Bought a Hoover Fridge Freezer some 18 months ago from a well known high street retailer. It was a frost free freezer, however 8 months after buying the fridge freezer the pipe that stops the freezer from freezing, actually froze! The hoover engineers have been out on 3 occassions to fix the issue which means they just defrost the pipe with a steam gun, but they have to take some panels off etc.

The first 2 occassions happened within the 12 month warranty, and the third at Christmas just gone; the second occassion the engineer came out he ‘regassed’ the applicance as it extended the warranty but it happened again. Each occassion we have had to throw away spoilt food.

After complaining to Candy-Hoover they offered me a replacement appliance for a small amount of £100; this is generous but i feel i should have a free replacement as the first reported issue occured during the warranty period and has continued to do so twice since. Additionally the engineer who visited stated that “he has never seen this problem before” (so would indicate it’s a one off?) and in his opinion it was “likely to happen again”.

Any thoughts how to approach this?

Relevant secton of the consumer goods act

Should have all the info you need

For a start off, forget this “twelve month warranty” business. The Sale of Goods Act is the relevant legislation, and that can be up to six years. Hoover have offered a manufacturer’s warranty which it sounds like they’ve been honouring, but your contract of sale is with the retailer not with the manufacturer. It’s the retailer who is legally obliged to make good.

In isolation, offering to replace an 18-month old appliance for £100 is probably reasonable, taking into account the usage you’ve had from it. However, as you’ve had recurring problems and collateral expenses it’s clearly not of “satisfactory quality”; as they’ve been given ample opportunity to fix it and have as much as admitted they can’t I’d be pushing the retailer for a replacement in this case. (It can’t hurt to ask Hoover to see if they’ll budge “as a gesture of goodwill”, but they don’t have to.)

2 year warranty on all electrical goods under EU law. You are entitled to a full refund if the goods are deemed not fit for Purpose from the time you bought them. Ask the shop for a full refund and print off the EU directive and take it in Just in case the person you speak to is incompetent.

Retail Manager.

Retail Manager.

pitchpro2011 – Member

Might well be in the wrong job full refund only applies within a ‘resonable timescale’ a term which has never been tested in law so is open to interpretation by both the consumer and retailer and can cause conflict in the definition of ‘reasonable’ (obviously this differs from product to product).

He is correct about the 2 years (EU lwaw) which is actually a weaker version of our own law as linked above, hich everf way you are entitled to either repair or replacement BUT form the retailer not the manufacurer.

http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/bills/article-1677034/Two-year-warranty-EU-law.html

2 year warranty on all electrical goods under EU law. You are entitled to a full refund if the goods are deemed not fit for Purpose from the time you bought them.

Under the EU ruling the retailer is obliged to repair or replace, not refund. Looks like you’ve been done, hard luck mate.

SoGA still trumps it, anyway.

Repair or replace ^^^ unless it’s been faulty since you bought it which it has. No point arguing on an internet forum. I’d have to refund this in work no question asked if it had the same fault over and over within two years. Only a poor retailer would try and worm their way out of it. Go back to the shop and speak to them, you’ll only get a million different answers on here from people who have read a part of the sale of good act.

unless it’s been faulty since you bought it which it has.

… which it hasn’t, the fault occurred after 8 months.

I’d have to refund this in work no question asked if it had the same fault over and over within two years.

Good. However your store policy has no bearing here, unless the OP bought it from you.

Only a poor retailer would try and worm their way out of it.

Yup, but there’s plenty of those about unfortunately, that’s why it’s important to read a part of the sale of good act know your rights as a consumer.

The motherboard needs replacing …

Happened to my friend but his was the opposite as the freezer stopped working entirely. Yes, engineer was called on 3 occasions and only sorted after the motherboard was replaced.