praise for Powergen - quick replacement of fuse

[RobertL]

Our nearly new Zanussi cooker decided to short circuit last night. As a result there was a loud bang and the 60 Amp fuse upsteam of the meter blew. I don't know why the 30 Amp fuse in the cooker spur did not blow. We have an old fashioned fuse box, no RCDs.

Anyway we were left with no electricty. We rang Powergen (who supply us) and they came out within 1 hour and replaced their fuse at no charge.

Very good service I think.

not so good with Zanussi: we ring the shop we bought the cooker from: "ring Zanussi", so we ring the number in the Zanussi appliance book. After sitting though a recorded message containing a huge list of postcodes (not including ours) we are directed to ring another number. We ring it and get along list of manufacturers. We select Zanussi, get redirected back ot the first number.

sorry to rant...

Robert

[stevelup]

You need to get back to your retailer. It is not your problem, it is their problem. Your contract is with the retailer, not Zanussi...

Steve

[Andy Hall]

Wrong procedure.

Your contract is not with Zanussi, it is with the supplier from which you bought the product.

Contact them and ask for a replacement, insisting that that is delivered within 7 working days. If they won't commit to that, cancel the contract under the Distance Selling Regulations (you did buy on line, didn't you?)

Again, invoke the provisions of the Consumer Credit Act if you need to do that.

Above all, keep the supplier under very tight timescale pressure and don't accept being referred to the manufacturer.

[Owain]

But he can't cancel the contract under DSR because he's accepted the goods and started using them. Sale of Goods Act is the appropriate remedy.

Quite. I suggest taking food into the shop and using the demonstration microwaves in the meantime.

Owain

[manatbandq]

Correct.

You don't really understand how it works do you? DSR is irrelevant for "nearly new" goods.

The retailer doesn't have to replace, they can arrange for repair. No harm in making time of the essence I suppose.

To what purpose?

MBQ

[Andy Hall]

But has he. If the thing blew the fuse how could it have been used?

It may be as well.

That's a good idea.

[Andy Hall]

Yes I do.

That we don't know. If the item blew the fuse as soon as connected, by definition it wouldn't have been used.

There never is. Pushing the supplier to replace rather than repair is another

Larger and additional hammer.

[manatbandq]

What we don't know? The OP clearly states "nearly new", not brand new or never used. That implies the device had already been used.

MBQ

[RobertL]

I'm the OP. Let me clarify: the cooker was bought new and it worked fine for 2 months. We don't usually use the front hobs because the kiddy can reach them. Then, yesterday, it went bang as the wife turned a front hob off, but ithe cooker seemed OK so she continued using it. then, a few hourts later, she turned off the other front hob and there was a louder bang and the 60A fuse blew. Since then I have removed the spur fuse of course. We are using the microwave for all meals.

I have at last got hold of the Zanussi-contracted repairers that deal with my area (Cambridge) and they are coming on Wednesday next week. The shop where we bought it did give us their number so they were some help, but I won't be buying from them again.

Robert

I

[Andy Hall]

"Nearly new" can mean all sorts of things depending on who it is. It could range from just taken out of the box and plugged in to having been used for several weeks. If it were the former, it can certainly be rejected.

[manatbandq]

What planet are you on? See the OPs clarification.

MBQ

[Andy Hall]

The real one. How about you?

The clarification is there in his last mail (it wasn't before) and would indeed mean that the appropriate legislation, if it were required would be the standard sale of goods and services and consumer credit.

None of this detracts from putting the supplier under pressure to address the problem very quickly.

[clot]

OP said "nearly new".