Who should cover cost of repair?
Discussion
A piece of equipment I use for work had a part malfunction a couple of weeks ago.
Sent off to manufacturer to replace the part.
Equipment returned nearly 2 weeks later and new part is not quite working right so I sent it back to be sorted. Problem sorted and equipment delivered back to me.
On arrival its found the equipment now has a new, unrelated problem (a piece inside broken) meaning it cannot function at all.
I personally took it straight back to manufacturer to diagnose. They can fix it but its going to cost ME nearly £5k for the part and labour.
I feel a bit miffed about having to cough up £5k for a problem that I have not caused.
The unit was working fine when it last left the manufacturer but broken on arrival to me.
Surely this should be a case of manufacturer claim costs from the courier they employed and I don't pay anything?
I'm desperate for the equipment back but the manufacturer won't release it until I give them a Purchase Order for full payment.
In my mind I'm likening this to my car being collected for a service, and coming back with the front smashed in but I'm expected to pay for the repair? This can't be right?
Sent off to manufacturer to replace the part.
Equipment returned nearly 2 weeks later and new part is not quite working right so I sent it back to be sorted. Problem sorted and equipment delivered back to me.
On arrival its found the equipment now has a new, unrelated problem (a piece inside broken) meaning it cannot function at all.
I personally took it straight back to manufacturer to diagnose. They can fix it but its going to cost ME nearly £5k for the part and labour.
I feel a bit miffed about having to cough up £5k for a problem that I have not caused.
The unit was working fine when it last left the manufacturer but broken on arrival to me.
Surely this should be a case of manufacturer claim costs from the courier they employed and I don't pay anything?
I'm desperate for the equipment back but the manufacturer won't release it until I give them a Purchase Order for full payment.
In my mind I'm likening this to my car being collected for a service, and coming back with the front smashed in but I'm expected to pay for the repair? This can't be right?
Just to update this is the reply I got when I asked about claiming from the courier
"Hi, Will
XXXX has spoken to me with regards your instrument. I can understand your frustration as it is not a cheap repair, however knowing how courier companies work it would be futile to try and make a claim, the reason being is that there is no proof that the shipment caused the problem. I presume when you received the instrument back, there was no damage to the packaging, this would be the first thing the courier company would ask for evidence of, the next thing would be evidence that the instrument is damaged and again, visual inspection of the instrument again shows no sign of damage.
I really apologise for the issues you have had and the cost it has incurred, but I do not think either of us would get anything out of trying to make a claim from the courier company, as far as I am aware there is no evidence that the courier mishandled the package, even if he did, unless you tell me differently."
So would I be right in thinking if they can't be arsed chasing the courier for it then they should have some insurance in place and a duty of care to return the instrument to me in working order so they should cover the cost of repair?
"Hi, Will
XXXX has spoken to me with regards your instrument. I can understand your frustration as it is not a cheap repair, however knowing how courier companies work it would be futile to try and make a claim, the reason being is that there is no proof that the shipment caused the problem. I presume when you received the instrument back, there was no damage to the packaging, this would be the first thing the courier company would ask for evidence of, the next thing would be evidence that the instrument is damaged and again, visual inspection of the instrument again shows no sign of damage.
I really apologise for the issues you have had and the cost it has incurred, but I do not think either of us would get anything out of trying to make a claim from the courier company, as far as I am aware there is no evidence that the courier mishandled the package, even if he did, unless you tell me differently."
So would I be right in thinking if they can't be arsed chasing the courier for it then they should have some insurance in place and a duty of care to return the instrument to me in working order so they should cover the cost of repair?
Just been and picked it up myself.
Seems people at their end are getting ideas mixed. The MD is sticking to the Its broken and nobody can prove anything while the engineer that fixed it is saying its a part that can wear with age that just happened to fail while not being used.
They have previously told us that it is an extremely rare part to fail.
I have the box it was shipped to me in and its pretty abused and has a hole in one end from a heavy impact. The only indication of contents being fragile is a 0.5 x 2 inch sticker, part hidden under the tape sealing the lid. The whole box is about 2ft X 1ft x 1ft.
Seems people at their end are getting ideas mixed. The MD is sticking to the Its broken and nobody can prove anything while the engineer that fixed it is saying its a part that can wear with age that just happened to fail while not being used.
They have previously told us that it is an extremely rare part to fail.
I have the box it was shipped to me in and its pretty abused and has a hole in one end from a heavy impact. The only indication of contents being fragile is a 0.5 x 2 inch sticker, part hidden under the tape sealing the lid. The whole box is about 2ft X 1ft x 1ft.
Well everyone at the their end is singing off the same hymn sheet now, that its a part that wears out (though it has failed while not in use).
In doing so he did say that it was more likely to break when it did due to the instrument being worked on and shipped around.
They have offered 50% of the next service which amounts to about £900.
May as well just take that as I dont know how I'm going to get anywhere arguing against the experts in the equipment saying its just something that happens.
In doing so he did say that it was more likely to break when it did due to the instrument being worked on and shipped around.
They have offered 50% of the next service which amounts to about £900.
May as well just take that as I dont know how I'm going to get anywhere arguing against the experts in the equipment saying its just something that happens.
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