Currys PC world - Changing delivery address

Boltcik

Hello. Apologies for the long read in advance. The question is at the end, I just wanted to give a bit of background to understand my question:

'In November 2019, I have purchased a Grundig fridge from Currys PC World which had an extended 5-year warranty (the original warranty was 3 years). In August 2022, the item broke down. Grundig engineer came in a few times and decided that the item is beyond repair and therefore needs to be replaced. I was provided with an uplift number which I provided to Curry's customer services when I called their number on the same day when the engineer decided the item is beyond repair. I was given 3 options: a full refund, an exchange for the same type (+/- 10% of the initial value), or a voucher for an exchange for a different item up to the same value as the original item (+/- 10% of the initial value) to use on Currys website.

I have decided to go with a refund since I was informed that it will take over 2 weeks for a replacement fridge to arrive, so I bought a new fridge from a different seller who could provide a fridge within a few days. I have decided to wait for a refund and I was informed it will take a few weeks. Due to security purposes, the only way in which the Currys can refund was via the original purchase method, which in my case was a credit card.  Unfortunately, I closed the credit card in early 2022, so I was told by Curry's agents that I need to call the credit card provider to accept a refund and pass it on to me. The old fridge was picked up on the 5th of September by Currys PC World.

I decided to be patient and waited. I called every 2 weeks to check the progress but could never reach the credit card provider due to staffing issues they had from September to early December and was disconnected after 1 hour and a few minutes whilst on hold (it was a manual disconnection by the agent since I could hear for a few seconds someone breathing in the background and sometimes voices too from other agents talking on their phones, and when I said "Hello?", I was being disconnected). I decided to be patient. I finally reached them on 3/12/22 and was informed that since the account with them is closed, there can be no transactions going through this account (including refunds) so the credit card provider told me to get back to Currys and tell them that. I reached Currys customer services on the same day and they said that, in this case, this will have to be refunded directly to me but first it will have to be looked into via the "higher team" (as the agent referred to them as) to make sure that it is transferred to the correct person (since seems like they don't know that cheques exist), which will take around 72 hours since they are "busy".

I reached customer services again on 18/12/2022 (I was busy in the meantime and never heard back from "higher team" who was supposed to contact me) and found out that they can only process an exchange because the item is now "out of warranty" (which is technically true since the initial warranty run out in November 2022, but a) the item broke down in august 2022, and b) I had an extended warranty until November 2024 (I have a confirmation from Grundig via email)). The agent assured me that the best they can do now is to return the item repaired (the original Grundig fridge, which I doubt they have since it was likely recycled by now as it was deemed beyond repair by an independent third party and it would be too costly to keep a broke fridge in a warehouse for months since it is not their business model to keep and repair old electrical products). I have asked the agent to look into the notes and re-read them, and then ask someone else to re-read too so they understand the full story. A few minutes passed and they came back to me asking me to call their phone line (since this was via a webchat and the agent couldn't understand the issue). I was informed that the uplift number is out of date and they cannot process the order. I was told to call Grundig customer services, but I could not reach them until after the new year. 

During this time I have also reached CAB who said that under customers' rights, at the minimum, Currys has to provide me with an exchange of an item of the same type, which in this case is a fridge, and as long as they have replaced the item, they do not breach my customer's rights. And if I want a refund I need to go to court, and I do not have time to go to court now. 

So I eventually reached Grundig customer services, I was told that the uplift number expires 90 days after it was issued and they cannot re-issue the number especially since the item was picked up by Currys. I was then transferred by Grundig customer services to Currys and I told them what Grundig told me, and surprisingly they were cooperating with me. They said that they will provide me with an exchange for another fridge which I had to accept because by this time my patience run out and this issue started to impact my life too much. So I have selected a new appliance, which I was told is currently out of stock, and will be back within 21 days (due to supply chain issues), so I told them that this will have to be delivered to a different address since I have moved. I was told on the phone that it is fine and that when the item is back in stock, I will receive an email confirming it is back in stock so I can book a delivery and confirm the new address. I was somewhat happy with that solution since I figured I can give this to someone as a gift, and taking Currys to court will cost me more than getting this fridge and giving it to a friend or charity (I already bought a fridge from a different provider as explained before). 

In February 2023, I checked and noticed that the fridge I have selected is back in stock (never received an email from Currys) so I decided to call Currys to check if I can have it delivered now. Turns out, yes I can. So after going through various security checks and confirming the model and delivery date, I asked about the delivery address, I was told actually no one can change the delivery address since this is an exchange item, and the delivery address has to match (per their policy) the same address where the item was picked up from. After going back and forth trying to explain that I have moved since August 2022 (and we are in February 2023), and trying to act reasonably, they said that the best they can advise is to ask the delivery driver to deliver it to my new address on the day of the delivery (I only moved a few miles so given I was trying to be reasonable I agreed to that solution because I thought that Currys will be reasonable too as I never had a negative experience with this retailer before). 

On the day of delivery, I received a call from the driver confirming I am at home and when I told him what Curry's customer services told me to do re the new address, the delivery driver said that for insurance purposes they cannot deliver to an address which is different to what they have on their delivery information. So they took the fridge and asked to rebook the delivery date. After calling customer services they said that "no one can change the delivery address" and that the initial advice was incorrect when placing the order. So I picked a delivery date far in advance just in case I can change it later when someone who has a van can pick it up on the same day when they will be moving to their first home so we can move it from my old address to their address. 

I have all the calls and screenshots of the conversations that I had with currys customer services (btw, do not use their automated emailing system when talking via the webchat for conversations because it is not working as I have never received copies of the conversations that I had with them even though I tried various emails, so I took screenshots instead (which included the time and date on the desktop)).' 

I realise that this is my mistake that I closed down a credit card and I should have kept it open but I only learned about that afterwards, so I guess this is a lesson for me for the future, to keep a credit card open for as long as the original warranty on the item is in place. 

But my question here is, has anyone ever tried to change the delivery address for exchange items at Currys PC World? Do you just cancel the order and re-order it again? I am afraid to try since the notes that they have for this order are likely to be confusing (as proven time and time again when I tried to reach customer services) and it will take them ages to understand when I try to re-order again. 

born_again

Refund could have gone to closed account. It should just have reopened it.

Bradden

born_again said:

Refund could have gone to closed account. It should just have reopened it.

That has always been my experience from working in sales for many years. Every company I've worked for  has had that policy for credit card payments. I was told it was due to the consumer credit act 1974 which stipulated that credit cards payments had to be refunded via the original method of payment as the credit card company were the creditor and if the account was closed it would be reopened. I think many company apply this for debit card payments possibly mistakenly.

born_again

It works for both Debit & Credit.

Boltcik

born_again said:

Refund could have gone to closed account. It should just have reopened it.

Hi. Thank you for your reply. I tried to reopen the account back when I first managed to reach Aqua customer services but they said this cannot be done because by that point the account was closed for too long to be reopened.  I guess this is just a life lesson for me for the future.