Brighthouse: replacement TV problem, please Help

[stephent86]

Hi, my partner has a 32" HD TV from Brighthouse, unfortunaly it accidently fell and broke, so we figured because we had insurance on it we would get a replacement TV, so we sent it to Brighthouse roughly on the 15th June to see if they could fix it or replace it, they have had it since and given us no temporary replacment TV (like they have given us in the past), they said its un-repairable (which i suspected), and now they are claiming since they cant find a TV which is the same model and age that we have to pay £250 (split into weekly payments) for a replacement (newer but same model) TV. I dont want to accept that as while they have had our TV our contract ran out with them, so its fully paid off, I could understant and accept there offer if I still had an outstanding debt with the TV i wanted fixed. is there anyone on these forums that could help with this issue? I would be extremly grateful. Thank You

[Lefty]

Hi, my partner has a 32" HD TV from Brighthouse, unfortunaly it accidently fell and broke, so we figured because we had insurance on it we would get a replacement TV, so we sent it to Brighthouse roughly on the 15th June to see if they could fix it or replace it, they have had it since and given us no temporary replacment TV (like they have given us in the past), they said its un-repairable (which i suspected), and now they are claiming since they cant find a TV which is the same model and age that we have to pay £250 (split into weekly payments) for a replacement (newer but same model) TV. I dont want to accept that as while they have had our TV our contract ran out with them, so its fully paid off, I could understant and accept there offer if I still had an outstanding debt with the TV i wanted fixed. is there anyone on these forums that could help with this issue? I would be extremly grateful. Thank You

 

Hi, and welcome to CAG.

 

Unfortunately, even if you had Optional Service Cover (OSC) AND Damage Liability Cover (DLC) agreements on your telly, it still was not covered for accidental damage. This is a common misconception. Your DLC policy only covered your LIABILITY on your Hire Purchase agreement - it would have NEVER provided a like for like replacement for accidental damage.

 

All payments (Hire Purchase, OSC and DLC) should have stopped at the point the TV was returned on a DLC claim. If you have been making payments AFTER the TV was returned, then BrightHouse owe you some money. (This is probably reflected in the offer of another TV for £250 - which, to be honest, sounds quite reasonable...)

 

Probably not the reply you had hoped for, but you have to consider that if you had bought your telly from, say Currys or Dixons, and you accidentally dropped it after two years, would you be expecting Currys or Dixons to supply you with a new telly?

 

Unfortunately you have just learned the HARD WAY that BrightHouse OSC and DLC agreements are a complete and total waste of money.

 

Cheers

Lefty

[stephent86]

I understand that Currys or Dixons wouldnt replace a broken telly after 2years, but I was told by a member of staff inside Brighthouse that my TV was covered for accidental damage, so if what you say is true then they have mislead me havent they?

 

Edit: Also, when we gave Brighthouse our TV back we told them if they were going to write it off, we didnt want them to as we could have claimed on our More Than home contents insurance, only reason we didnt claim them first is because of the £100 excess, so we thought we would try our luck with the Brighthouse insurance first.

Edited August 6, 2011 by stephent86

[Lefty]

Yes. You have well and truly been misled. This problem comes up a lot on here.

 

The thing you have to remember is that you DLC policy only insured your LIABILITY on any future payments on the Hire Purchase agreement. In the event of a successful claim, all further payments would be waived. There is - nor never was - any promise of a replacement product due to accidental damage.

 

Bottom line is the telly did not belong to you. It belonged to BrightHouse. You were only hiring it. (It would only have become yours at the time of your final payment on the agreement.)

 

Cheers

Lefty

 

 

 

[stephent86]

I know what I'm gonna do, record them telling me its covered by accidental damage, then if they dont replace TV sharpish I'll take recording to my lawyer, sounds like a plan. thanks for your info Lefty

[Lefty]

...or better still get it in writing!

 

I wish you luck, but I know BrightHouse pretty well. Unless you are still a customer and have other agreements still active, the store will simply wash their hands of the whole thing. (Which is why I would suggest a little friendly negotiation with the manager and his offer of another telly for £250...)

 

Oh - and if you DO succeed with a fair compromise, don't take the OSC and DLC.... ah, but you know that now, don't you!

 

Cheers

Lefty

[stephent86]

I actualy have a decent amount of things still in contract with Brighthouse, and have been a customer for nearly 4 years, and only been late with my payments once or twice in all that time. I gave them an option, I wanted to put the 32" in my bedroom when/if i got it back, and take out a 3D Smart TV for the living room, I offered them to forget the 32" TV if they would give us money off the Smart TV, but they refused that and claimed they cant do compromises on NEW TV's only reconditioned ones.

[Lefty]

My bet is your store manager will do his best to please a valued customer. BrightHouse customer service has improved vastly over the last couple of years, and store managers DO have a LOT of descretion at their disposal.

 

Negotiate yourself a fair compromise.

 

I would also suggest that if you DO have other current agreements, you may like to re-think any OSC or DLC policies you have...

 

Cheers

Lefty

[Lefty]

Edit: Also, when we gave Brighthouse our TV back we told them if they were going to write it off, we didnt want them to as we could have claimed on our More Than home contents insurance, only reason we didnt claim them first is because of the £100 excess, so we thought we would try our luck with the Brighthouse insurance first.

 

Hi again - just noticed your edit above.

 

If, as you say, you have home contents insurance of your own, why on EARTH are you paying for BrightHouse Damage Liability Insurance? It is completely POINTLESS!

 

If you were to remove all OSC and DLC from your agreements, you would see a weekly saving of around 30-40% !!!!

 

Cheers

Lefty

[stephent86]

yea that was the plan, but thats another problem I have with Brighthouse lol, we moved town last year and to a different Brighthouse branch, but the old branch refuse to let us change branch, so in order to remove the insurances we have to go through to the old town where we lived and hand sign documents, we cant do this as we have no car. Now there excuse for not changing store is that they cant do it while theres a current dispute (TV issue).