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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think that Hotpoint are a disgrace of a company

66 replies

Dorissey · 02/08/2017 14:25

Quick version.
I had a Hotpoint dryer of the "might randomly set on fire" variety. After some complaining they sent me a new dryer. I'd not had it long when it broke down. It tumbled, but it did not dry. It didn't produce any heat. They sent an engineer round, who fixed it. It broke again. Same thing. They sent an engineer round, who fixed it. it broke again. Same thing. They sent an engineer round, who fixed it.

Guess what. It's broke. Same thing.

Hotpoint are generously offering me a free repair.

I think that there is something fundamentally wrong with the dryer for it to keep breaking. It has been 10 months since the last time, but that's just a fluke I think. Other times it was 3-4 months between breakdowns.

Customer service won't even speak to me on the phone. I can't get through and they won't ring me.

I've even emailed the chief exec but haven't had a reply.

Honestly, I have absolutely no faith or trust in Hotpoint (or their associated companies). I'd really like some money back on what I initially paid for the dryer, but at a push would probably accept a replacement.

Is that unreasonable?

OP posts:
TheScottishPlay · 02/08/2017 16:54

Tweet them. My combusting risk repair led to a noisy drier which took forever to dry as pp said. They responded quickly to a tweet and the second repair happened within a week.

M00nUnit · 02/08/2017 17:02

I HATE Hotpoint. I'm still angry will them for failing to turn up twice when they were supposed to be delivering my washing machine (I'd taken time off work to wait in for them) and then when they eventually delivered it I didn't work, and I later found out they'd left the packaging for the washing machine under the communal stairs in the building my flat's in. The customer service people were SO rude to me and I even got a letter which basically implied I was lying about everything that had happened. They said they'd called me to say they were on their way (they hadn't) and I'd refused to stay in for them.
However the working washing machine that they ended up delivering to me (after endless phone calls and arguments) is still working fine after nearly 9 years so I guess that's something. I'll still never, every buy anything from them again though. Horrible people.

Kickhiminthenuts · 02/08/2017 17:02

je I had mine 'fixed' under the fire recall and it takes three full 120 minute runs to dry a small load now when before it would have been 40-60 mins.
I will never buy a hotpoint machine again. They took too long and actually didn't really give a shit about the fires

MrTrebus · 02/08/2017 17:14

@kickhiminthenuts

Ours did this for a while, pulled out the machine and the vent pipe was full of water. Its because there was a kink in the hose. We cut ours down considerably and now it vents beautifully and dries clothes so quickly again. If yours is vented please do this it will solve your problem.

sleepyMe12 · 02/08/2017 17:32

I'm having the same problem with AO and indesit(hotpoint) been waiting 15 months for a repair.
Arseholes all of them!

Raver84 · 02/08/2017 17:42

Had a hotpot dryer one of the faulty ones for years I was calling them saying it kept breaking would smell burning etc etc... They must have repaired it 8 time in 3 years. The final time it broke I just couldnt be bothered to deal with them and bought another brand. After I'd done that I read about the faulty models and I'd been telling them for years the machine I had was dangerous. I will never buy a hotpot anything again!

TheHodgeoftheHedge · 02/08/2017 17:53

How is this not national news and a national outrage though? This is the bit I don't get. Even despite it being a Hotpoint fridge/freezer that started the Grenfell fire.

MrTrebus · 02/08/2017 17:56

Totally agree Hodge. Everyone has concentrated on the cladding as this is how it spread BUT you're right if this hotpoint machine hadn't set alight then it would not have spread.

tallfox · 02/08/2017 18:14

I had another years wait, or a new model at a reduced price. I took the new model and paid the money just to get it sorted. I'd already waited 10 months. Disgusting.

WinifredAtwellsOtherPiano · 02/08/2017 18:24

Do you have legal expenses cover on your household insurance or perhaps through work or a union? If so you might be able to get them to pay for someone to send a scary letter.

Original poster
Dorissey · 02/08/2017 20:48

Thanks for the support, and so very sorry that so many of you seem to have had similar.
Unfortunately I can't afford to buy a new dryer as much as I would like to. I'm going to probably have to take everything to dry at a launderette.
My original dryer was bought just before the recall.

OP posts:
JohnnyMcGrathSaysFuckOff · 02/08/2017 20:54

Poor you OP.

Is that really true about Grenfell?? Shock

Gindrinker43 · 02/08/2017 21:10

I am never buying from them again. Not only did the replacement tumble dryer pack up, but the repair man said it was my fault for using it wrong!
I then made the mistake of buying s larder fridge from them. After 8 weeks the plastic strip on the edge of the shelf snapped and when the door was opened everything fell out and smashed. I called customer services and was told it was not faulty and would have to buy a replacement shelf edge. They eventually backed down.
The second time it happened customer services called me a liar. They clearly have a
Design fault and won't admit it.
I will never use them again.

eggsandwich · 02/08/2017 21:18

I've got an idesit tumble dryer, biggest load of rubbish going, the bloody thing switches itself on and off, when the the engineer turned up and I told him it was turning itself on and off he laughed at me and said I've never heard that one before.

Funny how he didn't laugh when it turned itself on with him standing 2 feet away from the machine, he video it and then rang his boss who also laughed at him until he said I've recorded it switching itself on and off.

It still does it now but they advised me to switch it off from the plug socket when I go out, doesn't inspire confidence in the machine.

JohnnyMcGrathSaysFuckOff · 02/08/2017 21:44

Good God....!

Gooseberrycrumble4 · 02/08/2017 21:48

Can you twitter how many times it's been mended and broken plus the exact hours you've been waiting in the phone

Original poster
Dorissey · 02/08/2017 21:50

Sadly true JohnnyMcGrath Tellingly the last facebook post on the Hotpoint page is a recall of the fridge freezers concerned.

I've still got a whirlpool fridge freezer, which is about 5 years old, and so far, so good, but like most here I will never have any of their products again.

eggsandwich funnily enough my dryer has been making the beeping noise it makes when you switch it on all by itself. It's not actually starting to tumble though. I thought someone was messing or brushing past it, but it did it when I was home alone. Very odd.

OP posts:
Original poster
Dorissey · 02/08/2017 21:53

Gooseberrycrumble4 I seem to think that they're not so bothered about what people say on twitter. I've tweeted a few times but they just go back to the same repetitive DM reply.

OP posts:
DesignedForLife · 02/08/2017 22:13

YANBU. We have a 4 year old "might combust" dryer that had two issues fixed in the first year. Since the fire "fix" it's not working properly, chews up anything with a zip, and recently sounds horrendous.

HoneyDragon · 02/08/2017 22:20

I hate this. I had a thread on here a couple of years ago about how they did not give a shit my fridge was burning.

It was the same model as Grenfell Sad I'm terrified as too how many people those bastards have fobbed off and left with dangerous appliances.

HoneyDragon · 02/08/2017 22:21

Twitter, Facebook calling nothing works. They are a disgrace.

lemonpiesz · 02/08/2017 22:39

Sympathies OP. I'm going through the exact same thing. My dryer is Hotpoint, similar model and I'm trying not to have a 4th repair. They said they'd call me in 48 hours after I rang the hilariously titled customer services today.

I've tagged @bbcwatchdog in my more recent tweets to them.

Original poster
Dorissey · 03/08/2017 15:54

The email I sent to the CEO was simply forwarded to customer service who again will only offer me a repair. The "fire hazard" cost me over £200, only 2years ago. the rrp of the replacement is £229 I think. Surely something that costs over £200 should be expected to last more than a year and a half.

OP posts:
ChardonnaysPrettySister · 03/08/2017 16:00

Arses.