To think this service isn’t good enough - what can I do?

[Pinkgiraffefeet]

Bastarding Hotpoint.

Bought a washing machine last Feb - brand new - and it stopped working in December. I had to wait a fortnight for someone to come out to it and they said it was the circuit board. It was replaced and seemed ok although continued to do slightly random things sometimes.
Then five weeks ago it stopped working again. Called Hotpoint. Someone came out - it was another two week wait. It was the same fault again so it was still covered by the warrantee. But they didn’t have the part. Waited another ten days. A different engineer came and said it wasn’t just the circuit board, it had been installed wrongly and something else was damaged too so had to wait on that part. The original engineer came back today with both parts and it still doesn’t work - and it tripped all the electrics when he tried to use it after installing a new circuit board.
I’m now five weeks without a machine. I have dc and I’m a single mum and cannot afford to replace the machine really. Particularly when it’s so new. And the original fault occurred when under warrantee.
I’m really annoyed and I don’t know what to do about it. Hotpoint do not want to know. They aren’t bothered. I’ve been on hold for ages and then got cut off. Today’s engineer said he will call them tomorrow but I don’t think he will. I’m going to end up spending money I don’t have on a new washer when this one is basically new and hasn’t had all that much use. Plus it’s not worked for two months out of the 14 months I’ve had it.

Any advice? I don’t know what I can do and it’s really upsetting me. We’ve run out of stuff like towels and bed linen and it’s all going to have to go to the laundrette which is money I don’t really have to spend. Plus I’ve bought new underwear etc to keep us going. I’ve hand washed some stuff but it’s so time consuming and then soaking wet too.
I’m a bit at my wit’s end. Hotpoint don’t even care if you say things on social media. They just don’t care.

We had similar when our 3 month old hotpoint washer developed a shriek. 4 engineers later it was no better. We demanded a replacement machine because it was utterly mad. They replaced it. I would ring back and be very firm. Say you want a new machine. Good luck.

This is absolutely unacceptable.

Email the CEO.

[email protected]

And say you are taking it further. How you haven't been able to provide clean clothes for your DC and cannot afford to go to a laundrette.

Actually whilst you're there tell them to give you a brand new washing machine that works this time.

Did you buy it direct from hotpoint? Because you may have more luck with the people you bought it from

Thank you. I will email the CEO.

I just don’t know how to escalate it. It’s virtually impossible to speak to anyone and no one has any interest. I’ve got to now wait to see if today’s engineer will contact me and if not I’ve got to try and phone Hotpoint again and will no doubt be told it will be another two weeks before anyone can come out. Plus today’s guy didn’t even know what the problem was. So even if someone comes out in two weeks I’m doubtful they will fix it.

I had something similar happen with Candy at 13mo it needed a new circuit board so I had to sign up for their expensive care plan at 15 quid a month. Took ages as well and then it broke again.

Washing machines are rubbish nowadays.

Euronics online - I contacted them initially but they sent be back to Hotpoint.

What is a faulty product?

The Consumer Rights Act means any products you buy must be of satisfactory quality, fit for purpose and as described.

The rules also include digital content like downloaded films, games or apps. So all products, whether physical, electrical, digital or even a car, must meet the following standards:

Satisfactory qualityGoods shouldn't be faulty or damaged when you receive them. You should ask yourself what a reasonable person would consider satisfactory for the goods in question. For example, bargain-bucket products won't be held to as high standards as luxury goods.

Fit for purpose
The goods should be fit for the purpose they are supplied for, as well as any specific purpose you made known to the retailer before you agreed to buy the goods.As describedThe goods supplied must match any description given to you, or any models or samples shown to you at the time of purchase.

Repair or replace

If you are outside the 30-day right to reject, you have to give the retailer one opportunity to repair or replace any goods or digital content which are of unsatisfactory quality, unfit for purpose or not as described.

You can state your preference, but the retailer can normally choose whichever would be cheapest or easier for it to do.

If the attempt at a repair or replacement is unsuccessful, you can then claim a refund or a price reduction if you wish to keep the product.

You're entitled to a full or partial refund instead of a repair or replacement if any of the following are true:

the cost of the repair or replacement is disproportionate to the value of the goods or digital contenta repair or replacement is impossiblea repair or replacement would cause you significant inconveniencethe repair would take an unreasonably long amount of time.

If a repair or replacement is not possible, or the attempt at repair fails, or the first replacement also turns out to be defective, you have a further right to receive a refund of up to 100% of the price you paid, or to reject the goods for a full refund.

This is a page from the website Money Saving Expert, which is really useful. I think you should be able to find the information you need here: www.moneysavingexpert.com/reclaim/how-to-complain/

I would follow up with Hotpoint directly but also bitterly complain to Euronics, surely they have some part to play in this. Personally my goal would be to get a refund or voucher from Euronics and buy a new machine that isn't Hotpoint. They are shit!

Quote the Consumer Rights Act 2015 above. You have allowed them the chance to repair it & they have failed. The machine is not fit for purpose.

I find putting things publicly on Twitter makes companies move a bit quicker.

Thank you.
I’m finding it really frustrating and actually not being able to wash things is really upsetting.
Even if you complain on social media Hotpoint just don’t seem to care. Normally companies respond but not hotpoint.

Not much help really but just to say next time the engineer comes out ask him if you can have a replacement machine until yours is repaired.

This is what I would do

He says they won’t replace it but I don’t think he knows. He just asks if it’s insured.

I emailed that CEO about my faulty tumble dryer, it was one of the dangerous dryers in the media. I had been told it would take 18 months to fix it, and I wasn't to use it unless I watched it!

I got a brand new dryer delivered a week later and an apology, don't give up just keep emailing him, he'll have an executive team dealing with his emails.

If you can get an email address and plaster the word "complaint " on it. There are a lot of legalities they have to follow when receive a formal complaint, therefore take it seriously and actually listen to you.

We had something similar with an integrated microwave oven. It was only 2 months out of warranty and they tried to fob us off. Multiple visits from engineers to no avail after they made us take out their extended warranty at £120.

In the end it was still not fixed and we were about two months since originally reporting the fault. Their customer service was awful, attitude was negligent and ultimately they refused to help.

So we issued via small claims court and lo and behold we got a call from a manager the very next day for a full refund including the rubbish extended warranty.