Can I get a refund through my bank if an online shop won't refund a faulty product?

[OliviaEmmaSmith]

I bought a very expensive (over £600) electric heater from Heatershop.co.uk, that arrived and was wired in by a qualified electrician but didn't work.

Because it is a storage heater, I didn't know it didn't work until the next day, as I had assumed it would take in heat overnight during cheap elec time then start giving out heat the next day.

I then got a second qualified electrician to check to see if it was installed correctly, and he couldn't make it work either.

I've contacted the company numerous times by phone and email to try to arrange to return it for a refund but they keep saying they will need to get it sorted with the manufacturer and I have to wait. They aren't in the least bothered, are incredibly unhelpful, and just keep repeating that they are following their processes.

I bought it in mid January for my son's room and he now has a cheap electric blow heater to use that is really expensive to run.

They offered me an engineer's visit for March!

Does anyone have any advice (except never buying from them again!) for getting my money back? I've kept the original packaging but they're refusing to accept a return.

I think you can claim it back through your bank? I've heard of other people doing it but I never have. What about the financial ombudsman?

I tried to get money back through my bank once and was told over the phone that they can only reverse the payment if they can have written evidence (paper/ email/ text) of agreement to a refund. So basically if the company say they will refund but haven't.

Unfortunately, although they had agreed, I only had phone commutation with them so couldn't prove anything.

Eventually got though to the right person and all was resolved but my next step would have been small claims court. I'm just not sure if by offering to send out an engineer then they are doing their bit to try and fix it.

Another option is to hound them and keep contacting them for a refund. Phone or email, if you're that way inclined - they might get fed up of you and just accept the return.

If you paid with a credit card then it's easy enough, just contact the provider. Debit card is a little more tricky, but you can ask your bank.
I would actually put together a letter before action to the company. Remind them of their legal obligations as part of the Consumer Rights Act. If you reported the fault within 30 days of delivery you are not obliged to accept them trying to fix it, they should be replacing or refunding immediately, and they as the retailer are liable at this stage, not the manufacturer. Give them a timeframe to collect it and issue a refund and outline what will happen if they do not (chargeback/small claims court etc).

Thank you @DelilahBucket that's really helpful wording. I'll do this tomorrow. It's so frustrating when I'm telling them that my contract is with them as the seller, and they need to work things out with the manufacturer for their own refund without involving me. And then they say, yeah, but we need to speak to Dimplex. And nothing happens.

I paid with a business debit card

Get a credit card for future similar purchases. You are much more protected

I work for a bank. You can raise a chargeback, we’d normally ask you to return the goods because otherwise you get the refund and the item. Keep your emails asking for a return and explain to your bank they’ve declined the return. Keep terms and conditions if it states they’ll refund on faulty goods. Be aware though if they’ve offered an engineer, that can be seen as being willing to assist and the refund might be taken back.

The Which website has some good sample letters you can use when complaining about faulty goods.

Under the legislation, you would usually be entitled to a refund for faulty goods ad long as you have proof of purchase and proof that you reported the fault promptly.

Thanks for the help, @Franklin2000. I phoned my bank and they've refunded me, but apparently the company have 30 days to contest it. I'll keep everything just in case they do. I've still got to store the blooming huge non-working heater and it's packaging as well in case they want it back!

Are you claiming it as a business expense??

I thought if something was faulty within six months you were automatically entitled to a replacement. As always, Money Saving Expert is good for advice on consumer rights. If Heatershop is part of their Resolver service, you could use that to complain.

www.moneysavingexpert.com/reclaim/consumer-rights-refunds-exchange/

However, enforcing your consumer rights with a non-cooperative company is incredibly difficult. DP currently has a dispute with a major bicycle manufacturer because his £5k ebike keeps turning itself off. Looking on forums found that a few people had the same problem with similar bikes and newer ones have been redesigned to stop the fault happening.

He's taken it back to the shop at least three times and they can't/won't do anything and they've pissed about so much that the 2 year warranty has expired and they're now refusing to engage.

Then he took it up with the finance company (he bought it on interest free credit, which gives you similar rights as if paid for by credit card). They've requested an independent report, which he now has and fortunately states the bike is faulty so that's where we're at. We don't know what will happen next - he'll accept new electronics if they will solve the problem but this might not be possible, after that a replacement bike or a refund might be the practical solution. But the supplier/manufacturer has had nearly a year to do this so I don't know if they will do now.

He will go to the small claims court if he has to, and is likely to have a good chance of winning, but has probably only persisted this far because we're talking about an expensive purchase.

Most people with similar problems with household appliances costing a few hundred pounds at most, especially if they're necessary items like heaters or washing machines etc, that life is difficult without, probably just give up and buy a replacement if they're able to.