Broken washing machine leaves customer in a spin
I BOUGHT a Hotpoint washer/dryer from Currys in September 2015, paying £399. A few weeks before Christmas 2016, it stopped after the wash cycle – refusing to spin or dry.
As it was out of guarantee, I called the Currys Knowhow repair team. I went for the £159 fixed cost which had a longer guarantee than its £129 deal.
The engineer came, and after ten minutes said the machine was too costly to repair – the required part was nearly £200.
Currys have refunded my £159 payment.
We depend on this machine as we live in a flat without other washing or drying facilities. Will we have to fork out for a new one? Keith H
WHICH? SAYS: Many electrical retailers offer fixed price repairs. That way customers know there are no payment surprises – it’s the same for a costly or difficult part (as here) as it is for something simple – perhaps needing no more than a nut and bolt and a spanner.
You don’t get a refund if it’s a cheap job. Retailers shouldn’t pick and choose.
There is generally a get-out clause – applying usually if the machine is so old that parts are unobtainable, or seized with rust.
This should not apply on a nearly new machine although you accepted Curry’s judgement during the home visit. Then you contacted Which? because you thought a £399 machine should last longer than 14 months.
Which? asked Currys several times to spell out why it refused to repair your machine. It did not comment. But the retailer did contact Hotpoint, which sent an engineer who spent two hours repairing the washer/dryer at no cost to you. It now works.
The alternative, which proved unnecessary, was buying a new machine.