Appliances Direct sold our air conditioner instead of sending it back to us

The replacement they’re offering will cost OP an extra £600

Because Appliances Direct want an extra £600 for a replacement.

https://www.gov.uk/make-court-claim-for-money

It'll cost you £70-80 quid upfront, but they may settle with a new machine.

Because you can’t buy a cheap air conditioner unit right now for love nor money, and the cheeky fuckers want OP pay an extra £600 to have one of the ones they do have in stock.

Im with DH on this, I’d be demanding the £600 one for free, or at least VERY heavily discounted.

You could also try going through resolver:

www.resolver.co.uk/companies/appliances-direct-complaints

So you ask for a replacement surely. I know they want to just refund you but ask for a replacement and see what happens.

It is very strange and not right

However I'd get the refund anyway as I wouldn't trust them anyway after everything that's happened

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1968/60/crossheading/definition-of-theft

How does that fit with the situation?

Possibly a letter to the Legal Department

In the alternative ask them to get your unit back

They have a complaints process on their website and if you dont get help from customer services it says to email:

[email protected]

I wonder if you could report it as stolen?

Clearly they cant sell it as they dont own it

Because she would have to pay £600

Appliances Direct are an absolute nightmare to deal with. Part of their business model seems to prey on the vulnerable and hard of understanding, as it is a post-sale hard sell of their “additional insurance.” Our dealings with them over the past few months were so awful that it’s now become funny, as we have been able to claim fully on our home insurance, while our home insurers now seem to be suing them.

Their customer service is shockingly bad though - theyve literally told me they dont have a complaints procedure. And everytime i speak to them im told something different, they clearly just want to fob people off long enough that they just give up.

I would be putting in a formal complaint and telling them you want an air con unit of at least the same ability as the last one without additional charge or you will be taking matters further. They cant sell your property, it was sent to be repaired, not given to them.

I would also get in touch with trading standards via citizens advice to find out what happens if they dont provide you with one.

Air conditioning has gone up in price so much in the last year and especially while its a heatwave and stock is low everywhere, you would never be able to get another even if they refund so I dont think thats reasonable as they would have likely profited in these circumstances. I would want to know how much it was sold for as I am guessing they are hoping they can get away with refunding you so they would have profited from this.

They need to send you an air con unit that’s equal in age and condition to the one you sent them; or better, or they need to refund you. They could push for a partial refund instead to account for the time you’ve had it but a year wouldn’t knock a lot off and I’d push back on that and want a full refund; given they’ve failed their duty of care.

Theres not much else you can claim for, though. This isn’t a situation where damages or compensation would be legally likely if Appliances Direct don’t offer them as a goodwill gesture.

What model was it op? Ive been having huge problems with them for the past 6 weeks getting a replacement for the portable ac they sold us too! Curious if its the same one?

Tell them you are taking what happened to the Consumer Champions column in The Guardian or similar..copy your emails to their CEO, Chairman or Director of Sales etc..make it clear you want a resolution that takes account of their error, the waste of time and leaves you with air conditioning.

Send them the link to this thread 🤷‍♀️Good Luck 🍀

I would be so annoyed! You wanted it repaired under the warranty and they repaired it, but now you have to pay £600 due to their mistake! (Or accept a refund but I don’t think that’s fair compensation because units are probably more expensive now and you could’ve had yours back anyway). I would make a formal complaint and push for the better one at no cost as they’ve sold your property without warning

There has been discussions relating to a car left in someone's garage about the legal responsibilities you have for someone else's property.

I would argue that they need to put you back in the situation you were in before you sent it in and that means sending you a air con unit

Some retailers sell on returned stock to suppliers who refurbish and then resell
or I’m not sure if AD have a refurb section for returned and graded appliances

I would if thought there isn’t grounds for them to force a refund
email Back saying your happy with the equivalent or high spec but you will not be paying more

They aren’t just offering a refund or replacement. It’s a refund or pay £600 to have a newer model replacement

I'm assuming that if the OPer pays £600 she can have an upgrade as the one they returned for mending is now no longer available.

if I understand correctly, it’s because the refund won’t cover the cost of a new one (at current prices) and they are only willing to send a replacement if op pays an additional £600

I think it’s a little confusing in the op, as it says ‘they are willing to refund, or pay the £600 extra for a new one’

do you mean they are willing to pay the extra, or that you need to pay the extra as they don’t have any available at the price you’d be refunded, meaning your choice is either no air conditioner (but cash refund) or pay £600?

in which case I can see why this is very annoying!