacturing fault then Currys have to repair or replace.

pmk741

Thanks - how do I pursue this if Curry’s won’t acknowledge this on the phone? 

Keep_pedalling

Whether it should last longer very much depends on usage as well as age. You will need to show that the fault was an inherent one rather than simple ware and tear and the only way to do that is to get a repair person out to look at it. I certainly would not just replace it most faults turn out to be simple to fix and a lot cheaper than a new machine.

What make and model is it? Does the machine display a fault code?

Aylesbury_Duck

This could possibly take a while to resolve (if you need to pursue a consumer rights claim, having proved the machine is faulty), so you might be best off investigating getting a second-hand or free machine to tide you over.

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

OP if you Google CEO email and search that site for Currys there is an email address for a higher level of customer service.

After 6 months the onus is on you to show a fault, you need to articulate that on the balance of probability the goods do not conform to the contract in terms of durability, basically that the machine failed prematurely through something other than misuse/user error. 

As above have a local repair company out to have a look and send their findings to Currys via the email avenue above. 

You don't need 100% proof and Currys aren't likely to want to go to small claims for a £500 washing machine that's 16 months old so anything you can offer them from a repair company to show you didn't damage the machine should be sufficient. 

Keep_pedalling said:

 rather than simple ware and tear

Wear and tear is covered by durability, if a part in a washing machine wears out within 16 months it wasn't durable and the consumer is entitled to a remedy.  

zoob

What make off machine is it, most machines around that sort off price come with at least a 2 year guarantee 

Aylesbury_Duck

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head said:

Wear and tear is covered by durability, if a part in a washing machine wears out within 16 months it wasn't durable and the consumer is entitled to a remedy.  

Perhaps not.  It would depend on usage.  A large family or a household with special needs might run a machine once or twice a day for 16 months.  It might be reasonable for a part to fail through wear in that period.

Keep_pedalling

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head said:

OP if you Google CEO email and search that site for Currys there is an email address for a higher level of customer service.

After 6 months the onus is on you to show a fault, you need to articulate that on the balance of probability the goods do not conform to the contract in terms of durability, basically that the machine failed prematurely through something other than misuse/user error. 

As above have a local repair company out to have a look and send their findings to Currys via the email avenue above. 

You don't need 100% proof and Currys aren't likely to want to go to small claims for a £500 washing machine that's 16 months old so anything you can offer them from a repair company to show you didn't damage the machine should be sufficient. 

Keep_pedalling said:

 rather than simple ware and tear

Wear and tear is covered by durability, if a part in a washing machine wears out within 16 months it wasn't durable and the consumer is entitled to a remedy.  

True, but I was thinking along the lines of wearing out by being hammered 5 days a week with a full load.

diystarter7

jon81uk said:

Get a local repair person to take a look and do a report, if they find it is a manufacturing fault then Currys have to repair or replace.

on81ukForumite

3.3K Posts

Get a local repair person to take a look and do a report, if they find it is a manufacturing fault then Currys have to repair or replace.

ReportQuote

Hi

What do you mean can you provide examples of a "manufacturing fault" 16/20 months down the road, please?

Why do you think millions buy extended warranties? I'll tell you why we buy extended warranties having shopped for a cheaper one, its for peace of mind and if it breaks down after a year up to the cover period, then at least you get the item repaired realtively quickly. EG, last time the washing machine broke dwon under warranty the previous machine, it was repaired the day after the next but it can be a bit longer and parts can be a problem but certainly quicker than what is happening to OP

Btw, OP, I'm not having a go at you but trying to help myself and others that read/etc this and possibly we can all save ourselves loads of money by not getting an extended warranty as I'm confused what would be a mamafaucting fault and fault 16 months down the road

Thanks

MattMattMattUK

diystarter7 said:

What do you mean can you provide examples of a "manufacturing fault" 16/20 months down the road, please?

A casting fault drive spindle or pump housing might take months, even potentially years to fail, a bad soldier on a PCB might take time to fail, a part not totally fitted correctly may take time to work loose and cause damage etc. 

diystarter7 said:

Why do you think millions buy extended warranties? I'll tell you why we buy extended warranties having shopped for a cheaper one, its for peace of mind and if it breaks down after a year up to the cover period, then at least you get the item repaired realtively quickly. EG, last time the washing machine broke dwon under warranty the previous machine, it was repaired the day after the next but it can be a bit longer and parts can be a problem but certainly quicker than what is happening to OP

Mostly it seems because they are asked if they want one and they feel it is somehow good, where as various reports from consumer organisations such as Which show that averaged over time the policies never pay for themselves. 

diystarter7 said:

Btw, OP, I'm not having a go at you but trying to help myself and others that read/etc this and possibly we can all save ourselves loads of money by not getting an extended warranty as I'm confused what would be a mamafaucting fault and fault 16 months down the road

Extended warranties are a waste of money, one should put the money aside if that is how they want to do things, self insuring across the range of goods would work out cheaper than external insurance, combined with either a local repairer or replacing the goods at end of life.