John Lewis installation broke my dishwasher

Tsukicat

I recently had a much needed kitchen redone after finding an amazing ex display bargain. 

John Lewis delivered and fit a new washing machine (present from a family member), but broke the integrated dishwasher whilst fitting which leaked everywhere on the next run. 

It had been working fine beforehand. 

A John Lewis team were sent to look at the issue,  didn't remove the washing machine to check,  suggested that the installation shouldn't have happened because it was next to an integrated dishwasher and left. 

I have just received an email essentially saying (their word against mine) that they won't take responsibility and it isn't their fault. 

Is there anything I can do? I don't want to pay for a plumber because it's really expensive but I'm now left with a broken dishwasher. 

Help please!

Aylesbury_Duck

Escalate it with JL.  Tell them that the washing machine wasn’t even moved as part of the inspection and that the technician mentioned that their installers shouldn’t have installed it in that location.

How did you pay for the washing machine?

How old is your dishwasher?  There’s a slim possibility it’s just failed and the timing is a coincidence, but I suspect what’s happened is that either the cold water feed to, or the waste pipe from the dishwasher have become dislodged, kinked or split as the washing machine was manoeuvred into place and connected.

Edit: must be the waste, because if it only leaks when it’s running, the cold feed must be fine.  You shouldn’t have to fix it yourself, but it may be as simple as poking the dishwasher waste pipe back into your under-sink waste.  If it is that and you can fix it, it would save a lot of chasing JL.  If the waste pipe is split then it’s more complicated.  It may also just be pinched behind the washing machine, although I’d expect it to throw up an error code and stop working rather than backing up and leaking.

GDB2222

As the Duck says, there are too many possibilities. What exactly are JL saying? 

Grumpy_chap

Tsukicat said:

I recently had a much needed kitchen redone after finding an amazing ex display bargain. 

John Lewis delivered and fit a new washing machine (present from a family member), but broke the integrated dishwasher whilst fitting which leaked everywhere on the next run. 

It had been working fine beforehand. 

A John Lewis team were sent to look at the issue,  didn't remove the washing machine to check,  suggested that the installation shouldn't have happened because it was next to an integrated dishwasher and left. 

I have just received an email essentially saying (their word against mine) that they won't take responsibility and it isn't their fault. 

Is there anything I can do? I don't want to pay for a plumber because it's really expensive but I'm now left with a broken dishwasher. 

Help please!

What have they actually broken?
It kind of sounds as though they may not have broken anything but have knocked the outlet hose from the dishwasher so that it is not discharging into the drain pipe but flying loose.
That would simply need pulling the washing machine out, popping the hose back in and then pushing the washing machine back, being careful not to dislodge either the dishwasher or washing machine drain hoses (which can be easier said than done).
I am surprised the JL service team did not do that check as it is relatively simple.
Can you do that check, or do so with the help of a friend?

Tsukicat

Really helpful comments,  thank you!

I managed to move the washing machine with the help of someone and we discovered that:

The installer disconnected my previously plumbed in dishwasher waste pipe, and in its place connected the washing machine waste pipe. The dishwasher waste pipe was subsequently never reconnected. As a consequence when the dishwasher was next used water poured all over the floor. 

Everything works now,  but I have to persuade them to refund the fitting fee, especially as they didn't do a simple check,  so will escalate until I get a decent response.  What a waste of time (no pun intended)! 

Tsukicat

N.B. They have refused to issue a refund for the installation.  I'd seriously recommend NEVER using their installation service.  Absolutely awful service and the installers are clearly  not trained

Grumpy_chap

Tsukicat said:

N.B. They have refused to issue a refund for the installation.  I'd seriously recommend NEVER using their installation service.  Absolutely awful service and the installers are clearly  not trained

I am shocked from the ineptitude of the fitter who connected up the washing machine.

How did you pay for the washing machine?
(I note you say it was a present, so how did the family member pay?)
There may be an option for chargeback if a card (debit or credit) was used.
S75 protection that may be available if a credit card was used may be unavailable if the supplier-creditor-debtor link is broken (by virtue of being a gift) or if the value of the installation is too low.
Routes for redress in this vein might change again if the family member gave you money and then you paid using your card.

screech_78

There must be more to this. 

It’ll be being handled with the damage to property team. They would have liaised with the service building that your delivery came from and the crew would have been interviewed. They would then determine liability. 

If another crew had advised the installation shouldn’t have happened, this would have been noted. But I can see you’ve said “they suggested” it shouldn’t be installed so exact wording of why they’ve refuted your claim would be useful. 

born_again

Grumpy_chap said:

Tsukicat said:

N.B. They have refused to issue a refund for the installation.  I'd seriously recommend NEVER using their installation service.  Absolutely awful service and the installers are clearly  not trained

I am shocked from the ineptitude of the fitter who connected up the washing machine.

How did you pay for the washing machine?
(I note you say it was a present, so how did the family member pay?)
There may be an option for chargeback if a card (debit or credit) was used.
S75 protection that may be available if a credit card was used may be unavailable if the supplier-creditor-debtor link is broken (by virtue of being a gift) or if the value of the installation is too low.
Routes for redress in this vein might change again if the family member gave you money and then you paid using your card.

No chargeback route, as nothing wrong with the item purchased. Chargebacks do not cover anything else.

S75 could also argue the same point & also the fitting cost would be separate & highly unlikely to be over £100.

Grumpy_chap

born_again said:

Grumpy_chap said:

Tsukicat said:

N.B. They have refused to issue a refund for the installation.  I'd seriously recommend NEVER using their installation service.  Absolutely awful service and the installers are clearly  not trained

I am shocked from the ineptitude of the fitter who connected up the washing machine.

How did you pay for the washing machine?
(I note you say it was a present, so how did the family member pay?)
There may be an option for chargeback if a card (debit or credit) was used.
S75 protection that may be available if a credit card was used may be unavailable if the supplier-creditor-debtor link is broken (by virtue of being a gift) or if the value of the installation is too low.
Routes for redress in this vein might change again if the family member gave you money and then you paid using your card.

No chargeback route, as nothing wrong with the item purchased. Chargebacks do not cover anything else.

S75 could also argue the same point & also the fitting cost would be separate & highly unlikely to be over £100.

Thanks.
I agree that S75 is unlikely as the value is too low for the installation.

With regard to chargeback,  are you saying this would only cover products and not services?

GDB2222

screech_78 said:

There must be more to this. 

It’ll be being handled with the damage to property team. They would have liaised with the service building that your delivery came from and the crew would have been interviewed. They would then determine liability. 

If another crew had advised the installation shouldn’t have happened, this would have been noted. But I can see you’ve said “they suggested” it shouldn’t be installed so exact wording of why they’ve refuted your claim would be useful. 

I agree. All the big retailers offer an installation service, and they don’t have issues like this all the time. They have requirements, eg there needs to be a pipe the installers can connect the waste to, and I don’t see how the relative who bought the washing machine could know what pipework was in place? 

JL are a reputable company, and if their installers made a mistake I’d expect them to rectify it. 

So, there must be much more to this than the OP is able or willing to explain. I can conjecture about the missing details, but that seems pointless.