Consumer rights for home electrical item after warranty has expired...?

[HmmBopp]

I've had an item (think home printer) for 18 months, and it has completely given up the ghost.

I bought it online, from a national high street retailer.

I contacted the retailer to ask for a replacement as I would expect it to last longer than this.

They said the warranty was only for 12 months and as it is outside of this, the only thing I can do is 'get an independent report from a local registered technician' to 'say what is wrong with the product,' and take this to the store along with the item.

The store will then be able to 'decide what to do.'

Does this seem right?

Yes, if the warranty is for a year, at 18 months the warranty has expired.

Yes. The only course open when a warranty has expired is to have an independent technician do diagnostics and see if there was a manufacturing fault or defect that caused the item to fail. Only if it’s a fault or defect would you be entitled to a repair, replace, or refund offer.

All electrical items seem to be designed to last until just after the warranty has run out. It doesn’t help that the fuses are now welded into the plugs so you can’t even try changing the fuse.

Yes, but if goods do not last for a reasonable time then you have up to six years to make a claim, is my understanding? And home electrical items should last for much longer than 18 months.

It seems crazy to me that I am expected to spend £60 call out charge to get an electrician to look at this?! And what's he supposed to put on the letter?! "I can confirm this item is broken"?!

Yes

Get an independent report....this is normal procedure expected

Sickening, I know, OP. I don't think it's unreasonable to expect electrical to last longer than 18 months.