Busted 2 year old fridge freezer.

[Taita]

Hello there,

Fridge freezer (£450 2 years ago) has started to die and only keeps things cool if it is set to 'maximum turbo freeze' rather than conventional 1-5 options in the settings.

Have replaced the seal (£40) at the local branch of a chain's suggestion and tried to the usual defrost.

They've offered £128 towards the cost of a new one as it is out of the 1 year warranty. This strikes me as a bit poor - I don't think 2 years for a fridge is reasonable. Does CRA or anything apply here? The individual in the shop is being very helpful, but his hands are tied by his boss. Manufacturer not interested, and I guess contract is with the retailer anyway.

Thank you for any advice

[catman]

Although the guarantee is only one year, I believe that the law is more concerned with how long you would reasonably expect a product to last.

I guess that it all depends on how much you want to push it to get a result. Citizen's advice (or whatever they're called now) may be able to help you construct a letter, or you may be able to google it.

As a last resort, there's always the small claims route. I'm pretty stubborn, so I would keep going until I got what I want, but everyone is different. As an aside, my Curry's own brand fridge freezer is about to be replaced. It's 32 years old.

[uuf361]

I’d be very unhappy if a fridge/freezer only lasted 2 years, but think I’ve been very fortunate with appliances.

Replaced a dishwasher this year (24 years old and used almost daily) and a fridge/freezer that was almost 20 years old.

[kestral]

Taita said:

Hello there,

Fridge freezer (£450 2 years ago) has started to die and only keeps things cool if it is set to 'maximum turbo freeze' rather than conventional 1-5 options in the settings.

Have replaced the seal (£40) at the local branch of a chain's suggestion and tried to the usual defrost.

They've offered £128 towards the cost of a new one as it is out of the 1 year warranty. This strikes me as a bit poor - I don't think 2 years for a fridge is reasonable. Does CRA or anything apply here? The individual in the shop is being very helpful, but his hands are tied by his boss. Manufacturer not interested, and I guess contract is with the retailer anyway.

Thank you for any advice

How much does it cost to repair?

[Sheepshanks]

catman said:

Although the guarantee is only one year, I believe that the law is more concerned with how long you would reasonably expect a product to last.

You can try that angle but the law doesn't say it has to last without being repaired.

[Taita]

Shop doesn't seem to be willing to consider a repair - it is 'here is some money off or nowt'

I'm happy to dig my heels in slightly, but keen to know which legislation supports my position. Although I also need to make sure my food stays cold in the interim

[Ham_and_Jam]

catman said:

my Curry's own brand fridge freezer is about to be replaced. It's 32 years old.

FFS I’d be pushing for a new one at no cost to yourself. 32 years, pah! Thats got CRA written all over it

[eybic]

Taita said:

Shop doesn't seem to be willing to consider a repair - it is 'here is some money off or nowt'

I'm happy to dig my heels in slightly, but keen to know which legislation supports my position. Although I also need to make sure my food stays cold in the interim

You'll want the Consumer Rights Act, the problem is that "reasonable" amount of time (which it states) is subjective, good luck.

[dhutch]

I feel you pain, as I too would expect it to last 20 years minimum. I got 7 years out of the one which came with my house for £50.

You don't mention the make.model, but the price you paid is not far from top dollar for a standard 600 wide floor standing unit, if obviously much nearer budget price for a 900-1200 and or 'american' style unit. I am surprised it only has 1 year on the refrigerant components.

It would be interesting to know what an independent repairer would make of it, cause of issue, cost to repair.

Did it come from an budget/online type outlet, or was it from a local bricks and mortar type outlet? The latter tend to be much better in these instances, if obviously with the potential to vary outlet to outlet.


Can't add much more, other than my commiserations you are in this mess. bds I say!


Daniel

[Taita]

dhutch said:

I feel you pain, as I too would expect it to last 20 years minimum. I got 7 years out of the one which came with my house for £50.

You don't mention the make.model, but the price you paid is not far from top dollar for a standard 600 wide floor standing unit, if obviously much nearer budget price for a 900-1200 and or 'american' style unit. I am surprised it only has 1 year on the refrigerant components.

It would be interesting to know what an independent repairer would make of it, cause of issue, cost to repair.

Did it come from an budget/online type outlet, or was it from a local bricks and mortar type outlet? The latter tend to be much better in these instances, if obviously with the potential to vary outlet to outlet.

Can't add much more, other than my commiserations you are in this mess. bds I say!

Daniel

It is one of these, so bog standard fridge on top, fridge on bottom:

https://www.appliancesdirect.co.uk/p/hcn6182wk/hoo...

(it wasn't from here)

It came from an XYZ Electrical store (where XYZ is some letters), which has a branch in the town I live in. They sell electric fires, TVs etc. Bricks and mortar place.

Under the CRA I'd say 2 years isn't reasonable at all - guess I just need to convince them of this!

[Sheepshanks]

Taita said:

I'm happy to dig my heels in slightly, but keen to know which legislation supports my position.

There isn't any - unless it can't be fixed.

People misunderstand the durability thing - it doesn't say the product shouldn't need to be repaired, at the customers expense. It only comes into its own if the product can't be repaired so it reaches the end of its life prematurely.

I've had stuff repaired out of guarantee - most recently a £250 Panny microwave. Which then broke again. Panasonic sent me a new one. However this is down to goodwill.

I've found over the last few years firms have really tightened up on this - the microwave was from JohnLewis and they told me to get lost, quoting consumer law at me.

[Fastdruid]

Have you *fully* defrosted it?

By that I mean left it for ~48h or so turned off?

Because "frost free" freezers are st. They work by blowing air over and round the cooling element, except that freezes up, so they have a heater...which doesn't really work. So they have in the small print a get out of "defrost every 6 months"...and if you don't the fan eventually freezes up and they stop being properly cold. What the fk is the point of "frost free" if you have to defrost the fking thing every fking few months anyway? Show me a non-frost free that gets *that* iced up over 6 months to be a problem?

I would never buy another frost free freezer, give me one where every now and then you have to chip off slabs of ice because at least those stay fking cold.

[bennno]

House we recently bought has a 1983 Ariston fridge, freezer, oven, hob and dishwasher all still in full working condition.

Correction, did have, as all now taken to tip on safety grounds. I think a white good should last 5-7 years min.

[Jag_NE]

I’d be disappointed if an appliance lasted less than 5 years but I’d cut my losses and take the goodwill contribution, personally.

[Taita]

Fastdruid said:

Have you *fully* defrosted it?

By that I mean left it for ~48h or so turned off?

Because "frost free" freezers are st. They work by blowing air over and round the cooling element, except that freezes up, so they have a heater...which doesn't really work. So they have in the small print a get out of "defrost every 6 months"...and if you don't the fan eventually freezes up and they stop being properly cold. What the fk is the point of "frost free" if you have to defrost the fking thing every fking few months anyway? Show me a non-frost free that gets *that* iced up over 6 months to be a problem?

I would never buy another frost free freezer, give me one where every now and then you have to chip off slabs of ice because at least those stay fking cold.

I will give this another crack after this weekend (got far too much meat for the BBQ at the moment )

[deggles]

Sheepshanks said:

Taita said:

I'm happy to dig my heels in slightly, but keen to know which legislation supports my position.

There isn't any - unless it can't be fixed.

People misunderstand the durability thing - it doesn't say the product shouldn't need to be repaired, at the customers expense. It only comes into its own if the product can't be repaired so it reaches the end of its life prematurely.

IANAL but I don't buy that a reasonable definition of 'durability' is that it's repairable at the purchaser's expense!?

Consumer Rights Act 2015 said:

9. Goods to be of satisfactory quality
(1)Every contract to supply goods is to be treated as including a term that the quality of the goods is satisfactory.
(2)The quality of goods is satisfactory if they meet the standard that a reasonable person would consider satisfactory, taking account of—
(a)any description of the goods,
(b)the price or other consideration for the goods (if relevant), and
(c)all the other relevant circumstances (see subsection (5)).
(3)The quality of goods includes their state and condition; and the following aspects (among others) are in appropriate cases aspects of the quality of goods—
(a)fitness for all the purposes for which goods of that kind are usually supplied;
(b)appearance and finish;
(c)freedom from minor defects;
(d)safety;
(e)durability.

A reasonable person would expect a household appliance to last more than two years IMO.

[Camelot1971]

How much would you pay for a 2 year old fridge freezer? When offering a solution, they are allowed to account for use and are not expected under the law to give you a new one (although some retailers might). You have had 2 years use out of yours, so is the money offer about right? Agree it should last longer but personally I would be pragmatic, take the money and get another one (and not buy that brand again).

[sam.rog]

As daft as it might sound. Put the appliance upside down and leave it 24 hours.

[dhutch]

sam.rog said:

As daft as it might sound. Put the appliance upside down and leave it 24 hours.

I thought that was absorption fridges?

[sam.rog]

dhutch said:

I thought that was absorption fridges?

No idea. Its just remember someone once telling me about this trick that fixed theirs.