Different Warranty Period for the exact same item between Domestic and Trade purchase

kilwinkle

I have been in discussions with the supplier of a Fireangel WiFi safe Gateway after mine failed (been in operation for 40 months) the online document for the unit which is clearly identified as  a Model WG-2 Wireless Interlink Gateway.If you search online for a WG-2 specification you get a document that confirms it's a 5 year warranty...however they claim that it's a different WG document very basic which shows a 2 year warranty for domestic customers if your a trade customer the warranty is 5 year they have confirmed by email that the only difference in the unit is the warranty period and there own part number is this in compliance with the Sale of Goods act..

Aylesbury_Duck

kilwinkle said:

I have been in discussions with the supplier of a Fireangel WiFi safe Gateway after mine failed (been in operation for 40 months) the online document for the unit which is clearly identified as  a Model WG-2 Wireless Interlink Gateway.If you search online for a WG-2 specification you get a document that confirms it's a 5 year warranty...however they claim that it's a different WG document very basic which shows a 2 year warranty for domestic customers if your a trade customer the warranty is 5 year they have confirmed by email that the only difference in the unit is the warranty period and there own part number is this in compliance with the Sale of Goods act..

It's lawful, and if you're a consumer (as opposed to a business) then it's the Consumer Rights Act that applies.  Warranties offered are above your statutory rights as a consumer.  As long as the terms don't undermine or diminish your statutory rights, and don't discriminate unlawfully, the company offering the warranty can apply whatever terms they wish, including different warranty periods for consumer and business customers.

Grumpy_chap

Is there differential pricing between trade and consumer customers?

DullGreyGuy

kilwinkle said:

I have been in discussions with the supplier of a Fireangel WiFi safe Gateway after mine failed (been in operation for 40 months) the online document for the unit which is clearly identified as  a Model WG-2 Wireless Interlink Gateway.If you search online for a WG-2 specification you get a document that confirms it's a 5 year warranty...however they claim that it's a different WG document very basic which shows a 2 year warranty for domestic customers if your a trade customer the warranty is 5 year they have confirmed by email that the only difference in the unit is the warranty period and there own part number is this in compliance with the Sale of Goods act..

And the question is? 

Businesses have the SoGA, consumers have the Consumer Rights Act. In the old days we were both under SoGA but they enhanced protections for consumers. 

Its perfectly allowable to have different warranties for domestic and commercial companies, you see it frequently with projectors where in a domestic setting its return to base but in a commercial one they provide a loan unit whilst yours is being inspected. 


The trade customers are presumably then selling it on so if you buy it via trade the CRA gives you rights against the tradesman which the manufacturer covers via the warranty thus not leaving them carrying the can. As a consumer you still have rights against the shop under the CRA