Scam of the week

No. If it is the manufacturer’s fault you have the right to full refund in the first 30 days, or free repair thereafter. So the warranty really doesn’t provide you with protection you do not already have under the Consumer Rights Act 2015. The Act states you can get a repair or refund after six months if you can prove the item was faulty when you got it.

ARE EXTENDED WARRANTIES WORTHWHILE?

My view is NO – unless you can get a warranty that lasts more than six years, the period in which you can bring a claim against a retailer. I HAVE heard disturbing reports of the “refuse collection” scammers being out again this week.

Homeowners are approached and asked if they would like a fortnightly service on the week that the local authority does not empty the bins.

This is attractive as many households have too much rubbish to be able to wait two weeks for a collection.

Typically, the scammers ask for three months’ money up front – after which you never hear from them again.

If you are tempted by a service like this, make sure that you do some research on the company first to make sure you are not being scammed.