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Housekeeping

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How much compensation would be appropriate?

10 replies

BerylStreep · 17/01/2011 15:30

I bought a very expensive range cooker from B&Q, which arrived mid-Sept. To cut a long story short, after months of phone calls, letters and engineers' visits to fix it, we are getting a replacement. I have asked that I be compensated for the time and inconvenience, and B&Q have told me to come up with a price.

I don't really know what to suggest. Any ideas? To paint a picture:

The induction rings have never worked, so since September we have been using 2 ceramic rings (to cook for a family of 4). The remaining ceramic rings are faulty, which means temperature control is an issue. This means that I have to cook in sittings (DC meal first, then adults), as well as having to rely on microwavable meals and takeaways more than I normally would. One of the ovens has stopped working. I have had to phone the manufacturer, engineering company and B&Q at least 25 occasions, and have written to B&Q twice, using recorded delivery. I have waited in for engineers 3 times, and will have to wait in to take delivery for the new cooker, as well as having to pay an electrician to come to disconnect the existing cooker and connect the new one. The cooker was displaying a fault code, which the manual said was because the wrong type of pans were being used. As a result, we bought new pans, at a cost of £132. It turned out our existing pans were fine, it was a fault with the cooker.

Any suggestions? I don't want to be over the top, but at the same time this has been a major hassle.

OP posts:
BerylStreep · 17/01/2011 20:08

Bump anyone?

OP posts:
truffleshuffle · 17/01/2011 20:11

I'd be happy with the replacement cooker tbh. As long as it works of course.

LadyBiscuit · 17/01/2011 20:13

£200 - £70 compensation plus new pans. Have you got a receipt for them by the way?

BerylStreep · 17/01/2011 20:21

Lady Biscuit - yes, I have the receipt, which I have already forwarded. £200 was what I was thinking, (i.e. pans + difference to £200) but a 2nd opinion is good.

OP posts:
BerylStreep · 17/01/2011 20:22

I'm not sure though how much the electrician is going to cost.

OP posts:
activate · 17/01/2011 20:26

Telephone calls x 25 = £25
Letters x 2 incl postage = £20
loss of earnings x 3 days @ say £70 a day = £210

Cost of new pans = £132

general incovenvience =

but you'll probbably get a £50 B&Q voucher tbh

LadyBiscuit · 17/01/2011 20:28

You should ask for free fitting from their electrician - that's what I got when my very expensive range cooker wouldn't work and I got a replacement (but it was only 3 weeks and the hobs and one of the ovens worked so it wasn't THAT awful)

BerylStreep · 18/01/2011 16:24

LadyBiscuit - what sort of range cooker was yours? Mine is a Stoves. I am very Envy at getting a replacement within 3 weeks!

B&Q say they don't do installation, and I need to sort my own electrician.

OP posts:
BerylStreep · 27/01/2011 10:23

UPDATE: It's official, B&Q have great customer service.

I had seen a more expensive cooker (actually considerably more expensive - £700 more) and had proposed that instead of compensating me for inconvenience etc, they upgrade the replacement cooker to the more expensive one I had seen.

They said yes!

I [heart] B&Q.

OP posts:
tonythetyger · 02/02/2011 21:43

Here's hoping it works!

They did our kitchen and bathroom. Bathroom was excellent. Kitchen owing to a design fault turned into a nightmare which took 5 months and 3 call centres to sort out (our complaint kept on getting passed because each call centre didn't deal with it properly).

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