Washing Machine Shrunk Clothes - Compensation?

tylerjaffa

Hi there.

I'm looking for some advice about the level of compensation I have been offered after my Tricity Bendix Machine shrunk my clothes.

An engineer had to fit several new parts to my washing machine (despite it only being 6 months old!) - all seems ok now and, as advised by Electrolux, I wrote to their complaints department to request compensation for the damaged goods. I sent an example of one of the garments (along with an example of an identical new garment - which I've not yet had returned to me) requesting compensation to the tune of £240 (an honest appraisal of the value of the clothes - some had been brand new).

I have now received a letter offering me £100 compensation. The letter states "having noted the details of your loss, I accept you have been most unfortunate to damage to clothing and regret the upset this must have caused. In these circumstances and without prejudice to the question of liability, I believe a compensation payment is appropriate and am willing to offer a sum of £100 as a gesture of goodwill.".

Should I accept what I'm offered or complain further on the hope of recovering the cost of all of the damaged clothes?

And does anyone know what they mean by "and without prejudice to the question of liability"...

Any help would be most appreciated.

Vicki

dmg24

tylerjaffa wrote: »

And does anyone know what they mean by "and without prejudice to the question of liability"...

It means they are not accepting liability.

You can ask for more, but they could withdraw the whole offer if you do (they may not, you just need to be aware of the possibility).

It's really up to you if you want to x

Brooker_Dave

tylerjaffa wrote: »

I'm looking for some advice about the level of compensation I have been offered after my Tricity Bendix Machine shrunk my clothes.

I have now received a letter offering me £100 compensation.

You washed some clothes, some shrunk and you're trying to get almost £250 out of some washing machine company??

Take the £100, and consider yourself lucky.

Blacksheep1979

It means that you can't show the letter in court (to prove they've admitted liability)

vetfred

It's easy to say that it's a washing machine and some clothes shrunk, big deal... but the point is that if, and I believe that's the inference here, the shrinkage to the clothing was directly caused by a fault or faults in a 6 month old machine and not by the actions of the customer, then I think they are liable to compensate you fully - they may feel £100 is fully if your clothing wasn't mostly new (just as an example) even if it costs £240 to buy new.

If the machine had chewed up £240 of clothing, it sounds much worse than shrinking but it's exactly the same thing - a faulty product has damaged the clothes when it shouldn't have.

Freddie_Snowbits

When I was about seven years old mum used to say that the washing machine was responsible for shrinking my clothes, only for them to appear days later on my younger cousin!

This only stopped when I was about 14 and stopped growing

pinkshoes

Surely a washing machine would only shrink the clothes if the temperature was too hot. Did the engineer have to do anything with the thermostat, or do you have written proof that the thermostat was faulty?

As vetfred pointed out, the "compensation" would be for the cost of identical second hand items, i.e. from a charity shop (unless the clothes were all brand new, and then you'd have to prove it wasn't a material fault rather than a washing machine fault - they'd want to know that every single item shrunk!), so I'd say £100 as a good will gesture is not to be sniffed at.

tylerjaffa

Thanks for the constructive replies! One of the problems was the thermostat (and I do have proof of this) - the engineer agreed that the machine was over-heating. My estimate of the value of the clothes was based on buying them new although I was conservative with my estimation. A couple of the items were brand new - the rest had been washed a few times.

I'm thinking I will just accept the £100 unless anyone really feels that I should pursue this more based on what I've said?

Vicki

vetfred

tylerjaffa wrote: »

Thanks for the constructive replies! One of the problems was the thermostat (and I do have proof of this) - the engineer agreed that the machine was over-heating. My estimate of the value of the clothes was based on buying them new although I was conservative with my estimation. A couple of the items were brand new - the rest had been washed a few times.

I'm thinking I will just accept the £100 unless anyone really feels that I should pursue this more based on what I've said?

Vicki

It sounds like the company have some decent customer service as they've offered £100 as a gesture/compensation after one letter it appears. It doesn't seem that they've said that offer is their only offer or their final offer so perhaps they expect a response, who knows?

If you write back to ask for more you may well get it with no problem but they may also say £100 is the only offer they will be making or perhaps withdraw the offer. I have to say the latter would be more unlikely in my opinion because, if your valuations are correct, then it's hardly THAT cheeky to ask for some more and many people would. I don't see you as someone tripping over the pavement deliberately to claim compensation, your case seems legitimate and you were only asking for what you say you can prove your clothes are worth.. not additional damages for the stress or something!

If you do ask for more and would perhaps be happier with say £170 you could ask if they would meet half way between what you can show its worth and what they are offering and this could be your gesture of goodwill too!

Totally up to you though and I won't sway you either way as many companies wouldn't even offer £100 after 5 letters never mind one so in a way you've not been too harshly treated in my opinion. I think there are equal grounds for taking it and asking for a little more to be honest.