Ridiculous situation with Argos

bobsnotyouruncle

I find myself in the most ridiculous situation with Argos and I would appreciate any/all input.

I purchased a washing machine from Argos in December last year.

In May of this year, I received an email from Argos informing me that my brand of machine may have a fault. I checked the serial number and sure enough, my machine was on the recall list. 

I contacted Argos, they told me I can have a refund or choose another machine to the same value plus £50 as way of an apology.  I received a reference number and told them I would call back.

For context, I work away from home for periods of 6-7 weeks at a time.  I NEVER know when I will be home and when I do get the chance it is for 2-3 days tops.  Even then I can be called back to work at an hours notice.  It is a grueling schedule, but I do not work from Dec-Feb so it all balances out.

As you can imagine, scheduling large deliveries can be problematic when you don't know when you will be at home so I leave everything until the winter months when I know for sure I am available.

I recently managed to get home for a few days.  Needing a washing machine , I decided to buy locally.  They can deliver and fit the next day and would scrap the recalled machine.

I spoke to Argos, explained that I had bought locally and would like a refund for the faulty machine.  This is where the situation becomes ridiculous.

Argos want the broken machine back.  I explained my situation with regards to work, I am never at home, I can't schedule deliveries and I am having a new machine delivered the next day.  I was told that in order to receive a refund, I would need to arrange for a collection by Argos.

So, I was left with no choice but to cancel my new machine.  If I had it delivered and fitted, I would then need to store the faulty machine until I am able to arrange for Argos to collect it, which will likely be December at the earliest.  I live in a tiny flat and I have absolutely nowhere to store a spare washing machine!

I am now stuck with a faulty machine, which I need to use to wash my clothes in-between jobs. I am obviously very concerned about using it due to the electrical fault, but I have no choice.

It never occurred to me for a moment that Argos would ask for a recalled item to be returned just to scrap it, when I can scrap it myself.

I don't know if I am being unreasonable in expecting a refund and not returning the product and would appreciate any input/advice you may have.

Also, I have no-one I can ask to be at home for large deliveries.  My elderly neighbour takes in any small parcels when I am away, but she is housebound and I can't ask her to supervise an installation.

eskbanker

bobsnotyouruncle said:

It never occurred to me for a moment that Argos would ask for a recalled item to be returned just to scrap it

Did they actually say that?  If it's a faulty manufacturing batch then Argos would presumably be either returning them to the manufacturer for repair or alternatively just being refunded the collection/disposal costs by the manufacturer, so Argos seeking to collect them doesn't seem unreasonable to me, however inconvenient it may be in your specific circumstances.

bobsnotyouruncle

Yes.  The person I spoke with said that the machine will be scrapped but they need to do it and not the customer.

electriccactus

The person you spoke to probably has no idea what will happen to it.

They may have just been told it would be scrapped by their manager/supervisor so as not to give customers the idea to demand it be repaired at their home.

I don't think it's unreasonable for Argos to want it back rather than let you "dispose of it yourself."

If the fault could injure someone, they don't want to risk being sued. Even if it can't, they are unlikely to want to give people a free washing machine.

Aylesbury_Duck

Doesn't sound like a ridiculous situation of Argos' making, to be honest.  You have an unusual set of circumstances and it's unreasonable to expect a generic box-shifter like Argos to flex around them when something like this occurs.  You would be better buying from a local supplier with which you can make special arrangements, as you were planning to do for the faulty machine's replacement.

It is unreasonable to expect a refund while not returning the product.  An unscrupulous person in your shoes might just sell the machine on and claim the refund, for example.  And Argos need to assure themselves that it's put out of use and that they therefore have no future liability arising from a fault.

I think you're going to have to find a way to get it collected, even if that means paying a house-sitter for a day, for example.  If you continue to use it and there's a fire, your insurer might be none too pleased when they realise it was recalled and you carried on using it.

I think the best you can do here is to try and negotiate some extra goodwill on top of the £50, to cover any costs you incur paying someone to supervise collection.

screech_78

I’m sorry, but the only ridiculous thing here is you thinking Argos are being ridiculous. 

Of course they want the machine back. They don’t “scrap it”. They are credited the cost price back in full from the supplier who has issued the recall. 

Clive_Woody

bobsnotyouruncle said:

Yes.  The person I spoke with said that the machine will be scrapped but they need to do it and not the customer.

Presumably this is to stop them being sold on and potentially causing injury/death with the manufacturer held liable. They have a duty of care to ensure the machine is safely disposed of.

born_again

Was the machine working before you received the notice? If so it must still be working now.
So long as Argos are happy to wait till you are available to arrange the swap. It's not a issue.

pinkshoes

If you're not around until December and only back for 2 or 3 days at a time then how will it be in the way if you're rarely there?

The machine isn't broken. It might have a fault hence the recall, so it's reasonable for it to be returned to Argos if you want a refund.

Just return it in December when you're back.

ThumbRemote

From the description of your work I can only assume you are James Bond, in which case get Moneypenny to arrange your cleaning. 

PHK

Also, how do you manage with no-one going into the premises for that long. Most home insurance excludes unoccupied properties, for example?