New cooker couldn't be connected - refund?

born_again

Woodstok2000 said:

There's nothing I can see in the argos terms about checking electrical wiring or consumer units prior to an installation, so seems like a clear case for a refund. Escalate with argos and raise a formal complaint. If that fails, go to the credit card company for an S75 refund.

OP has already  stated that their mothers card was used & delivered to ( their sibling) so guessing  grand daughters address. So no S75 cover.

If the electrics are not up to current guidelines. Then Argos are within their rights to not install. As they would be liable should anything happen to t he cooker or anyone using it.

DeathByFluffy

Grumpy_chap said:

Upsidedownyouturnme said:

Mum is desperately trying to contact Argos to get a refund for the connection fee as sibling has told her that AO said she is entitled to one.  Argos are only offering a small discount.

Woodstok2000 said:

I would definitely escalate the complaint with argos, then claim back on s75 with the credit card if that doesn't work. If you had an oven wired in previously woth no issues I think youve covered your responsibilities in terms of the pre-install check, and it would have taken the installer 30 seconds to realise there's no trip and so he can't proceed. No way should you be liable for the fee here.

screech_78 said:

Regardless, I think a refund is due. I work for a different company and our installers aren’t electricians so if there’s any reason they can’t install (customer error or not) the fee is refunded. They would have checked prior to starting the install that everything was correct so they won’t have done any work. I can’t see how they can charge for a service you haven’t received. 

I actually think the small discount / partial refund offered by Argos is quite possibly reasonable and I disagree with the full refund "no way liable" or "can't charge for a service you haven't received" really applies.

The service to install the cooker has several cost elements:
 - back office to schedule the visit
 - installer's time to travel to the site
 - time on site to do the pre-install checks
 - time on site to complete the install
 - installer's time to travel from the site

The OP has received all of those cost time elements apart from the fourth one.  The actual time to complete the connection of a single device to a suitably located and rated power supply is really very short.

I agree - not the installer's fault that the wiring wasn't up to scratch, and their attendance won't have cost AO / Argos nothing. 
A small discount as a gesture of goodwill seems fair to me. 

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

powerful_Rogue said:

I had already checked, but didn't see the need to write it as it had already been commented. Sadly a lot of people that come here don't bother to check.

A lot of these threads go on for pages and pages because instead of answering the question it turns into a game of 20 questions. 

I understand some points require clarity but it's a lot easier to simply answer the question and let the poster seeking help decide whether to enquire further in the thread or check out the specifics for themselves (bearing in mind a lot of poster doesn't post anything further in the thread). 

Or it would be if we wasn't arguing semantics over the structure of a brief sentence  

Ergates

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head said:

powerful_Rogue said:

I had already checked, but didn't see the need to write it as it had already been commented. Sadly a lot of people that come here don't bother to check.

A lot of these threads go on for pages and pages because instead of answering the question it turns into a game of 20 questions. 

I understand some points require clarity but it's a lot easier to simply answer the question and let the poster seeking help decide whether to enquire further in the thread or check out the specifics for themselves (bearing in mind a lot of poster doesn't post anything further in the thread). 

Or it would be if we wasn't arguing semantics over the structure of a brief sentence  

"weren't"

(  if that wasn't clear)

sheramber

Woodstok2000 said:

sheramber said:

Woodstok2000 said:

I would definitely escalate the complaint with argos, then claim back on s75 with the credit card if that doesn't work. If you had an oven wired in previously woth no issues I think youve covered your responsibilities in terms of the pre-install check, and it would have taken the installer 30 seconds to realise there's no trip and so he can't proceed. No way should you be liable for the fee here.

Partner could have connected the previous oven illegally.

Regulations may have changed since previous oven was connected. 

S75 would only apply if the installation cost was £100 or more as it was paid separately from the oven.
 

What about the cost of the electrician travelling to the job and back again? 

The OP first post seemed to imply two transactions, and the argos installation fee is definitely over £100. There's no travel cost for the electrician as he's out in the AO van doing deliveries all day anyway.

Of course regs may have changed, but there's no way that knowledge can be expected of the customer as part of a fair contract. The terms only state you need to have an appropriate connection within 1m, and the electrician noted the issue is at the consumer unit so I think there's a reasonable case to have the install fee refunded.

If there was no installation it would be delivery drivers only, not an electrician.

There is a complication with S75, as the mother bought on behalf  of  her daughter   not herself. 

For a S75 claim the purchase has to be for your benefit, so unless the mother lives with the daughter  it was not bought for her benefit. 

TELLIT01

There would seem to be no fault on the part of the vendor or their agent (the electrician) so I can't see any basis for a refund.  The electrician attended so has to be paid.  The best the OP might be able to get the vendor to agree to is a free or reduced charge for installation when/if the problem with the power supply to the cooker is addressed.

Grumpy_chap

TELLIT01 said:

There would seem to be no fault on the part of the vendor or their agent (the electrician) so I can't see any basis for a refund.  The electrician attended so has to be paid.  The best the OP might be able to get the vendor to agree to is a free or reduced charge for installation when/if the problem with the power supply to the cooker is addressed.

Which they have been offered in a roundabout kind of way:

Upsidedownyouturnme said:

Argos are only offering a small discount.

powerful_Rogue

Amazing what pops up randomly on social media! This was posted yesterday, wasn't you OP was it?!

Upsidedownyouturnme

powerful_Rogue said:

Amazing what pops up randomly on social media! This was posted yesterday, wasn't you OP was it?!

Nope wasn't me and my sibling's house has not (to my knowledge) ever been a council house.

My sibling is avoiding any questions and hasn't listened to any advice, apparently they know the law.

My mum is confused about what whether a phone call occurred (which is what another poster asked me). So I'm at a loss of how to help,

To ne honest I just wanted to help mum, as she's been frantic and is alone, vulnerable,  forgets things and I'm quite upset that my sibling badgered her into paying for the cooker. 

I think sibling is ,most upset as they are hosting their children and partners on Christmas Day and won't have a cooker. 

Mum also hasn't got a cooker, as she's being frugal with money and hers broke, so she's managing with an air fryer, microwave,  hotplate and slow cooker (she lives alone and doesn't eat much).

Thanks for all your responses,  if I can actually get any more information I will return, but right now sibling seems to be happy firing off emails and phone calls themselves.

user1977

Upsidedownyouturnme said:

powerful_Rogue said:

Amazing what pops up randomly on social media! This was posted yesterday, wasn't you OP was it?!

I think sibling is ,most upset as they are hosting their children and partners on Christmas Day and won't have a cooker. 

I thought from the OP they had had the oven (or is it a whole cooker?) delivered, it was just the installation which wasn't done? And you said their partner is able to connect cookers? Why can't they connect it up themselves?