Appliance just out of guarantee and unrepairable
An appliance that breaks down shortly after the manufacturer’s guarantee expires – and is then declared unrepairable – is one of the most frustrating situations a consumer can face. This guide explains what rights exist under the Consumer Rights Act, who is responsible, and what to do when both the manufacturer and retailer claim they cannot help. Although this guide uses a fridge freezer as the primary example, the principles apply to any white goods appliance.
If an appliance fails just outside the guarantee period and cannot be repaired, the manufacturer’s obligation is at an end – but the retailer’s is not. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, if an appliance has not lasted a reasonable time, the retailer is responsible. Contact the retailer directly and insist on a replacement or refund. Do not accept a claim that there is nothing they can do.
The Scenario: Out of Guarantee and Unrepairable
Consider a situation where a fridge freezer purchased for £630 breaks down 14 months after purchase – two months outside the manufacturer’s 12-month guarantee. A manufacturer’s engineer declares the fault, caused by an internal gas leak, to be unrepairable. At this point the manufacturer considers its obligation fulfilled – the guarantee has expired.
This situation is not unique to fridge freezers. It can arise with any white goods appliance: washing machines, dishwashers, tumble dryers, or ovens. The legal position is the same in each case.
Why the Manufacturer Is Not Responsible
Under UK consumer law, a manufacturer’s obligation to the consumer extends only to the guarantee period they have offered. Once that period has expired, the manufacturer has no further legal obligation – even if the appliance has clearly not lasted a reasonable time.
In practice, manufacturers often tell the consumer to go back to the retailer. This is legally correct – the retailer is the party with whom the consumer has a contract. The manufacturer did not sell the appliance to the consumer directly and therefore has no direct legal liability. Some manufacturers will offer goodwill replacements or discounts in these circumstances, but they are not required to do so.
While there is no obligation on the manufacturer, it is sometimes worth contacting them anyway – particularly for premium brands. Some manufacturers do accommodate customers outside the guarantee period as a goodwill gesture, and the cost to them is relatively small compared to the reputational value of retaining a customer. However, the formal legal route is through the retailer.
The Retailer Is Responsible Under the Consumer Rights Act
The Consumer Rights Act 2015 gives consumers the right to seek a repair, replacement, or refund from the retailer when a product is not of satisfactory quality, is not fit for purpose, or has not lasted a reasonable time. This right exists independently of any manufacturer’s guarantee and can extend up to six years from the date of purchase in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland (five years in Scotland).
A fridge freezer that fails completely and cannot be repaired at 14 months old has clearly not lasted a reasonable time for an appliance of that type and price. This is a strong basis for a Consumer Rights Act claim against the retailer.
See the full guide: Consumer Rights Act – up to 6 years to claim for faulty appliances.
Why the Retailer May Initially Refuse
Retailers, particularly those who did not manufacture the appliance, commonly try to recover the cost of replacing a faulty product from the manufacturer. When the manufacturer refuses to issue credit – which is common – the retailer often responds by telling the consumer there is nothing they can do, or that the appliance is out of guarantee.
This is incorrect. The retailer’s liability under the Consumer Rights Act exists regardless of whether the manufacturer cooperates. Telling a consumer their claim is invalid because the guarantee has expired does not reflect the law.
Front-line retail staff are frequently not trained on the full extent of consumer rights and may genuinely believe no rights exist after the guarantee period. Escalate to a manager or customer relations team. Cite the Consumer Rights Act 2015 specifically and state that the appliance has not lasted a reasonable time.
In the case described above, after insisting on a replacement under the Consumer Rights Act, the retailer agreed to exchange the fridge freezer without any further dispute. Persistence is often the key factor.
Will You Always Get a Full Replacement?
Not necessarily. A retailer is entitled to make a contribution deduction from any replacement to reflect the benefit already received from the appliance. The logic is that you have already enjoyed a percentage of the appliance’s expected lifespan and therefore should not receive a brand new replacement entirely for free.
Whether a retailer attempts this will depend on the circumstances – how old the appliance is, its original price, and the retailer’s approach. For an appliance that is only just outside the guarantee period, a contribution deduction is less likely to be pursued and less likely to be reasonable.
How the Contribution Calculation Works
To make a contribution deduction, the retailer needs to establish an expected lifespan for the appliance. These figures are not officially defined and can be disputed. As an illustration: if a fridge freezer is considered to have an expected life of 10 years (120 months) and has been owned for 14 months, approximately 12% of the expected lifespan has been used. A retailer might argue that 12% of the replacement cost should be contributed by the consumer.
Whether this is reasonable depends on all the circumstances – how much was originally paid, whether the appliance has been trouble-free, and how it has been used. The key test in an unrepairable case is always: is it acceptable that this appliance has lasted only this long? See: out of guarantee does not always mean you should pay.
What If the Appliance Is Repairable but Expensive?
If the appliance can be repaired but the cost is high, the position is more complex. For appliances that are only days or a few weeks outside the guarantee, it is worth contacting the manufacturer first as a goodwill repair may be offered – though this is not guaranteed.
Under the Consumer Rights Act, a right to a free repair from the retailer may still exist depending on the circumstances. The relevant questions are: has the appliance lasted a reasonable time? Was there an inherent fault at the time of sale? The answers will depend on how much was paid, how long the appliance was owned, its history, and how it was used.
Some of these factors are subjective, which is why consumer rights bodies or, ultimately, a small claims court may need to be involved. See: consumer rights when buying appliances.
More on consumer rights and appliances
Frequently Asked Questions
My appliance is just out of guarantee and the manufacturer says it’s unrepairable. Do I have any rights?
Yes – against the retailer, not the manufacturer. The Consumer Rights Act 2015 gives consumers the right to seek a replacement or refund from the retailer if an appliance has not lasted a reasonable time, regardless of whether the manufacturer’s guarantee has expired. An appliance that fails completely and cannot be repaired shortly after the guarantee period is a strong case for a Consumer Rights Act claim. Contact the retailer and cite the Act specifically.
The retailer says there is nothing they can do because the guarantee has expired. Is this correct?
No. The guarantee and the Consumer Rights Act are separate things. The guarantee is a voluntary commitment by the manufacturer. The Consumer Rights Act is a statutory right that exists independently of any guarantee. A retailer telling you that no rights exist after the guarantee period has expired is incorrect. Escalate the complaint and, if necessary, seek help from Citizens Advice or a consumer rights body.
Will I get a full replacement, or will the retailer ask me to pay a contribution?
A retailer is entitled to make a contribution deduction to reflect the benefit already received from the appliance – but only if the appliance is not very recently outside the guarantee. For an appliance that has barely passed the guarantee period, any contribution should be small. The retailer must be able to justify any deduction based on the expected lifespan of the appliance type and the percentage of that life already enjoyed.
Should I contact the manufacturer or the retailer?
The legal obligation rests with the retailer, not the manufacturer. However, it is sometimes worth contacting the manufacturer as a first step, particularly if the appliance is from a reputable brand – some manufacturers will offer goodwill replacements or discounts in these circumstances. If the manufacturer refuses to help, escalate to the retailer under the Consumer Rights Act.
How long do I have to make a claim under the Consumer Rights Act?
Up to six years from the date of purchase in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland; five years in Scotland. This does not mean all appliances are expected to last this long, but it sets the window in which a claim can be made if an appliance fails prematurely. The longer the appliance has been in use, the more a retailer can legitimately ask for a contribution if replacing it. See: Consumer Rights Act – 6 years to claim.
43 Comments
Grouped into 13 comment threads.
8 replies Hi . We have a lg fridge frezzer cost £1300 4 years ago . It's not been freezing but the fridge has been working. Called lg they said for a one off payment of £175 they will fix the issue no matter how long it takes . Engineer came out said it was the compressor so they changed that, still didn't freeze after the change and now the fridge doesn't work . Nightmare over Xmas shut we got through it . Engineer came out and said its a internal issue and we can't fix it . So I'm righting it off in my report . Just wondering where that leaves us ? One with a £175 repair which wasn't sorted and now a £1300 fridge freezer which os said to beyond repair.
7 replies in the kitchen. ive ended uo paying them to come out. the door had dropped and there fore it wasnt closed properly he said. turn it off for 48hrs.
in the kitchen.
ive ended uo paying them to come out. the door had dropped and there fore it wasnt closed properly he said. turn it off for 48hrs.
Likely replying to Marie Walker
Thanks Marie. I ask because if it was in a cold environment that could explain why they all didn’t work. Especially if kept in a garage. It sounds like yours is currently severely iced up. 48 hours seems a long time however, much of the ice that is causing the fridge freezer to not run properly is packed right inside behind the plastic wall at the back. If you just unplug it long enough so that all of the ice visible has gone and plug it back in the fault will re-occur.
It needs to thoroughly defrost which can take a long time because of the insulation. You probably could get away with a shorter period of time if you can apply some gentle warmth inside the fridge such as from a fan heater but you would need to be very careful not to have it hot, or too close. You don’t want to melt anything. If the fault was caused by the door being left open and the fridge freezer has become completely blocked with ice then a thorough defrost should fix the fault.
Likely replying to Andy Trigg (Whitegoodshelp)
Hi Andy, I hope you’re doing well.
We have bought a Beko integrated fridge freezer 6 weeks ago, it was £395. I came back after Christmas and it was showing a fault, both the fridge and the freezer are no longer staying cold at all and it’s also making a lot of strange sounds.
The item was purchased from Homebase (facilitated by AO). We have contacted AO and all they can offer is for someone to come and look at it next Tuesday. Is it reasonable for them to expect us to be without any fridge freezer for at least a week? They have said that they need to at least inspect or try to repair it before issuing a refund or replacement. Ideally I would just want either a refund or for them to replace it asap.
Thanks in advance!
Hi Molly. My understanding is that if there is a fault within the first 6 months it is now assumed that the fault was present when it was sold to you.
Unless the retailer can prove otherwise, this is in breach of the Consumer Rights Act and you should be entitled to a replacement or refund.
The problem is that the nature of the fault has to be known before a retailer could accept this. Many faults could be caused by misuse, or user faults, or installation faults. For example if a fridge freezer is placed in a garage the freezer can start defrosting when it is cold because they are only designed to work above 10 degrees.
Or an appliance could stop working due to a faulty wall socket.
No one is likely to replace any appliance without it being confirmed there is a fault, and it is down to a fault on the appliance.
It’s highly frustrating having to wait a week for a critically vital appliance like a fridge or freezer, but it’s very normal for manufacturers and national repair companies to take at least a week to get someone out. If it was much longer you might argue it’s unacceptable, but I’m not sure a week would be accepted as unacceptablly long although you could try.
If you lose any food after taking all reasonable steps not to, then keep the packaging and you may be able to claim compensation from the retailer – although they are commonly very reluctant. In law though, that would be called “consequential loss”, and we are entitled to compensation.
Hi Andy,
Thank you very much for your swift response. Someone did come out to look at it about a week after we reported it. Initially he took a very brief look and then wanted to refer it to another engineer to check for gas leaks, which would be another weeks wait! After a bit of questioning from me he concluded that it was unrepairable as the back of the fridge freezer wall had come away from the mechanism? (Not quite sure I understood correctly!) AO sent out a replacement the next day but we are still awaiting a few missing shelves so I’ll get in touch with them again. Thanks very much for your help :)
Likely replying to Andy Trigg (Whitegoodshelp)
Hi Andy,
We bought a fitted CDA fridge in January 2019 as part of a new kitchen. It first broke down in summer 2020 and was out of action for 5 weeks waiting repair. It has now broken down again. CDA have a five years parts guarantee but want a fixed rate charge of £125 to visit and repair. If it is unrepairable, which they are implying when contacted, they will give a £90 discount on a new fridge. Is it worth repairing or should we just dump it and start again?
Should we be asking for a refund?
Cheers
Jonathan
Hello Jonathan. If it was a really cheap fridge it might not be worth pursuing, either repairwise all refund wise. But if it was fairly expensive, and particularly if it was very expensive you could argue that it has not lasted a reasonable time if it turns out to be beyond economic repair. However, you would have to argue that with the people you bought it from, and not the manufacturer. If such a claim is acknowledged, and the retailers usually fight it, you would be entitled to a percentage of the purchase price related to how long you have already had it.
So for example, if it cost £500, and it was accepted that such an appliance should last around 10 years then that would equate to £50 per year. If you had already had use of the appliance for five years for example, then you should be entitled to £250. So it’s a question of doing the maths. If an appliance was only £250, and it is only expected to last around seven years these days, and someone had had an appliance for five years, then the amount they stand to get back in compensation is not really worth the hassle. The problem is that you do not know if it is beyond economical repair or not until they have looked at it.
7 replies Hi my parents bought a Zanussi tall fridge from Currys's in July 2016 & 2 weeks ago it stopped working so they paid for a repair agent from currys's to look at it & the gas is faulty so unrepairable, so they went back to currys to get it replaced as it wasn't very old to be told it was out of guarantee & they would have to buy another one, so not only did they pay £130 plus for the repair they have had to pay out £399 for a new fridge. I think currys are in the wrong & am not happy with the way they have been treated.
Hi my parents bought a Zanussi tall fridge from Currys’s in July 2016 & 2 weeks ago it stopped working so they paid for a repair agent from currys’s to look at it & the gas is faulty so unrepairable, so they went back to currys to get it replaced as it wasn’t very old to be told it was out of guarantee & they would have to buy another one, so not only did they pay £130 plus for the repair they have had to pay out £399 for a new fridge.
I think currys are in the wrong & am not happy with the way they have been treated.
Likely replying to maria
Hello Maria. If you buy a fridge, and it doesn’t even last two years I would say that is a very strong case. of not lasting a reasonable time under the sale of goods act. Unfortunately your experience show what I describe happens with virtually all retailers in my article Out of guarantee even by a long time doesn’t always mean you should pay
Retailers rely on people being ignorant of their rights, or being unwilling to get into a stressful fight about it. A white goods refrigeration appliance should surely last longer than around seventeen months. The retailer should at least have offered you a healthy discount off a new one. Unfortunately you have a more complicated case because you also paid for repair.
When you say “repair” – do you mean that Zanussi charged you £130 just to tell you they couldn’t repair it? If I were you I would seek professional consumer advice. Either from a government consumer website, or from someone like Which? All Which? members are eligible for personal consumer advice and they often even fight your case for you. You could become a member by following this link Why subscribe to Which?. You may very well find it valuable to be a permanent member after the trial period.
Essentially when the fridge was beyond economical repair at not even 18 months old I would say has not lasted a reasonable time under the terms of the sale of goods act. Under the sale of goods act a retailer is entitled to reduce any compensation amount to allow for the fact that you have already enjoyed a certain amount of use from the appliance. To me I would expect at least 70% off of a new one. A fridge should last 7 to 10 years.
Likely replying to maria
Hello Maria. The only people you can try and get compensation from are Currys. They sold you and appliance which has lasted a woefully inadequate amount of time and cannot be repaired. They are responsible under the sale of goods act. Unfortunately most of the retailers refused to do anything. There is a chance that if you quote them the sale of goods act and tell them you have been sold an appliance that has not lasted a reasonable amount of time and was therefore not fit for purpose they may offer you some compensation. If not, the only option you have is to threaten to take them to the small claims court. Get in touch with a consumer group like Citizens Advice, or if you become a Which? member get in touch with Which? In cases like this they are usually more than happy to help.
Likely replying to Andy Trigg (Whitegoodshelp)
Hi Andy I bought an oven from my appliances on line in November 2015 and it had a 2 year warranty which has now expired the oven now is faulty so I challenged them on The SOG and they tell me as it was purchased after September 2015 it is no longer covered by the SOG aus this correct ? Doing some research I see the SOG was in fact replaced by the consumer rights act does this mean that the 6 year period for fair usage no longer applies your help would be appreciated regards Steve
Likely replying to Steve Hillier
Hello Steve. Very little has changed. The new Consumer Rights Act is supposed to strengthen our rights. It would be interesting if they are claiming that you no longer have certain rights. We still have up to 6 years to claim if the appliance had an inherent fault, or is not of satisfactory quality (5 in Scotland).
I’ve just spent all morning updating my article about the Sale of Goods Act to include more about the Consumer Rights Act 2015 – Sale of Goods Act gives us 6 years to claim for faulty appliances. Please try to read it carefully and see if it helps.
Thanks Andy I had a long conversation with the consumer services who backed up every thing I have said to the supplier so I emailed them exactly what they suggested I should say now they are not replying to my emails next step is a letter followed by a small claims court as they just will not accept any liability what so ever regards Steve
3 replies Yes Steve. Fingers crossed for you. I was just trying to make it clear for anyone reading in the future.
Yes Steve. Fingers crossed for you. I was just trying to make it clear for anyone reading in the future.
I have the same Fridge Freezer issue “Unrepairable” after 2 years 4 months. However, it came installed in a new caravan purchase.
Is it the park owners/sellers (since changed hands) or Atlas the caravan manufacturers responsibility?
I’m currently trying to get a copy of the engineers report, from the Fridge/Freezer Manufacturers.
1 reply We had a CDA integrated larder fridge fitted with our new kitchen in October 2016, in August 2019 it broke down an engineer from CDA came out and said it could not be repaired. We paid £100 for the engineer call out, around £150 for the replacement fridge and another £130 for installation. June 2023 and the replacement fridge has broken down and we have again been told that it cannot be repaired, this was determined by me sending them a video of the back wall of the fridge being pushed in by my fingertips, we have been told by CDA that they want a further £330 to supply and instal another new fridge. By the time we have paid this we will have paid around £700 on top of the original purchase price for a fridge that I am sure will breakdown again in a few years. Are we better off buying cutting our losses and buying a different make of fridge all together, which will obviously cost more. I am concerned that the reason for breakdowns is the position of the fridge, it is in a housing next to the built in oven and the combination mircowave oven, we were never told this was a problem when the kitchen was fitted or when the original fridge was replaced by CDA. Your thoughts and advise would be very welcome. Many thanks
We had a CDA integrated larder fridge fitted with our new kitchen in October 2016, in August 2019 it broke down an engineer from CDA came out and said it could not be repaired. We paid £100 for the engineer call out, around £150 for the replacement fridge and another £130 for installation. June 2023 and the replacement fridge has broken down and we have again been told that it cannot be repaired, this was determined by me sending them a video of the back wall of the fridge being pushed in by my fingertips, we have been told by CDA that they want a further £330 to supply and instal another new fridge. By the time we have paid this we will have paid around £700 on top of the original purchase price for a fridge that I am sure will breakdown again in a few years. Are we better off buying cutting our losses and buying a different make of fridge all together, which will obviously cost more. I am concerned that the reason for breakdowns is the position of the fridge, it is in a housing next to the built in oven and the combination mircowave oven, we were never told this was a problem when the kitchen was fitted or when the original fridge was replaced by CDA. Your thoughts and advise would be very welcome. Many thanks
Hello Virginia. When your first fridge was written off because it could not be repaired after just three years, you may have had a good case to get some compensation from whoever you bought it from under the consumer rights act 2015. The fact that the second fridge is also unrepairable after not much longer should be more than enough to convince you to never buy that brand again.
I can’t really comment on the possible causes of the breakdowns because I have no idea what has actually failed. If it was definitely related to it being installed next to an oven, then I would expect that both engineers who wrote off your fridges would have told you in no uncertain terms. If that is the case, then you may need to seriously consider trying to remedy the situation somehow.
It’s not recommended to install a refrigeration appliance next to an oven, but that’s just simply because the fridge is trying to cool things down and an oven heats the surrounding area. If there is a wooden panel between the two, then I wouldn’t expect it to cause much trouble. The only real trouble likely to be caused if something heats up the area around the fridge, is that the fridge would need to work a bit harder. That shouldn’t really cause much trouble apart from the fact that the longer any appliance is running, the quicker it wears out.
If you factor in the fact that a fridge has insulation packed all around it, I would have thought it quite unlikely that the heat from an adjacent oven (particularly if separated by a reasonable air gap or kitchen side panel) would cause major problems. Maybe if it was in a commercial kitchen where everything was on all the time but otherwise I suspect this is a theoretical issue, which makes sense, but in practice maybe doesn’t cause that much of a problem. I’d be less happy if the fridge cabinet is actually touching the oven.
1 reply I've just had engineers out for fridge/freezer 6yrs old couldn't bee repaired as leaked gas can I claim of retailer
I’ve just had engineers out for fridge/freezer 6yrs old couldn’t bee repaired as leaked gas can I claim of retailer
Hi Hayley. It depends on all the specific circumstances including how much it cost. It’s lasted 6 years. A fridge should normally be expected to easily last 10 years. So it’s lasted about 60% of the time you would expect.
I would look at it like this…It’s down to deciding if, bearing in mind what you paid for it, have you had reasonable value for money or not?
For example if it cost £250, it works out at roughly £41 a year. About 79 pence a week. You could definitely argue that’s not bad at all. But if it cost £800 it’s £133 a year – £2.56 a week.
If you think it should have lasted a lot longer you can argue that case with the retailer. There’s no point trying the manufacturer. The problem is the retailer will not accept it lightly and will try to brush you off. They always do.
If you get them to accept it though, they can knock off a percentage of the purchase price to account for the years of use that you’ve had. If they accept it should have lasted 10 years but only lasted 6 that would be 60%. So if you only paid £250 for it they are likely to offer £100.
It’s probably worth seeing what they say. But do the maths and see if it’s worth the potential hassle and stress as it’s very unlikely they will offer anything unless you prove to be resolute and not easily put off.
1 reply We’ve had our under counter fridge/freezer for 18 months it’s working perfectly but getting a bad fishy smell from the back we switched it off andcleaned the drain then switched it back on but it’s still smelling the plugs not getting hot
We’ve had our under counter fridge/freezer for 18 months it’s working perfectly but getting a bad fishy smell from the back we switched it off andcleaned the drain then switched it back on but it’s still smelling the plugs not getting hot
Hi Sandra. Every time I’ve had a bad fishy smell it’s been caused by electrical overheating. I’ve had it twice in a kitchen, which turned out to be a loose wire inside the wall socket. And I’ve had it once in the garage, which was a light socket overheating.
In my experience the plastic that they make wall sockets and light fittings smells of fish when it burns.
I would get the wall socket checked out first. However, we can’t rule out the possibility of something overheating in the appliance.
This type of smell is quite pungent so you might be able to detect where it’s coming from by carefully sniffing around.
1 reply By the way Steve, it has to be said that if an appliance is broken down after just over two years it doesn't automatically mean there is any claim against either the sale of goods act or the consumer rights act. Neither of these consumer protection laws say that nothing should ever break down. The key issue is whether it has lasted a reasonable time before breaking down or not. And that very much depends on how much the appliance cost, how much it has been used and how well it's been looked after as well as what has actually gone wrong. Just for example if an appliance has broken down after 2 1/2 years and it was basic budget model, and has been used with a family of seven, and say the fault isn't even that serious, then there might not be a legitimate claim. Conversely, if the appliance had cost £750, was marketed as a high quality product, and has only been used with a family of two and has broken down it might reasonably be seen as unacceptable, and not of good enough quality. It's all quite complicated and subjective, which is why it is such a minefield, and why retailers can quite easily bamboozle many people putting them off quite easily. I hope you get yours sorted out okay, it sounds like you've been persistent enough to get results and that's how to do it.
By the way Steve, it has to be said that if an appliance is broken down after just over two years it doesn’t automatically mean there is any claim against either the sale of goods act or the consumer rights act. Neither of these consumer protection laws say that nothing should ever break down. The key issue is whether it has lasted a reasonable time before breaking down or not. And that very much depends on how much the appliance cost, how much it has been used and how well it’s been looked after as well as what has actually gone wrong.
Just for example if an appliance has broken down after 2 1/2 years and it was basic budget model, and has been used with a family of seven, and say the fault isn’t even that serious, then there might not be a legitimate claim. Conversely, if the appliance had cost £750, was marketed as a high quality product, and has only been used with a family of two and has broken down it might reasonably be seen as unacceptable, and not of good enough quality. It’s all quite complicated and subjective, which is why it is such a minefield, and why retailers can quite easily bamboozle many people putting them off quite easily. I hope you get yours sorted out okay, it sounds like you’ve been persistent enough to get results and that’s how to do it.
Hi Andy yes I understand what you are saying but oven was used maximum twice a week and cost about £350 i explained this to the consumer services they confirmed it should be repaired at the very least I still only have a verbal agreement for them to repair still waiting for the email to arrange it so I’m hoping that they are not pulling a fast one have a good weekend thanks again Steve
1 reply My parents bought a brand new Beko WMB 61631W washing machine and to cut to the chase they have insurance but in the two and half years they have owned this it has been repaired (through their insurance) 6 times that includes the whole drum being replaced! Now today after getting the brushes replaced last week the machine was making a whirring noise that the engineer said would ''wear off'' but now, today 3 days later the whirring noise got louder and louder then a smell of burning and it conked out tripping all the electricity in the house!!! When does one repair too many become unacceptable? I mean they are now afraid to use the machine even if it is fixed yet again. Should they not be just replacing it with a new machine? Do they have say with the insurance company to force their hand to have the machine replaced for a new one? Thank you.
My parents bought a brand new Beko WMB 61631W washing machine and to cut to the chase they have insurance but in the two and half years they have owned this it has been repaired (through their insurance) 6 times that includes the whole drum being replaced! Now today after getting the brushes replaced last week the machine was making a whirring noise that the engineer said would ”wear off” but now, today 3 days later the whirring noise got louder and louder then a smell of burning and it conked out tripping all the electricity in the house!!! When does one repair too many become unacceptable? I mean they are now afraid to use the machine even if it is fixed yet again. Should they not be just replacing it with a new machine? Do they have say with the insurance company to force their hand to have the machine replaced for a new one? Thank you.
Likely replying to Tom
Hello Tom. When the engineer said that the noise would wear off he was assuming that the noise was caused by the new carbon brushes. When new brushes are fitted the motor is initially noisier than before until the brushes bed in. However, the smell of burning and tripping the electricity sounds very much like the main motor has now failed. The amount of repairs you have had in such a short time is arguably unacceptable. However, whether you have a fair claim or not is dependent on how much it has been used.
Beko are one of the cheapest washing machines you can buy. To be totally honest with you budget washing machines are only really fit for washing for one or 2 people. If the washing machine is washing for 4 or 5 people then in all honesty it wouldn’t be too surprising that for it to keep breaking down. Most budget washing machines would be completely worn out after 2 or 3 years washing for a large family and these days. Believe it or not, if washing for 4 or 5 people manufacturers actually class this as virtually commercial washing. It is totally ludicrous, especially being as this is not communicated to consumers buying appliances.
Having said all that, if the washing machine has had relatively light use, washing for only one or 2 people then you might have a case. If you need a washing machine that can cope with washing every day or virtually every day you need to look at something like a Miele, but of course they start at over £600.
0 replies Where are the fridge freezers kept Marie?
Where are the fridge freezers kept Marie?
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0 replies ive had 3 fridge freezers in 4 yrs that have broken. they start freezing fridge food then the freezer goes. the first was replaced after 8months, then it was around the same time scale again so this one must be about 2 1/2 years old. surely this isn't right?
ive had 3 fridge freezers in 4 yrs that have broken. they start freezing fridge food then the freezer goes. the first was replaced after 8months, then it was around the same time scale again so this one must be about 2 1/2 years old. surely this isn’t right?
0 replies Many thanks Steve. I'm sure you'll find being a which member extremely useful. It's a source of information and help that I would not like to be without. I think the main difference is that if you have bought your appliance after the first of October 2015 you have to quote the consumer rights act. I have to say that I strongly suspect that some retailers are being disingenuous when they try to imply that you no longer have any rights, or have greatly diminished rights if you bought from them after the sale of goods act was replaced. As I say in the article I linked to, the main purpose of the consumer rights act was to improve and strengthen our rights. I think if someone has bought a product after October 1 and then mistakenly quotes the sale of goods act retailers should not be shooting them down saying the sale of goods act no longer applies. Although technically correct, as far as I can see they have just about the same obligations as before.
Many thanks Steve. I’m sure you’ll find being a which member extremely useful. It’s a source of information and help that I would not like to be without. I think the main difference is that if you have bought your appliance after the first of October 2015 you have to quote the consumer rights act. I have to say that I strongly suspect that some retailers are being disingenuous when they try to imply that you no longer have any rights, or have greatly diminished rights if you bought from them after the sale of goods act was replaced. As I say in the article I linked to, the main purpose of the consumer rights act was to improve and strengthen our rights. I think if someone has bought a product after October 1 and then mistakenly quotes the sale of goods act retailers should not be shooting them down saying the sale of goods act no longer applies. Although technically correct, as far as I can see they have just about the same obligations as before.
0 replies Good morning Andy just to let you know I rang the retailer this morning and made them fully aware of my rights and mentioning Which which I joined today very helpful thanks .. And surprise surprise they changed their tune very quickly and have agreed to a repair :) so once again many thanks for your help regards Steve
Good morning Andy just to let you know I rang the retailer this morning and made them fully aware of my rights and mentioning Which which I joined today very helpful thanks .. And surprise surprise they changed their tune very quickly and have agreed to a repair :) so once again many thanks for your help regards Steve
Hi .
We have a lg fridge frezzer cost £1300 4 years ago . It’s not been freezing but the fridge has been working. Called lg they said for a one off payment of £175 they will fix the issue no matter how long it takes . Engineer came out said it was the compressor so they changed that, still didn’t freeze after the change and now the fridge doesn’t work . Nightmare over Xmas shut we got through it . Engineer came out and said its a internal issue and we can’t fix it . So I’m righting it off in my report .
Just wondering where that leaves us ? One with a £175 repair which wasn’t sorted and now a £1300 fridge freezer which os said to beyond repair.
Hi Paul. I would say you should be entitled to a refund from the manufacturer who failed to repair it. Or at least a reduction in price to that which they would have charged if they had told you it was beyond repair when their engineer first came out.
Then you should be entitled to compensation from the retailer under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, because at £1300 it hasn’t lasted any where near as long as you should reasonably expect.
They would be entitled to take into account the fact that you’ve had 4 years use. So, for example, if they accepted it should have lasted 10 years, they should pay you 60% of the cost back because it only lasted 40% of that.
Hi Andy .
Thanks for your response, I’ve contacted LG and they are going to get back to me regarding my options. If they can’t do anything I will take it to Currys where we originally bought it . Totally in agreement with you as its lasted no where near what we thought it might or should . Will post back here when we have some sort of outcome .
Thanks Paul
Hi Andy.
So just a update to our situation. Lg refunded the repair cost but as you mentioned before they won’t do anything else , basically said we need to go to the retailer.
So after a 2 week wait currys have got back to us and have offered us £300, saying under the cra it’s covered for 6 years not 10 . Is that correct can we argue this ? Because for £300 we can’t replace what we have .
Thanks for all your help and advice .
Paul
Hi Paul. I’ve no idea what they are talking about saying the consumer rights act covers for 6 years not 10. They are either trying it on, or have no idea about consumer rights.
We have up to 6 years to claim compensation, but that’s nothing to do with 6 years guarantee. Your claim is that it has only lasted 4 years, when at £1300 it should have lasted at least 10 years.
They can knock off an appropriate amount for the 4 years use you’ve had. So if you are happy to say it should have lasted 10 years then at £1300 that’s £130 per year.
So they could knock off £520 for the 4 years use, and they should refund you the rest. Basically they sold you a product that should have lasted at the very least 10 years but it’s only lasted 4.
Thank you Andy .
I will go back to them as I wasn’t to sure .
Will again post once I have a outcome .
Thanks Paul
Hi Andy .
This is the response we have just had from currys .
Dear Mrs Holland
The Consumer Rights Act 20 15 is quite clear in
that the expected lifespan of a product should
be six years, hence the right to claim within this
timeframe.
Also the price paid in store that day was
£999.99 which would be reflected by the
purchase receipt you should have.
The current value of the appliance is based on
the linear depreciation of the price you paid and
the length of time you have owned it within the
stipulated six year period which is currently
£263.89 which would be our full and final offer.
Should you not wish to accept this offer we
would send you a deadlock letter which outlies
further steps you can take.
Pls note they have the wrong price as my farther in law bought the non plumbed version at the same time , I’ve told them this 3 times already .
Thanks for all your help .
Hi Paul. Ask them if you buy a Miele washing machine at £1500, that’s advertised as designed for 20 years, are they seriously trying to tell you that it’s only supposed to last 6 years?
You need to speak to a manager. Managers usually know the law but the normal staff are often deliberately kept in the dark because their ignorance successfully fends of thousands of claims.
6 years is just the time they’ve decided we have to make a claim but it is in no way saying there is a 6 year guarantee or a 6 year life expectancy.
I think you need to contact Citizens Advice.
Thank you once again .