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hora
Original Poster
16,579 posts
80 months
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With a 'spin' on things. Within the initial one year the fridge kept on cutting out. Complained to Comet and they repaired the Fridge (Beko CA5411FFW) The Fridge was bought 31/10/10 so within the 2yr acceptable working/EU law( or am I dreaming this exists?).
My angle is there was a known-issue with this particular fridge and its occurred again.
In addition its been 'vocal' throughout in operation - something else that we complained about to them.
Do I have any legal comeback? I'm not one for binning large electrical goods every 18months.
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SS2.
7,383 posts
107 months
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Sale of Goods Act 1979.. You might find some useful snippets to help prepare for the inevitable fight here.
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hora
Original Poster
16,579 posts
80 months
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Agree, I found a link and I'm writing up an email as well to Comet...
The Sale of Goods Act states that it offers protection against faulty goods even when the manufacturer's guarantee has run out. The act says goods must last a reasonable time. This is reasonable to expect upto 5/6yrs. This may possibly be too long to expect however a £280 fridge shouldn't break down within a year then again 18months later.
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mph999
1,756 posts
89 months
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SOGA protects up to 6 years, but the cost/ quality of the item must be taken into account.
As an example, it would be be reasonable to expect a top line brand such as Miele to last at least 6 years, but a lesser brand maybe only expected to last 2 years.
The key word is 'reasonable' - this is not defined, and the winner is whoever puts the best argument forward.
Can't mention make, but I had a washer/ dryer that came with my flat - it was not a reliable brand, and no surprise it kept breaking down. I did get it replaced twice (it failed well under a year, so this was fairly easy) but on the 3rd machine I got my money back.
I then bought a German make, 10 years later, not a single issue, but had there been, I would have been confident in 'claiming ' under the SOGA act right up to 6 years.
I would not be confident of winning at 6 years with a non-German brand.
So, you have to ask, is the make you have a reliable brand, is it reasonable that it should last longer than 2 years.
Martin
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jazzyjeff
3,504 posts
128 months
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mph999 said: I would not be confident of winning at 6 years with a non-German brand.
So, you have to ask, is the make you have a reliable brand, is it reasonable that it should last longer than 2 years.
Martin I can't say I agree with that point of view. It's not the customer's job to determine brand reliability, and no-one buys a product expecting it to be unreliable, otherwise they probably wouldn't buy it. Historically, Candy appliances have a reputation for very good reliability - but they're neither German nor in any way regarded as a premium make.
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grumbledoak
15,741 posts
102 months
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Beko, £270 and £80 if you want 3 years warrantee. A quick google gives Bosch about £350 and plenty at more.
Best of luck.
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hora
Original Poster
16,579 posts
80 months
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Well I spoke to Beko customer services first and they suggested the following 'fix' first...
Hottest wet towel that I can physically hold and rub down all the door seals/door where it interfaces. turn back on and leave it shut for at least an hour.
WTF.
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TheTurbonator
1,696 posts
20 months
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Watching this with interest. We have a oven bought from Comet which is under 2 years old and they refuse to replace or fix it. It's a Gas oven and the grill won't light unless you stick a lit candle under it.
It was £400 so not the cheapest but not the most expensive, about somewhere in the middle. It's a well known brand called Flavel.
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hora
Original Poster
16,579 posts
80 months
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TheTurbonator said: Watching this with interest. We have a oven bought from Comet which is under 2 years old and they refuse to replace or fix it. It's a Gas oven and the grill won't light unless you stick a lit candle under it.
It was £400 so not the cheapest but not the most expensive, about somewhere in the middle. It's a well known brand called Flavel. Well I'm going to stand in the Store where I bought it from later this afternoon. Ask for the Manager and become a royal pain in the ass. Polite, firm and loud.
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TheTurbonator
1,696 posts
20 months
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hora said: TheTurbonator said: Watching this with interest. We have a oven bought from Comet which is under 2 years old and they refuse to replace or fix it. It's a Gas oven and the grill won't light unless you stick a lit candle under it.
It was £400 so not the cheapest but not the most expensive, about somewhere in the middle. It's a well known brand called Flavel. Well I'm going to stand in the Store where I bought it from later this afternoon. Ask for the Manager and become a royal pain in the ass. Polite, firm and loud. Let us know how you get on, because if it works I may do the same.
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hora
Original Poster
16,579 posts
80 months
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Well its Sales of Goods act. If He/she says they personally feel it only has to last for a year as his/her interpretation then I'll ask if he/she feels personally comfortable selling a store full of goods that is overpriced with a short shelflife  Any mention of 'should have bought an extended warranty will be met with shortshrift. Polite of course. This has got to move quickly swiftly so if I get the wrong response I'll simply say I'll file a small claims for cost/repair cost ASAP.
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over_the_hill
1,555 posts
115 months
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Regardless of cost fridges seldom break down.
When was the last time anyone bought a new fridge (or knows someone who did) because their old one packed up.
Usually they get changed because people need a bigger one, are 'doing the kitchen', want an ice dispenser or whatever.
The same can be said about TV's these days. They usually get changed because the owner wants to benefit from new
technology, not because the TV is knackered.
Therefore a reasonable lifetime of five years would not be unreasonable.
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hora
Original Poster
16,579 posts
80 months
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over_the_hill said: Regardless of cost fridges seldom break down.
When was the last time anyone bought a new fridge (or knows someone who did) because their old one packed up.
Usually they get changed because people need a bigger one, are 'doing the kitchen', want an ice dispenser or whatever.
The same can be said about TV's these days. They usually get changed because the owner wants to benefit from new
technology, not because the TV is knackered.
Therefore a reasonable lifetime of five years would not be unreasonable. I might take a picture of the 'old' B&O Avant TV in my living room......I'll mention TV's and fridges...if he mentions TV's I'll say 'oh what about this one that still works!'
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jazzyjeff
3,504 posts
128 months
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TheTurbonator said: Watching this with interest. We have a oven bought from Comet which is under 2 years old and they refuse to replace or fix it. It's a Gas oven and the grill won't light unless you stick a lit candle under it.
It was £400 so not the cheapest but not the most expensive, about somewhere in the middle. It's a well known brand called Flavel. Comet are trying it on. They (and the other multistore cowboys out there, I don't need to name them) are notorious in trying to fob off customers from exercising their statutory rights.
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jazzyjeff
3,504 posts
128 months
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grumbledoak said: Beko, £270 and £80 if you want 3 years warrantee. A quick google gives Bosch about £350 and plenty at more.
Best of luck. What relevance is pricing or warranty to the OP's question?
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agtlaw
1,470 posts
75 months
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Marlin45
616 posts
33 months
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Not that this relates directly to your fault Hora but I bought a Beko fridge/freezer 6-7 years ago from Comet and this hasn't passed without issue. Came with 2 years warranty and we are glad it did as within the first year we had the engineer out 4-5 times. The fault was a poorly sealing door seal so it failed to get down to temp in the freezer. Compressor is barely adequate for it's size IMHO.
3 times the door seals were replaced and even now we only use the freezer for the odd tub of icecream and to keep beer glasses cool. Each time the seals were replaced the unit worked well...for a while. I now realise the issue is the torsional strength of the 'carcase' of the fridge. It just flexs too much to it rarely peresents a good, flat surface to the seal.
I won't buy another Beko product. The Brandt vertical freezer I bought at the same time however, has been faultless.
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jazzyjeff
3,504 posts
128 months
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Marlin45 said: Not that this relates directly to your fault Hora but I bought a Beko fridge/freezer 6-7 years ago from Comet and this hasn't passed without issue. Came with 2 years warranty and we are glad it did as within the first year we had the engineer out 4-5 times. The fault was a poorly sealing door seal so it failed to get down to temp in the freezer. Compressor is barely adequate for it's size IMHO.
3 times the door seals were replaced and even now we only use the freezer for the odd tub of icecream and to keep beer glasses cool. Each time the seals were replaced the unit worked well...for a while. I now realise the issue is the torsional strength of the 'carcase' of the fridge. It just flexs too much to it rarely peresents a good, flat surface to the seal.
I won't buy another Beko product. The Brandt vertical freezer I bought at the same time however, has been faultless. Sealing problems with this make are not the only issue... http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-140255...
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hora
Original Poster
16,579 posts
80 months
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I'd never pay £80 for a warranty.
The only time I have bought a 'warranty' was the 5yr one for £30 from richersounds for a TV. I only did this as they pricematched another retailer generously and I thought 'what the heck'.
The TV broke after 6months but that wasn't the manufacturer/RicherSounds genuine fault! ...it was my 1yr old son and a big piece of lego
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Deva Link
26,934 posts
114 months
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jazzyjeff said: Comet are trying it on. They (and the other multistore cowboys out there, I don't need to name them) are notorious in trying to fob off customers from exercising their statutory rights. Just had this with Halfords and a failed TomTom after TomTom did the "it's out of warranty so p  s off" thing - Halfords said "prove it has a manufacturing defect". I sent an email to TomTom's CEO and someone came straight back and agreed to replace it. By the way, SoGA etc is all a bit airy fairy, but Comet etc are committing a criminal offence under Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 by denying you have any rights in these matters. Trading Standards (if they still exist in your area) should look into that.
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