D&G/Hotpoint-Repair Protection plan/Extended Warranty

[snoopy71]

Well it certainly has protected me from GETTING a repair and rather than extending the company has now curtailed the warranty......

 

I apologise in adavance for maybe placing this in the wrong area and lengthy post but do not wish to omit anything as need another opinion to see where I went wrong please.

 

I have, or my partner and I have, a Hotpoint Washer Dryer that is covered by an extended warranty and has been for the last three years, the machine is now about 5 years old.

 

Sept 08 a spring which holds the washing drum in place needs fixing, engineer comes round (15/09/08) doesn't have the right spring so "doctors" one for another machine to fit ours.

 

This proves to be useless as it allows the drum to rock and roll (like I imagine Bill Haley used to do) I only noticed this when returning home early Dec 23rd (as we normally set machine on for when we are out) I catch the machine in full dance right before the drum inside frazzles the circuit board.

 

I call up Hotpoint as directed by Domestic&General (underwriters) paperwork told by Hotpoint that they will come out 2nd Jan (hey ho holidays and all that)

 

2nd Jan engineer comes round and after tinkering around for a good 45 mins and some searching on his laptop and a couple of phonecalls he tells me that the despite his efforts machine is to be replaced as out of three parts ordered one required machine part is now obsolete

 

I'm instructed by Engineer to "wait for D&G to call me in 48hrs as a new machine has been authorised as part of my plan/warranty". (please note: I just wanted a working machine wasn't interested in new one). Engineer leaves a piece of printout paper stating "exchange action team contacted D&G and D&G will contact customer" (this apparently shows action has been logged and emailed to D&G)

 

5th Jan I call Hotpoint to advise them I think there might be a delay (taking into account the weekend) in their handling process to be told that it is now down to D&G to sort and that Hotpoint & D&G "have nothing to do with each other as they are two seperate companies?"

 

6th Jan I have waited long enough and call D&G to be told that they are unaware of any replacement/repair under my policy/household and if a replacement were required then D&G will be waiting for a write off report. I ask them if they cannot speak with Hotpoint to chase up the initial repair call they made to me to see what is required, and was again told "we're a seperate company and don't have that facility, you'll have to go back to Hotpoint"

 

At this point I highlighted that surely it was not my job to be going back and forth to chase up companies that were supposed to be in contact with each other and that I would like to make a complaint. It is only then I get told "right well if I do that that will escalate your comments and someone will contact Hotpoint"

point 1. Why could she have not told me this before

point 2. I thought they were seperate companies and had no facility to talk to each other?!

 

7th Jan I get a call from a D&G operative who claimed he had "sorted" my problem he explained I wasn't waiting on a replacement machine but the previously obsolete but now available machine part!! After I ascertained that the this machine part still hadn't been ordered I was trying to ask why not and also what about the other parts required. I was then greeted with a complete Failure to listen to anything I said, prefering to talk over me. I asked to speak to someone else because of this he refused, he then also refused to let me speak to a Manager. So I took his name and then bid him farewell.

 

7th Jan p.m. I call Indesit and they confirm that obsolete part is actually available but needs to be ordered and I confirmed that when that part is delivered the engineer will have all he needs to complete the repair on my machine.

 

I email domgen.com to express my general dissatisfaction and ask someone to take up my complaint as I am less than impressed, to which I am afforded contact with a Miss C(I wont put her name)

 

15th Jan the previous Engineer arrives at door looks sheepish and says "erm do you know what has been happening?"

"Why?" I ask.

He then goes onto explain that all he has been sent in his van is the cosmetic part of the obsolete/available part (the on/off switch was also in a different colour to my machine) but with no "switch gear" and none of the other parts have been sent as previously ordered so he can't do the job!!! Worse still he when he went to order the other missing parts he is informed that another part is now also obsolete.

 

However he assures me this time the machine has been written off and I will be contacted by D&G and that I may have to pay a delivery charge of £20

 

16th Jan Nothing happens and Miss C despite her promises fails to call and check that all has gone to plan.

 

19th Jan I call and speak with Miss C and she tells me she is chasing up the "write off" now and a letter detailing replacement model is being sent out to me to arrive Wednesday if I am happy with model chosen I am to phone to the "Exchange Dept". To expedite matters I ask for and receive number for "Exchange Dept" to investigate model via internet in adavnce.

 

Turns out (tho not surprised) replacement model does not offer anywhere near the same options i.e. Variable Spin, Variable Drying time, Timer Delay, LCD Display unit to show time left on cycle etc as current model. Worse still I have to pay £120 to incl. remainder of payment left on old repair plan (which is now null and void) on the broken machine and a £37 delivery charge no installation for the new machine ( you can get delivery from Comet for £20 )

 

20th Jan - Call Miss C who whilst sympathetic (finally some human emotion from someone) she says she cannot waiver the charges as D&G have fulfilled their terms and conditions etc etc She refers me to a Manager to double check and I get a heels in the ground attitude straight away and "...a letter will be out to confirm our position"

 

I want to know

 

1. Why should I have to pay the full cost if I Have been forced into having a new machine because Hotpoint didn't repair a perfectly repairable machine because they didn't order parts?

2. Why does the lengthy delay caused by their incompetence on two seperate occasions not generate some form of compensation from them. Surely a month is extreme just to fit parts?

3. Why am I having to pay the remainder of a repair plan at all on a machine that they will no longer repair due to parts being obsolete due to their delay?

4. How can I be forced to have a machine that is not similar as the contract states?

5. What have I not done that I can do or could've done to get a more satisfactory resolution to my problem?

6. should I just give up bite the bullet and pay the £120 for the inferior machine

 

Sorry for longwindedness but really at end of my tether