...to think Tesco should have done more?

[Cookerless]

Just over two weeks ago, a Tesco delivery driver dropped a bottle of wine as he was unpacking it, and it smashed the glass door of my 89 yr old father's oven, making the oven unusable. The oven is very old, and consequently it's not possible to find a replacement part. It's a standalone cooker, the oven isn't separate, and so the entire thing needs to be replaced, at a cost of around £400, including delivery and fitting.

It took two weeks for the local Tesco depot to get a form to their claims department, but within a couple of hours of receiving it, Tesco told me that they would not be offering us anything by way of compensation, as the oven 'had no intrinsic value' due to its age. When I pointed out that if we were to claim on Dad's home insurance, we would be £150 out of pocket for the excess, they offered me £75 as a 'goodwill gesture'. I'm afraid I told them where to stick it.

My father has dementia and cancer, and - when I'm not here - his carers use the oven to heat his ready meals - so the oven does have some value to him - I really thought that Tesco would do more to rectify the situation, given that it was entirely the fault of their driver, who readily admitted that (poor chap was very upset, but it was an accident). We've been Delivery Saver customers for over 4 years, and - until this happened - have been spending an average of £150 a week with them. I'm now boycotting them.

After Tesco told me they weren't going to make this good, I had no choice but to contact Dad's insurers, who were very good, and immediately sent out a cheque to the value of a replacement cooker, less the £150 excess.

We'll be getting a new cooker in the next week or so, but the more I think about it, the more I think that Tesco should have agreed to claim on their insurance - they're a huge company, Dad's a pensioner - why he should end up out of pocket is beyond me.

AIBU about this? TBH, am so angry with Tesco that I may be being a little unreasonable, so thought I'd ask. Bracing myself, 'cos it's a bit scary posting in AIBU, but that's what I'm asking!

[SpongebobRoundPants]

This would make a perfect Daily Mail sad face article....

[Cookerless]

Just to confirm that I would have been totally happy with a replacement door - all I want is for there to be a working oven in Dad's kitchen so that I can cook for him when I'm here, and his carers can use it when I'm not. After two and a half weeks of cooking without having an oven, I've realised how much I use it! Dad's really missing his roasts on a Sunday - he doesn't go out any more, other than to Dr and hospital appointments, so I can't even take him to the pub for Sunday lunch. Thanks to his insurers (and they really were lovely when I spoke to them - tomorrow will probably be the last Sunday without a roast, which is a relief!

Dad's the nicest man I know, not sure he could manage a sadface - he's always smiling, which is probably why my FB friends, who are also RL friends, were so supportive.

[EvansOvalPies]

I'd so love to see Dave Lewis doing the DM sad face: 'Oh, poor us, employee damaged customer's cooker. Now we are being asked to put it right. Boohoo'

[kali110]

Op yanbu at all ( usually a lot of complaints to retailers i find tedious).
This was an accident yes, the guy def should not be in trouble but they are insured for accidents!
You should not be paying for this and neither should your poor father! ( so sorry, you are both already going through so much, it's so hard )
Take this as far as you can!

herother you should be ashamed of yourself. What a vile post.

[NarkyMcDinkyChops]

However, why would you expect a brand new cooker in exchange for a broken one that, by the sounds of it, was worth buttons?


Are you a bit thick? The value of the item is irrelevant, its what it costs to replace it that matters. A cooker may be effectively worthless, but he had a cooker and now does not, so he needs a new cooker with the same attributes as his old one, as well as the connection and delivery charges.

OP, Tesco are turning you down because they don't think you will bother to pursue it and its easier for them. You are completely entitled to the full amount though. Don't let it drop! Contact the consumer sections of a few newspapers, they will change their tune pretty quick.

[hellejuice91]

I work for a large retailer in their complaints team.Tesco are known to be tight and we are regularly told my our customers about the small amounts Tesco offer. If it had happened where I work, you'd would probably have been sent a cheque for a new cooker or allowed to choose one from our electrical department. As long as the driver verified what had happened and you were willing to send pictures. If you were asking for a silly amount (which I hasten to add you are not) you would have your excess paid, along with some vouchers as a token of regret. Have you tried escalating to their executive team?

[Magicpaintbrush]

This doesn't surprise me at all. A few years ago tesco delivered a leaking bottle bleach and it got on my clothes and ruined them. They said they would reimburse me for the cost of the clothes, after which I got passed from person to person being fobbed off. Never got any help or reimbursement - it's not like they couldn't afford it, and they were at fault. Your situation with the oven is much worse though. Stories like this get around and it won't do tesco's reputation any favours. How they can be such tight arses when they are such a massive successful company is beyond me. Shameful.

[DoWop2]

Absolute cockwombles. I have been a TESCO customer all of my adult life, they have just lost my custom. I'm glad your dad's insurance paid out.

[redlittlesquirrel]

Have you tried using resolver.co.uk? It's affiliated with Money Saving Expert. I used it for a problem with Amazon after weeks of getting nowhere and within a week it was resolved.

[Trifleorbust]

They are twats. The oven may not have had intrinsic value but replacing it carries a cost which they are responsible for meeting, since they rendered the existing oven unusable.

[RaeSkywalker]

This is awful. I'll certainly be doing my big shops elsewhere from now on.

[user1465741111]

I'd go to local tv and get them some bad publicity

[Ragdoll545]

This is definitely one for the daily mail! Tesco bunch of wankers they could send you a new cooker and it would only cost them their actual cost price which probably isn't much by the time they add on their profits!

[ChefsFloozie]

That's awful. Hope you get it sorted and soon.

[lovelyupnorth]

Get the email address of the CEO from CEOmail.com and email them directly.

[girlelephant]

Really hope you get this sorted as I think it's terrible!

[Sudocreamface]

To be honest,no. Delivery drivers are actually ( in the store I know, but is not Tesco admittedly ) does not allow drivers to enter the property, they are supposed to unpack the shopping bags at the door step and the customer is to take them in, this because they are not insured if anything gets broken, however if you turn up at an elderly residents home it's hard to say no and see them struggle so out of good will drivers do it. In this case it went wrong, the driver had probably been sacked. Our drivers are told not to enter, I imagine drivers are not insured and he should never had entered the property.

[Sudocreamface]

How ever I'm sorry this has happened to you and sorry for the driver who is probably out of a job.

[GimmeeMoore]

Oh gosh,accident that Tesco could have quickly resolved without causing you distress
I do agree email the chief exec Dave Lewis to escalate I'd imagine he would want to help
I hope dad isn't upset or too inconvenienced as it's his main oven

[lavei]

Pfft, id be in touch with the local paper, BuzzFeed, all over social media, crack up a massive shit storm about it!
They'll rectify this, I could almost guarantee it!

[FiveShelties]

I am amazed at Tesco - this could have been huge good PR for them, headlines in the papers etc and they totally missed it. I cannot believe they think their behaviour to your Dad is acceptable in any way.

There is a programme on Radio 4 lunchtime at 12.15, You and Yours, they do lots of consumer service reports, I would contact them.

[Chloe84]

a Tesco delivery driver dropped a bottle of wine as he was unpacking it

Why was the driver unpacking the shopping, especially as you were there? They're only required to bring it into the kitchen, not unpack it.

Don't get me wrong, I sympathise, but I didn't think drivers have time to unpack shopping.

[Etak15]

I didn't know they brought it inside for you - but have only ever had asda deliveries!
They could have easily done the right thing and send you a replacement cooker as a pp has said they sell cookers!
I wouldn't have claimed on your own insurance - surely this should be covered by theirs if their policy is to deliver goods inside. I would definitely keep at them with this one.

[DoWop2]

Chloe they often unpack the crates once they bring them in so they can get back out the door quickly. It's not rearranging the spice rack, it's dumping it on the side so they can take the crates back.