This is a common threat when booking an appliance repair under guarantee or warranty. It’s usually even written in the instruction book. I try to view it as more of a threat that’s unlikely to be carried out or is unenforceable if challenged properly. However, many engineers will try to charge you.
It’s an argument you don’t want to get involved in if possible. The main idea is to discourage people from calling out an engineer unnecessarily, which does happen a lot.
So you should not call a repairman out because you think it would be an idea to get a free check up just before the guarantee runs out. Don’t call out an engineer if something strange happens just the once, unless it seemed serious. The guarantee doesn’t cover free check ups or give a free call out service.
Try to get evidence of an intermittent fault
If you are concerned that a fault on your washing machine may not show itself when the engineer visits, use your mobile phone camera, a digital camera or even a video camera to record any strange behaviour such as noises, leaks etc.
You can show this to the engineer if he claims there’s nothing wrong and tries to charge you.
You may have a fault but is it covered under the guarantee?
You should be aware that some intermittent “faults” on a washing machine could be caused by a badly loaded wash load. Many washing machines will not spin just one item or very small loads.
If your washing machine occasionally doesn’t spin at the end of the cycle check this article out – Washing machine won’t spin just one item or very small load
Many appliance problems can be caused by misuse, or not reading the instruction manual properly. So you should be as sure as possible that you are using the appliance properly and you understand all the do’s and don’ts in the instruction manual.
Engineers don’t normally want hassle
An appliance engineer has to declare on the paperwork what the fault was. “No fault found” might not be an option for an engineer without charging the customer. But many engineers don’t want to argue with customers.
Nor do they want to demand payment from someone who’s adamant they shouldn’t have to pay. So if an engineer can’t find a fault they might make up a small fault that they’ve fixed. That’s not always a great idea though. The fault could reoccur right after they’ve left making them look incompetent.
They may sometimes just guess what part(s) may be responsible and either replace them or order them for a repeat visit. Some engineers could be under pressure to charge customers or even be on commission. So it’s always possible an engineer will say there is no fault and try to get payment.
Are you sure it must be a fault on the appliance?
Are you are confident it is nothing you are doing wrong and that you know there is a fault? Then you have to decide whether to pay or not. You can try to insist that just because they didn’t find anything they can’t possibly say there is nothing wrong with the appliance.
This may work, especially if they haven’t been there very long. Ultimately you can’t prove there is something wrong but they can’t prove that there isn’t. That’s the problem.
If you do have an intermittent fault but the engineer can’t find it
If you genuinely have an intermittent fault but an engineer doesn’t find anything I would stand my ground and refuse to pay. Of course the big problem is can you be 100% sure? Make sure you tell them when you book the service call that the fault is intermittent.
Intermittent faults are notoriously difficult to find. All engineers understand that. Claiming that if a fault isn’t found it proves there is nothing wrong with the appliance is flawed logic.
Many engineers are pushed for time, and under a big work load. They can even be unfamiliar with the appliance (more common than you’d think). They can’t spend much time looking for an intermittent fault.
Under these circumstances, if an engineer is insisting on charging I would ask what compensation I would receive if the fault continues and is found at a later date.
JACKBEE says
I have just come across this whilst researching a problem.
Anyone reading this tosh has never had to run a business. Who pays for the diesel, the engineers wages, the lost work that you are unable to attend whilst someone calls you out on a whim (and believe me they do!)? If this became the norm. then obviously all prices would have to go up to genuine callouts, we would all end up paying for it.
Whitegoodshelp (Andy Trigg) says
Hi Jackbee. Your comment was unnecessarily rude, especially as the article is reasonably sympathetic to the difficulties repairman have in tracking down intermittent faults, and also advises people can’t just ring an engineer on a whim to check something out.
I’m more than happy to discuss the subject intelligently though, it’s a tricky dilemma, which is why I wrote it. It’s applicable only to when an appliance is under guarantee, and there is a persistent and real intermittent fault.
If an engineer comes out and can’t be bothered, or (more likely) doesn’t have the time to spend trying to witness or track down a fault why should a customer have to pay? If there is a definite fault and engineers can’t find it there’s no way I would pay. It’s under guarantee so it’s up to them to find the fault and fix it.
As a customer yourself, if for example you had a TV that every so often the sound cut out but an engineer came out, checked it for 10 minutes and declared there was nothing wrong with it and charged you £90 call out you’d be fine with that? And then weeks later it did exactly the same thing and they came out again and said they can’t find anything wrong so it’s another £90 you’d be sympathetic to them and happily pay?
The only issue in such cases is whether an intermittent fault is a genuine fault, or caused by any chance by misuse but a good engineer should be able to work out the main suspects. With no fault found it cannot be known which is which. So as I suggest in the article, if they insist on charging they should also be prepared to pay proper compensation if it subsequently turns out to be a fault covered under the guarantee.
I’ve repaired washing machines for 30 years and self employed for almost all that time although I have worked for a large national retailer doing work under guarantee as well. So I understand perfectly well all of the ins and outs of it but welcome a civil debate on the topic if you still feel you have an alternative point. :)
luis says
i do have a faulty integrate fridge AEG, i bought this fridge because it supposed to be low noise, not the fridge star for over 1 hr making lots of noise and i cant sleep at night, my room is about 10 mtr from the fridge and you still can hear the noise of the fridge,
i call the AEG and the sent CHELMSFORD CENTRE RESPOND SERVICE
the came to check and said they cant stay all day waiting for the noise, they cam the second time and i had it recorder and they said is normal, how this is going to be normal if is like to have a air plain on you house.
i have call AEG and they don’t care, fridge is still under guaranty and i don’t know what to do.
Andy Trigg (Whitegoodshelp) says
Hello luis. Modern fridges and freezers do make a lot more noise than refrigeration appliances of the past because they have fans that blow the air around. However, if they ice up at the back behind the back wall (which you can’t see) then the fan can catch on enclosing ice. This is a fault that definitely needs fixing. Please read my article here fridge or freezer noisy for better description. If your noise sounds like a fan catching on something then it is a fault. But if the noises you can hear our sound of a fan running, or occasional cracking as described in the article them it may well be that it is normal now.
Chris Archie says
Hi, I am having sone issues with Sony Customer service for around 1 year now.
My Sony TV “under 5 year warranty” has been turning its self off and on, sometimes in the middle of the night, intermittently.
Sony has replied every time with the same questions (is there any external devices, when does it happen, is the TV updated ect) As it’s been a year Iv gone through three updates now with the same problem happening. Finally after 1 year they have said they will send an engineer out. However they stated if they can not find the problem then I would have to pay the inspection fee!!!!
I mean it’s been a year of constant badgering them and sending updates ect and they have the nerve to say they would charge me.
What can I do here?
Thanks
Andy Trigg (Whitegoodshelp) says
Hello Chris. Your issue is exactly what this article addresses so all my advice is actually in the article really. You should definitely be switching it off at the mains during the night as TVs are still a potential fire risk when left on standby, as well as still using some electricity. The manufacturer’s reaction is exactly the same as everyone else’s and is why I wrote the article. They obviously hate when people phone them up under guarantee on a whim or when they haven’t read the instructions properly so this is what they threaten. My take on it is that it is just a threat to get rid of time wasters though I can’t guarantee that. I would expect that if they can genuinely see that there is an intermittent fault they would not try to charge. If they did you need to refuse and tell them you will take consumer advice. Ask them to prove that there is nothing wrong.
Funny thing is my own TV went through two or three weeks of turning itself off randomly but because it was intermittent I didn’t do anything. It suddenly righted itself and hasn’t done it since.