Bosch Appliance Failure

JANETSAVING

I purchased a top of the range Bosch 4 door American style Fridge Freezer 4 months ago.

Not only did it break, but it issued no alarms, and the temperature indicator showed the correct safe temperatures, suggested that the appliance was functioning correctly.

As a result we have lost £200 worth of food and 4 of us had food poisoning.

Bosch sent out an engineer a week after I complained to them. They have now acknowledged that the appliance has failed and needs to be condemned. But have given no date when I will receive a replacement, and are refusing to pay any compensation for my losses.

For a company that tries to foster a premium quality brand image this sort of response is very disappointing. 

I certainly not ever buy a Bosch appliance again. And I will not be recommending them.

Undervalued

JANETSAVING said:

I purchased a top of the range Bosch 4 door American style Fridge Freezer 4 months ago.

Not only did it break, but it issued no alarms, and the temperature indicator showed the correct safe temperatures, suggested that the appliance was functioning correctly.

As a result we have lost £200 worth of food and 4 of us had food poisoning.

Bosch sent out an engineer a week after I complained to them. They have now acknowledged that the appliance has failed and needs to be condemned. But have given no date when I will receive a replacement, and are refusing to pay any compensation for my losses.

For a company that tries to foster a premium quality brand image this sort of response is very disappointing. 

I certainly not ever buy a Bosch appliance again. And I will not be recommending them.

Who did you buy it from? Your claim is against the supplier, not the manufacturer unless you bought it direct.

The manufacturer's warranty (if any) is in addition to your statutory rights but is limited to whatever terms it is on. That may well exclude consequential loss. However you may have a claim for at least the food against the supplier.

 

CliveOfIndia

Undervalued said:

JANETSAVING said:

I purchased a top of the range Bosch 4 door American style Fridge Freezer 4 months ago.

Not only did it break, but it issued no alarms, and the temperature indicator showed the correct safe temperatures, suggested that the appliance was functioning correctly.

As a result we have lost £200 worth of food and 4 of us had food poisoning.

Bosch sent out an engineer a week after I complained to them. They have now acknowledged that the appliance has failed and needs to be condemned. But have given no date when I will receive a replacement, and are refusing to pay any compensation for my losses.

For a company that tries to foster a premium quality brand image this sort of response is very disappointing. 

I certainly not ever buy a Bosch appliance again. And I will not be recommending them.

However you may have a claim for at least the food against the supplier.

 

It's also worth noting that, should you get nowhere with the supplier as regards the loss of food, most home contents insurance policies will cover loss of food due to freezer breakdown, pretty much as standard.

You'd need to check your policy, of course, and also weigh up whether it's actually worth claiming at all, taking into account any excess that may be applicable, and the effect it may have on future premiums.  But just thought I'd mention it in case it's something you want to consider.

Aylesbury_Duck

Undervalued said:

JANETSAVING said:

I purchased a top of the range Bosch 4 door American style Fridge Freezer 4 months ago.

Not only did it break, but it issued no alarms, and the temperature indicator showed the correct safe temperatures, suggested that the appliance was functioning correctly.

As a result we have lost £200 worth of food and 4 of us had food poisoning.

Bosch sent out an engineer a week after I complained to them. They have now acknowledged that the appliance has failed and needs to be condemned. But have given no date when I will receive a replacement, and are refusing to pay any compensation for my losses.

For a company that tries to foster a premium quality brand image this sort of response is very disappointing. 

I certainly not ever buy a Bosch appliance again. And I will not be recommending them.

Who did you buy it from? Your claim is against the supplier, not the manufacturer unless you bought it direct.

The manufacturer's warranty (if any) is in addition to your statutory rights but is limited to whatever terms it is on. That may well exclude consequential loss. However you may have a claim for at least the food against the supplier.

 

Absolutely right.

OP, go back to the retailer, tell them that a Bosch representative has inspected the unit and condemned it, and that you want a resolution as per your consumer rights, not the warranty.  See what they say.

If you have reasonable evidence of the value of the food wasted, provide that as a supplementary claim.  If you incurred cost as a result of your illness and have evidence of the illness and incurred cost, that's also something to discuss with them.

Even the most expensive brands will have an appliance go wrong from time to time.  A high price and a posh badge isn't a guarantee of 100% reliability.  You're at liberty to buy whatever alternative brands you like of course, but at that price range I suspect they're all much of a muchness in terms of reliability.

JANETSAVING

I I hear what you are saying. But my retailer put me in touch with Bosch and they have been responsible for managing (or not) the warranty claim.
And it is them that have manufactured a defective product and are doing the absolute minimum to rectify the situation.
So much for buying a Premium brand.
A read on a separate thread that Asian manufacturers are far more willing to redress any failings. They obviously understand customer service.
Whilst I have house and contents insurance, the excess is high and they will probably increase my premiums if I make a claim. And at the end of the day my food spoilage and poisoning is solely the result of Bosch’s failure to supply a quality product.
Not only did the appliance fail to chill/ freeze the food, but it failed to emit any warnings that it had failed. And indeed the display suggested that it was working correctly. 

That is poor design 

powerful_Rogue

JANETSAVING said:

I I hear what you are saying. But my retailer put me in touch with Bosch and they have been responsible for managing (or not) the warranty claim.
And it is them that have manufactured a defective product and are doing the absolute minimum to rectify the situation.
So much for buying a Premium brand.
A read on a separate thread that Asian manufacturers are far more willing to redress any failings. They obviously understand customer service.
Whilst I have house and contents insurance, the excess is high and they will probably increase my premiums if I make a claim. And at the end of the day my food spoilage and poisoning is solely the result of Bosch’s failure to supply a quality product.
Not only did the appliance fail to chill/ freeze the food, but it failed to emit any warnings that it had failed. And indeed the display suggested that it was working correctly. 

That is poor design 

As per the post above yours, you go back to the retailer with the information and claim under your consumer rights.

Alderbank

JANETSAVING said:

 And at the end of the day my food spoilage and poisoning is solely the result of Bosch’s failure to supply a quality product.

No it's not.

I know when I touch anything in my fridge or freezer if something is wrong. And if anything felt wrong I would not blindly rely on the temperature display saying 4° or -18°.

Frozen food has to be above -18° for a day or two to become unfit for consumption. Everything in the fridge is pretty safe after 12 hours, indeed most things we keep in the fridge like eggs, cheese, butter, vegetables keep just as well in a cool larder.

I agree that food spoilage is Bosch's fault, and I too would probably throw out some food which probably was actually still safe to eat.
But feeding food to your family  which has decayed to the point that it is a health hazard? Not your fault? Really?

Aylesbury_Duck

JANETSAVING said:

I I hear what you are saying. But my retailer put me in touch with Bosch and they have been responsible for managing (or not) the warranty claim.
And it is them that have manufactured a defective product and are doing the absolute minimum to rectify the situation.
So much for buying a Premium brand.
A read on a separate thread that Asian manufacturers are far more willing to redress any failings. They obviously understand customer service.
Whilst I have house and contents insurance, the excess is high and they will probably increase my premiums if I make a claim. And at the end of the day my food spoilage and poisoning is solely the result of Bosch’s failure to supply a quality product.
Not only did the appliance fail to chill/ freeze the food, but it failed to emit any warnings that it had failed. And indeed the display suggested that it was working correctly. 

That is poor design 

In your desire to (bish?) bash Bosch you're letting the retailer off the hook. They palmed you off Bosch rather than dealing with your consumer rights as they were obliged to, Bosch aren't dealing with it very well and you're focusing all your frustration on Bosch instead of taking it up with the business that actually took your money and palmed you off to Bosch!

You're not a Bosch customer, either.  Comparing what Bosch does with what an Asian manufacturer does is only relevant in the context of warranty services.  Your consumer rights are the same whichever company manufactures the product, and they lie with the retailer.

Go back to the retailer and exercise your consumer rights.  That's presumably why you posted on a consumer rights forum, isn't it?

sheramber

Alderbank said:

JANETSAVING said:

 And at the end of the day my food spoilage and poisoning is solely the result of Bosch’s failure to supply a quality product.

No it's not.

I know when I touch anything in my fridge or freezer if something is wrong. And if anything felt wrong I would not blindly rely on the temperature display saying 4° or -18°.

Frozen food has to be above -18° for a day or two to become unfit for consumption. Everything in the fridge is pretty safe after 12 hours, indeed most things we keep in the fridge like eggs, cheese, butter, vegetables keep just as well in a cool larder.

I agree that food spoilage is Bosch's fault, and I too would probably throw out some food which probably was actually still safe to eat.
But feeding food to your family  which has decayed to the point that it is a health hazard? Not your fault? Really?

How did we survive without fridges and freezers?  Acool cupboard in the kitchen was all we had.

oldagetraveller1

sheramber said:

Alderbank said:

JANETSAVING said:

 And at the end of the day my food spoilage and poisoning is solely the result of Bosch’s failure to supply a quality product.

No it's not.

I know when I touch anything in my fridge or freezer if something is wrong. And if anything felt wrong I would not blindly rely on the temperature display saying 4° or -18°.

Frozen food has to be above -18° for a day or two to become unfit for consumption. Everything in the fridge is pretty safe after 12 hours, indeed most things we keep in the fridge like eggs, cheese, butter, vegetables keep just as well in a cool larder.

I agree that food spoilage is Bosch's fault, and I too would probably throw out some food which probably was actually still safe to eat.
But feeding food to your family  which has decayed to the point that it is a health hazard? Not your fault? Really?

How did we survive without fridges and freezers?  Acool cupboard in the kitchen was all we had.

Or a thick slab of slate in the larder to help keep stuff cool.

However, then there were lots of local greengrocers, butchers etc. where fresh produce could be bought and kept for a couple of days. Then buy more fresh food, rinse and repeat.

Milk was also delivered to the doorstep each morning, 1 pint, 2 pints etc. sufficient for the intervening 24 hours.

Now it's usually a weekly supermarket shop where perishables have to be chilled or frozen.

user1977

sheramber said:

Alderbank said:

JANETSAVING said:

 And at the end of the day my food spoilage and poisoning is solely the result of Bosch’s failure to supply a quality product.

No it's not.

I know when I touch anything in my fridge or freezer if something is wrong. And if anything felt wrong I would not blindly rely on the temperature display saying 4° or -18°.

Frozen food has to be above -18° for a day or two to become unfit for consumption. Everything in the fridge is pretty safe after 12 hours, indeed most things we keep in the fridge like eggs, cheese, butter, vegetables keep just as well in a cool larder.

I agree that food spoilage is Bosch's fault, and I too would probably throw out some food which probably was actually still safe to eat.
But feeding food to your family  which has decayed to the point that it is a health hazard? Not your fault? Really?

How did we survive without fridges and freezers?

With a great deal of inconvenience, food wastage, and a much smaller range of available produce.