Customer Service

[THOSEPeople]

I bought a glass light fitting from a large department stor, had it put up by and electrician and really liked it.

However, it’s faulty (nearly fell on the floor) as the thread in it isn’t strong enough to support the glass. I can literally pull, with little force, the piece up and down the thread as it’s neatly none existent and flush.

I contacted said store and sent them a video of me doing the above. You cannot deny it’s faulty.

Their solution is the following steps:

1. I pay for someone to take the light down and put up a temporary fitting.
2. I then source packaging and pay a courier to take it to their technical office for them to look at.
3. they will replace the light if it’s found the best faulty and (now I’ve pushed) reimburse the courier fee.
4. I then pay someone to put the lights up again.

I’m worried about who is liable if the light is further damaged in transit - will they say I didn’t package it sufficiently?

I feel they should contribute towards, if not cover, the cost of the electrician given I wouldn’t be taking them down if it hadn’t nearly dropped on my head!

AIBU?

I would argue that light isn’t fit for purpose, rather than it is faulty, if the cord isn’t strong enough to support it. I would ask them to send a courier at their expense and a full refund. I realise you are out of pocket with the electrician’s fee but you might find that hard to get refunded. Then I would find another light.

Honestly regardless of the item needing an electrician/handyman, it’s pretty standard procedure to have to return a faulty item before you can get a refund or exchange. The company might have T&Cs to state they don’t cover the cost of removal fees but legally they do need to to cover return fees

Did you pay by credit card? This is the kind of thing a section 75 chargeback is good for as you claim for additional consequential losses

I’m worried about who is liable if the light is further damaged in transit - will they say I didn’t package it sufficiently?

Looking quickly you would have to send it by Royal Mail as other couriers' insurance don't cover fragile items. Royal Mail tell you how to wrap and package fragile items.

thats a good point - some couriers won’t accept faulty glass items. Would be good to double check if Royal Mail do, and if they don’t, using that as leverage for the retailer to find a courier

I don’t have a credit card but I will ask which courier they would like me to use.

Someone is going to give me a call this week (won’t give me a time and I can’t answer at work).

I’m going end up about £100 out of pocket at best though, it doesn’t feel right

I would just return it for a full refund because

they will replace the light if it’s found the best faulty

if they argue it's not faulty and that they think the string is strong enough to support it, you're still left with an item that doesn't work for you that you're going to have to do this whole process again if they send it back to you.

I think I would just politely escalate this if it were me. State that what is being offered is not something you are happy with, that the item is dangerous, not fit for purpose and you are not happy to be out of pocket- then ask to speak to somebody more senior about the issue.

I wouldn't go in expecting a battle or being defensive or rude (not suggesting at all you will be OP), but would calmly and persistently state what resolution I would like and if that cannot be authorised by the person on the telephone I would expect to speak to their line manager. I worked in retail for years and it should do the trick if it is a larger company with a customer service department.

I am surprised the electrician who installed it did not notice that though.