Washing machine just out of warranty

quiggd

I've got a Hotpoint washing machine that is 2 months outside its warranty (2 years). I've tried to argue that this isnt an acceptable or reasonable time for a circa £400 appliance to work that has been maintained and looked after, it should have an average life of 10-13 years. Hotpoint were really argumentative on the phone (when I finally managed to speak to someone) and the only options I had were
1. don't book anything
2. pay £137 for a repair  
3. sign up for a 2 month plan and pay £20.37 by DDM each month for 12 months

With options 2 & 3 an engineer will call round and if they deem the issues to be caused by the user then I am liable for the cost of the repair. 

I've read ML's articles on the Consumer Rights Act and the Sale of goods but it was as if Hotpoint thought I was making them up, just kept referring to it being out of warranty. 
I've now booked a repair but my overriding fear is that they are going to say its my fault (regardless of the actual reason) and I have to pay for it. 

I've signed upto the 12 month plan (which I plan on cancelling within 14 days), Would you of done the same thing?

Despite legislation I don't feel like I had any rights here.

EssexExile

It's odd. When I worked for Hotpoint lots of customers wanted their machine repaired free if it was just outside the warranty period, but I don't remember anyone wanting to pay when it was just inside the warranty period. Back then though Hotpoint was Hotpoint and we had discretion, now it's owned by Whirlpool the engineer may not be so free.

ashe

quiggd said:

I've got a Hotpoint washing machine that is 2 months outside its warranty (2 years). I've tried to argue that this isnt an acceptable or reasonable time for a circa £400 appliance to work that has been maintained and looked after, it should have an average life of 10-13 years. Hotpoint were really argumentative on the phone (when I finally managed to speak to someone) and the only options I had were
1. don't book anything
2. pay £137 for a repair  
3. sign up for a 2 month plan and pay £20.37 by DDM each month for 12 months

With options 2 & 3 an engineer will call round and if they deem the issues to be caused by the user then I am liable for the cost of the repair. 

I've read ML's articles on the Consumer Rights Act and the Sale of goods but it was as if Hotpoint thought I was making them up, just kept referring to it being out of warranty. 
I've now booked a repair but my overriding fear is that they are going to say its my fault (regardless of the actual reason) and I have to pay for it. 

I've signed upto the 12 month plan (which I plan on cancelling within 14 days), Would you of done the same thing?

Despite legislation I don't feel like I had any rights here.

We had this with a fridge freezer 

which? Has templates to send them but the onus is on you to pay for an engineers report to say the fault would have existed when you got the item 

not hard to do but reports cost 40-60ish although they should reimburse 

we did it with an American fridge freezer, LG repaired several times during 2 year warranty and final time was just out of warranty period 

AO said would be chargeable and tried to offer me £100 towards any repair 

sent the letter and got the report, they knocked off £300 for fair use and we got a £800 refund - bought a Samsung with a 5 year warranty and lesson learned! Was lucky as there was a sale o Samsung and a cashback offer so we ended up with a much better fridge freezer and a fresh longer warranty 

CSI_Yorkshire

Warranty period =/= expected lifetime of appliance.

benson1980

quiggd said:

I've got a Hotpoint washing machine that is 2 months outside its warranty (2 years). I've tried to argue that this isnt an acceptable or reasonable time for a circa £400 appliance to work that has been maintained and looked after, it should have an average life of 10-13 years. Hotpoint were really argumentative on the phone (when I finally managed to speak to someone) and the only options I had were
1. don't book anything
2. pay £137 for a repair  
3. sign up for a 2 month plan and pay £20.37 by DDM each month for 12 months

With options 2 & 3 an engineer will call round and if they deem the issues to be caused by the user then I am liable for the cost of the repair. 

I've read ML's articles on the Consumer Rights Act and the Sale of goods but it was as if Hotpoint thought I was making them up, just kept referring to it being out of warranty. 
I've now booked a repair but my overriding fear is that they are going to say its my fault (regardless of the actual reason) and I have to pay for it. 

I've signed upto the 12 month plan (which I plan on cancelling within 14 days), Would you of done the same thing?

Despite legislation I don't feel like I had any rights here.

Probably depends what has gone wrong with it. Reasonable for a part such as a door gasket to last less than 10 years. Likewise the belt which could potentially snap but doesn't mean the machine is inherently poorly designed. 

They will have parts that will [reasonably] be subject to wear and tear, especially with a washing machine and thus the manufacturer has to draw the line somewhere with respect to warranty. This doesn't necessarily mean that this equates to the lifespan of the machine.

[Deleted User]

Hi,

quiggd said:

I've got a Hotpoint washing machine that is 2 months outside its warranty (2 years). I've tried to argue that this isnt an acceptable or reasonable time for a circa £400 appliance to work that has been maintained and looked after, it should have an average life of 10-13 years. Hotpoint were really argumentative on the phone (when I finally managed to speak to someone) and the only options I had were
1. don't book anything
2. pay £137 for a repair  
3. sign up for a 2 month plan and pay £20.37 by DDM each month for 12 months

With options 2 & 3 an engineer will call round and if they deem the issues to be caused by the user then I am liable for the cost of the repair. 

I've read ML's articles on the Consumer Rights Act and the Sale of goods but it was as if Hotpoint thought I was making them up, just kept referring to it being out of warranty. 
I've now booked a repair but my overriding fear is that they are going to say its my fault (regardless of the actual reason) and I have to pay for it. 

I've signed upto the 12 month plan (which I plan on cancelling within 14 days), Would you of done the same thing?

Despite legislation I don't feel like I had any rights here.

ok, it's out of warranty, so what's your grievance, is it because you think 2 year warranty is too short and should be extended, at no extra cost, or do you have a problem with the machine, you have given no details.

What do you mean "maintained and looked after", is that an annual service?

£137 to repair what?

Mr.Generous

When I had a Hotpoint and 2 young kids (the machine was never off) it used to go through carbon brushes regularly every couple of years. It's not a fault, it's just withh use. Easy to swap and parts are cheap.

Postik

frugalmacdugal said:

ok, it's out of warranty, so what's your grievance, is it because you think 2 year warranty is too short and should be extended, at no extra cost, or do you have a problem with the machine

I guess if you had to pay £400 for a new washing machine every 26 months it would become pretty expensive and you would question how well the appliances were made.  Fortunately that's not normally the case, but in this case it is, so is that just "hard luck" for the OP?

benson1980

Postik said:

frugalmacdugal said:

ok, it's out of warranty, so what's your grievance, is it because you think 2 year warranty is too short and should be extended, at no extra cost, or do you have a problem with the machine

I guess if you had to pay £400 for a new washing machine every 26 months it would become pretty expensive and you would question how well the appliances were made.  Fortunately that's not normally the case, but in this case it is, so is that just "hard luck" for the OP?

They might not need a new machine.

housebuyer143

If you cancel within 14 days but they have been out and repaired it, you might be charged for the cost of the repair., so check the small print.

Sometimes these extended warranty policies are actually worth it.

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

Your consumer rights lie with the retailer (trader) you purchased from (if you purchased direct from Hotpoint then that will be with them).

Warranty is in addition to your consumer rights and has expired.

As it has been longer than 6 months since delivery it is no longer taken that the goods did not conform to the contract at the time of delivery* and is for you to demonstrate. 

*This does not mean the current fault had to be visually present, rather the underlying cause was always there despite only manifesting now in a way you can see/directly experience, which is typically that the goods failed to be of satisfactory quality due to a lack of durability.

To demonstrate the goods do not conform an independent inspection is typically recommended with the findings presented in writing, a local appliance repair company is suitable for this.

Should the inspection determine, on the balance of probability, that the issue was not down to user error/misuse then you would be entitled to seek a remedy against the trader as well as seeking the cost of the inspection as damages.

Ideally the trader should repair or replace but if they fail to do so you may either exercise the final right to reject for a refund, as it has been longer than 6 months a deduction for the use of the goods is permitted, typically lifespan vs time since delivery, or you may seek a price reduction and retain the goods, should the appliance repair company say it can be sorted for a reasonable cost (less than the refund that would be due) you may prefer to opt for the repair covered by the price reduction.