Comet Customer Service / Warranties a Farce!

[Raistlin]

About 4 years ago I purchased a Hoover washing machine from my local Comet, at the same time (having had nothing but bad experiences with washing machines in the past, and breaking one of my own cardinal rules) I also purchase their additional warranty to cover me against accidental damage, failure of the product, etc within a period of 3 years from purchase.

Almost exactly 2 years after I bought the washing machine it developed a fault which required an expensive repair. It needed a complete new 'Tub Assembly' and all the ancillary parts that accompany this. I was told that the machine was therefore beyond economical repair and that I would receive a letter for a replacement.

I got the letter a few days later, took it to my local Comet, and they replaced the machine with one which was identical to the one that was faulty. At that time, I also purchased a new extended warranty.

Almost exactly 2 years after the original one was replaced this washing machine has a fault which requires replacement of exactly the same components. This time Comet are insisting that they want to repair it because it's cheaper to do that than it is to replace it (technically true: cost of repair = £184.99, cost to replace at retail prices £242).

I've obviously lost faith in the product (2 machines, same fault, same resolution, each occurring almost exactly 2 years from purchase) and just want to be able to choose a different machine, from a different manufacturer. I don't want compensation, I just want clean bloody clothes and no more hassles...

Comet's Service Centre say it's an insurance decision, their insurers say that they have no information upon which they could have based a decision and that the Service Centre and engineers are acting in isolation, their Head Office are agreeing with both parties but refusing to get involved.

The upshot of it all is that I have two engineers coming tomorrow to affect a repair that I don't want, on a machine which obviously has some sort of design flaw that means I know it's only going to last another 2 years (if it gets that far) and which will be out of warranty the next time it goes wrong, and there's not one single person in Comet that's prepared to take ownership of this and sort it out.

Don't get me wrong, everybody that I've spoken to has been really helpful as far as they can be - there's just no way of talking to anybody that's empowered to make any sort of decision to help resolve a customer issue. They have a process which they follow blindly, and there's apparently no way to deviate from it.

My favourite bit of the whole issue was when the nice man on the Service Centre desk told me that he thinks washing machine manufacturers deliberately build machines that fail after a few years, because if they made things that lasted they'd never make any more money

[NoKnowledge]

According to washerhelp you might try to avoid the other similar brands, that is if you do get the choice of getting a replacement

[Arthurgray50@blu]

The best bet on warranties - is don't get them, EXCEPT for computors, Over the years l have have had my share of aggro with Comet, Curries and Tesco.

They are not worth the paper, they are written on, they just make money for the company that sells them, With Sky for example, you do need a warranty, as it can cost about £90. for an engineer visit, and l know that for my sorrows.

[Raistlin]

The thing is that the first one they replaced without question, just sent me a letter and told me to go choose a new one - this time (same machine, same fault) they're being a real pain in the arse.

[Charlie_Bubble]

While I agree that you may face the same issue again in 2 years time, you can hardly say that Comet's customer service and warranty's are a farce. You had a replacement machine 2 years ago and are now having the broken one repaired at no cost to yourself. A warranty gives you a repair or replacement of similar spec, depending on the economics of repair vs replacement. Any other wearranty would probably have given you roughly the same result. You've got what you paid the extra for both times and you already said everyone you spoke to has been helpful.

My advice if you're unhappy with the machine, sell it and buy a different one. I can recommend Bosch and Hotpoint.

---------- Post added at 14:47 ---------- Previous post was at 14:45 ----------

Originally Posted by Rob M

The thing is that the first one they replaced without question, just sent me a letter and told me to go choose a new one - this time (same machine, same fault) they're being a real pain in the arse.

Same model/manufacturer?

[Raistlin]

Originally Posted by Charlie_Bubble

While I agree that you may face the same issue again in 2 years time, you can hardly say that Comet's customer service and warranty's are a farce.

The farce is that the situation is identical, except this time it's apparent that there's a recurring problem with this make/model, yet they're insisting on a different resolution - given that the parts are more expensive now than they were two years ago it just doesn't make any sense. Also, there just isn't anybody at Comet that a customer can talk to that is empowered to actually investigate anything, or anybody that is able to communicate with all departments. Claims only talk to the engineers, the engineers only talk to Claims and the Service Centre, the Service Centre only talk to the engineers and Head Office - there's apparently nobody that can get a complete story from all departments, look at the history of an issue, take into account other factors, and actually make an informed decision about the way forward. The engineer had already decided he was fixing it regardless of cost, that suggests to me that the warranty people (or Claims, or whatever they're called) never had the option of writing it off.

Originally Posted by Charlie_Bubble

Same model/manufacturer?

Unfortunately the then Mrs-M-to-Be liked the machine, didn't want to wait for one that wasn't in stock, and wouldn't listen to reason ...

[superbiatch]

Originally Posted by Charlie_Bubble

My advice if you're unhappy with the machine, sell it and buy a different one. I can recommend Bosch and Hotpoint.

I've gone through more hotpoint washing machines than i'd care to remember, but I can highly recommend Zanussi machines. You pay more, but get more IMO

[Charlie_Bubble]

Originally Posted by Rob M

The farce is that the situation is identical, except this time it's apparent that there's a recurring problem with this make/model, yet they're insisting on a different resolution - given that the parts are more expensive now than they were two years ago it just doesn't make any sense. Also, there just isn't anybody at Comet that a customer can talk to that is empowered to actually investigate anything, or anybody that is able to communicate with all departments. Claims only talk to the engineers, the engineers only talk to Claims and the Service Centre, the Service Centre only talk to the engineers and Head Office - there's apparently nobody that can get a complete story from all departments, look at the history of an issue, take into account other factors, and actually make an informed decision about the way forward. The engineer had already decided he was fixing it regardless of cost, that suggests to me that the warranty people (or Claims, or whatever they're called) never had the option of writing it off.

Maybe their policy before was replace before repair if they carried the item in stock, but now it's changed to repair before replace. Or maybe it's a case of replace the first time, then repair. You could always go over their heads. That's how you normally have to get things done with VM, so why not Comet?

---------- Post added at 15:07 ---------- Previous post was at 15:02 ----------

Originally Posted by superbiatch

I've gone through more hotpoint washing machines than i'd care to remember, but I can highly recommend Zanussi machines. You pay more, but get more IMO

My washing machine history is as follows:

Myself, I moved into my flat 12 years ago and the washing machine was left by the owners and was new with the flat when it was sold to them. It lasted about 14 years until a couple of months ago. That was an Ariston, which I don't think are around any more. I have replaced it with a Hotpoint, but not a cheap one, it cost about £450.

I worked for GEC Marconi and was able to get a substantial discount for my mum in about 1996. That machine lasted until about a year ago, so about 13 years. She now has a Bosch.

[Sasha222]

Originally Posted by Rob M

About 4 years ago I purchased a Hoover washing machine from my local Comet, at the same time (having had nothing but bad experiences with washing machines in the past, and breaking one of my own cardinal rules) I also purchase their additional warranty to cover me against accidental damage, failure of the product, etc within a period of 3 years from purchase.

Almost exactly 2 years after I bought the washing machine it developed a fault which required an expensive repair. It needed a complete new 'Tub Assembly' and all the ancillary parts that accompany this. I was told that the machine was therefore beyond economical repair and that I would receive a letter for a replacement.

I got the letter a few days later, took it to my local Comet, and they replaced the machine with one which was identical to the one that was faulty. At that time, I also purchased a new extended warranty.

Almost exactly 2 years after the original one was replaced this washing machine has a fault which requires replacement of exactly the same components. This time Comet are insisting that they want to repair it because it's cheaper to do that than it is to replace it (technically true: cost of repair = £184.99, cost to replace at retail prices £242).

I've obviously lost faith in the product (2 machines, same fault, same resolution, each occurring almost exactly 2 years from purchase) and just want to be able to choose a different machine, from a different manufacturer. I don't want compensation, I just want clean bloody clothes and no more hassles...

Comet's Service Centre say it's an insurance decision, their insurers say that they have no information upon which they could have based a decision and that the Service Centre and engineers are acting in isolation, their Head Office are agreeing with both parties but refusing to get involved.

The upshot of it all is that I have two engineers coming tomorrow to affect a repair that I don't want, on a machine which obviously has some sort of design flaw that means I know it's only going to last another 2 years (if it gets that far) and which will be out of warranty the next time it goes wrong, and there's not one single person in Comet that's prepared to take ownership of this and sort it out.

Don't get me wrong, everybody that I've spoken to has been really helpful as far as they can be - there's just no way of talking to anybody that's empowered to make any sort of decision to help resolve a customer issue. They have a process which they follow blindly, and there's apparently no way to deviate from it.

My favourite bit of the whole issue was when the nice man on the Service Centre desk told me that he thinks washing machine manufacturers deliberately build machines that fail after a few years, because if they made things that lasted they'd never make any more money

I bought a fridge freezer not from Comet or any other shop like that but an electrial local shop. I had trouble from day one and they send out engineers saying the gas thing at the back was leaking and they set out to fix it but it didn't work then they came out again with another excuse and proceeded to fix that and the third time it broke down they wanted to send out the engineers again and I just told them not a hope in hell. I wanted a new one. the shop said they were not responsible and head office also said they were not responsible. They were passing on the prob to one another. I think they thought that I would get fed up with all this passing back and forth but I would not give up and in the end I told the shop I was on my way down with the Fridge freezer and I wanted a replacement or my money back. They send up a guy the next day with a new one and guess what I still had the same prob with the same make that they gave me. Anyway I just in the end got my money back and went elsewhere and got a better one.

Dont be put of and keep phoneing them till they are sick of hearing from you and in the end believe me they will give in. You are entitled to have a to have what you paid for a washing maching thats supposed to be of good order.

[Flyboy]

The way I see it is, if there is a manufacturing fault, the repair might actualy solve the problem and maybe it is the manufacturer's fix for the issue.

[Raistlin]

The engineer turned up today, on his own - there should have been two of them.

So guess who ended up helping out with the repair (lugging the heavy bits in and out of the machine carcuss, steadying things, passing things, etc) ...

I now have a cut to my arm, blood on my jeans, and filthy clothes - to top it all off the machine isn't fixed.

There is a second fault (unrelated to the first probably) that the original engineer missed but which he should easily have spotted apparently. This is stopping the machine from working, the engineer has the part on order and is (apparently) coming back tomorrow to get it working.

To give him his due, the engineer's been great - very pleasant, as helpful as he could possibly have been, and he obviously knows his stuff. I just hope that he gets it working tomorrow.....

[Flyboy]

In which case, you might find it will work better than before.

[Raistlin]

Well considering the total cost of repairs will now exceed the total cost to replace the machine by quite some margin I would damn well hope so.

My washing machine's going to be a little bit like Trigger's broom at this rate ...

[Flyboy]

Don't get me wrong, I detest Comet just as much as anyone, I tend to restrict my big ticket purchases to John Lewis. But, if your engineer is as good as you say he is, it isn't his fault he works for one of the worst electrical retailers ever.

Originally Posted by Flyboy

The way I see it is, if there is a manufacturing fault, the repair might actualy solve the problem and maybe it is the manufacturer's fix for the issue.

you would have thought that being the case after the initial 2 years the second machine would have had any generic fault ironed out of it. Unless of course the second machine was 2 year old stock