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Hi Guys,
I just copied and pasted this from the ‘Which-online’ website and because it is copywrite (I guess?) thought it wise not to publish it directly on the site. Instead I’ve shown it here just for your own interest so to speak 😉
Repairing appliances
Unless you have a regular repairer you can call on, thumbing through the Yellow Pages to find someone to fix your washed-up washing machine or defunct DVD player is a daunting task. It’s almost impossible to tell the good companies from the bad, especially when you’re bombarded with claims about superior service, repair experience and low prices.
But is there any sure-fire way to avoid the cowboys, with their poor standards and hefty repair bills? We commissioned and secretly filmed repairs to a washer-drier, and took some video recorders to be fixed. Our findings reveal that you’re not even guaranteed a decent repair service from a company that claims to follow the industry’s codes of practice.
The washer-drier that wouldn’t dry
For the first part of our investigation, we installed a Hotpoint washer-drier into our field worker’s house in place of her normal machine. Our engineer then ruptured the thermal fuse, which is the final safety cut out in the event of the thermostat overheating. Blowing this fuse also prevents the machine from drying clothes properly. This should be a simple repair, with the replacement part itself costing less than £10.We then left our hidden camera rolling and asked seven repair companies to come and fix the problem. To reflect the repair options available to consumers, one was a manufacturer’s repair service, two were independent repairers registered with DASA (see Codes of Practice) and four were independents not affiliated to any trade association.
When we contacted several national retailers, they said they didn’t offer their own repair service for washer-driers, and told us to speak to Hotpoint.
Wrong parts
After each repairer had left, our engineer inspected the quality of the repair. Disturbingly, we found that two independent companies fitted a wrong part, with potentially dangerous consequences. Both Main Electrical, of Cambridge, and a DASA member, T Bailey, of Kirtling, near Newmarket, fitted an additional thermostat instead of a thermal fuse. Although the machine now worked, it had been left without the protection of a thermal fuse, which made it a potential fire risk in the event of overheating. This was particularly puzzling in the case of Main Electrical, whose engineer had taken the faulty fuse away with him to make sure he returned with the correct replacement. Similarly, the engineers from T Bailey seemed to have correctly diagnosed the fault with the thermal fuse, but still went on to fit the wrong part. Both companies charged around £45, but failed miserably to meet the standards of competence that trade associations would expect from their members.
‘Only two repairers out of seven fixed it properly’
Impartial advice?Three repairers left without repairing the fault at all. A DASA member, Crater Electrical, of St Ives, correctly diagnosed the problem as being caused by overheating, and gave three repair options, ranging from just replacing the faulty fuse to trying to fix the possible cause of the problem. Although this is good practice, the engineer strongly suggested replacing the drier motor for £131. This was easily the most expensive estimate we were given, though he went on to say: ‘I thought it was going to be a lot more than that’.
Our field worker decided that it wasn’t worth spending that much money on a five-year-old appliance. DASA’s code of practice states the repairer should advise the customer if an appliance is beyond economic repair. We think that Crater Electrical’s engineer should have told our field worker to get a new machine if he really thought the motor needed replacing.
Another independent repairer, NJP Services, of Cambridge, arrived late for his appointment and vaguely diagnosed the problem as the ‘thermostat kit’. He gave an estimate of £90 to fix it but, when asked, wouldn’t break this down into parts and labour, saying it covered ‘absolutely everything, no hidden extras’. Again, this is a very expensive quote to replace a fuse, and our field worker declined the repair.
On the other hand, Cambridge Domestic Appliance, of Cambridge, was an example of honesty and good service. The engineer correctly spotted the problem with the thermal fuse, but didn’t have the right replacement part. As he was going on holiday the following day, he recommended some other local repairers, and left without even charging for the call out.
The ones who got it right
Only two repairers from seven call outs managed to correctly repair the washer-drier: Hotpoint’s own engineer, based in Peterborough, and DJC Domestic Appliance Service, of Cambridge. Hotpoint was the only company who told us the call-out fee (£30) and likely repair cost (£45 plus parts) when arranging the visit, despite this being a key principle in all industry codes of practice. Their service was efficient, but somewhat expensive at £75. DJC, however, fixed the thermal fuse for a reasonable total cost of £45. But it did take two visits, as the engineer had to refer back to circuit diagrams before he could complete the repair.
On a positive note, all repairers were able to offer an appointment within three days, and at least specify morning or afternoon slots. Most were on time, too. However, T Bailey, of Newmarket, did not return our field worker’s calls as promised, as well as eventually fitting the wrong part. We’ve asked DASA to investigate this repairer’s standards.
The video that wouldn’t play
In the second part of our undercover work, we planted basic faults on several identical Sanyo video recorders. The belt was unhooked from the tape drive – a common fault, which means tapes get stuck in the machine and won’t play. The tape guides were misaligned, which causes poor tracking on pre-recorded cassettes, and the mechanism and heads were left dirty. These common problems weren’t mentioned when we left the machines with repairers, but should be checked and resolved as part of a routine VCR inspection.We compared nine local repair agents: an authorised Sanyo repairer, three large national retail chains, three independent RETRA members, and two non-affiliated independent repairers.
Poor record
All the repairers managed to diagnose and fix the simple belt fault except FJ Bush, an independent based in Luton. The engineer claimed the estimated cost of the repair, £60, meant we would be better off buying a new one, which he then tried to sell to us. Although it’s commendable to inform the customer when an item is beyond economic repair, refitting the belt on these VCRs should take a competent repairer no more than ten minutes, and is a very straightforward, cheap repair.
Many repairers didn’t clean the heads or mechanism properly, if at all, and only one repairer – Parsons TV (a RETRA member from Luton) – attempted to realign the tape guides to improve playback quality. We noticed that another RETRA member, Stuart Darling, of Milton Keynes, replaced a circuit protector in the power supply. Although this work wasn’t essential, this is a common fault on this series of machines, so was probably a prudent measure.
The long and the short of it
There was a huge variation in the time taken to fix our VCRs. Stuart Darling, of Milton Keynes, took only one day to fix the problem, whereas Mastercare (the repair arm of the Dixons group) had still not returned our video recorder eight weeks after we left it with them. Another RETRA agent, Hobbs Components, of Luton, had had the VCR for nearly nine weeks at the time of going to press.
The RETRA code of practice states that member companies should be equipped to complete 80 per cent of repairs within five working days, and should certainly keep the customer informed if the repair is delayed. This wasn’t our experience – we had to chase the repairers in question to find out what had happened to our VCRs.
Do you get what you pay for?
Both Comet and Currys in Milton Keynes charged us a £15 ‘estimation fee’ when we left the video – this is deductible from the final repair cost, as long as the work goes ahead.Currys’ in-store repair department took only two days to return the VCR, and the total bill was covered by the estimation fee. However, its in-store price list claims that simple VCR repairs cost £15 including head cleaning, and we found that the heads on our VCR were left dirty.
Comet held on to the VCR for eight working days and charged us £37, which included some head cleaning but no other work to really justify the higher price. AAA Services, an independent repairer based in Leighton Buzzard, took nine days to fix the video, again with only slight cleaning, and charged £35.50. Both seem expensive repairs considering the actual work carried out.
Sanyo’s designated repair agent – GM Services, of Milton Keynes – took four working days and charged us a reasonable £16.45 to refit the belt. However, it made no effort to clean the heads or realign the tape guides.
Stuart Darling (Milton Keynes) and Parsons TV (Luton) – both RETRA members – definitely gave the most thorough inspections, though neither was cheap. Stuart Darling offered a quick and efficient service, but at £50.50, was the most expensive repairer. Parsons TV charged £40 for the most competent repair job of all, but it took over four weeks before we got the VCR back.
Certified repair schemes
For many years there have been calls for all appliance repairers to be regulated as part of an industry-wide accreditation scheme. Last year, RETRA attempted to start a registered servicing scheme, which would have awarded good repairers with certification to demonstrate high standards. However, resistance from members meant the project was shelved. Reputable firms should see such a scheme as a way to get rid of the cowboy operators and to boost public confidence in well-qualified repairers. However, it seems monitoring costs, and maybe fear of penalties, have created a lack of support among companies.Codes of practice
There are three national trade associations which set servicing standards for the electrical repair industry: AMDEA (Association of Manufacturers of Domestic Electrical Appliances); DASA (Domestic Appliance Service Association); and RETRA (Radio, Electrical and Television Retailers’ Association). Electrical repair companies volunteer to become members of DASA or RETRA, and are usually vetted for competence standards, or recommended by an existing member company.Each association has a code of practice setting out various standards regarding quality of customer service, workmanship and clarity, which members are supposed to uphold. Any that don’t meet these standards can be investigated by the relevant association and may lose their membership.
Our verdict
Even in our small sample, we came across several repairs that weren’t up to scratch. Costs, estimates, service levels and advice varied greatly for both the washer-drier and the VCR repair.We’ve found evidence that trade associations’ codes of practice are often broken by their own members. The washer-drier fault should have been simple to repair, yet two companies still fitted a wrong part with potentially dangerous consequences. One of these was a DASA member, which failed to meet the competence standards set out in its code.
Another common weakness was communication. With in-home visits, it’s the repairer’s responsibility to ask for as many details as possible during the initial contact to avoid wasted visits. This rarely happened in our investigation. Similarly, the repairers who needed several weeks to fix the VCRs didn’t contact us to explain the delay – we had to chase them instead.
Our findings demonstrate that many trade associations do not effectively enforce their codes of practice among members.
If you have any doubt about the quality of repair service you receive, check it against the appropriate codes of practice. DASA and RETRA publish their codes online, although AMDEA’s is available only by post – see Contacts, for details. DASA and RETRA both claim to investigate written complaints about any member companies that do not meet the required standards. If appropriate, they will refer the matter to an independent arbitrator to help settle any disputes between customers and member companies.
Contacts
Association of Manufacturers of Domestic Electrical Appliances (AMDEA)020 7405 0666
Domestic Appliance Service Association (DASA)
01920 872464
Radio, Electrical and Television Retailers’ Association (RETRA)
01234 269110
Re: Which- online
….there’s more…..
Before splashing out on a new household appliance, it’s worth considering how much spares will cost and how easy they’ll be to find. We’ve compared prices for commonly needed spare parts for four appliances, to see how much different manufacturers are charging.
We priced parts for upright vacuum cleaners, washing machines, dishwashers and tumble driers. We contacted the manufacturers about appliances we’d tested three to six years ago to ask about the current price and availability of spare parts.
We’ve compiled league tables to compare prices for commonly required spares for each of the appliances. To find out which parts are most commonly at fault when breakdowns occur, we spoke to manufacturers, independent repairers, parts suppliers and breakdown plan providers. All prices include VAT.
Our league tables show that, for some appliance types, there is a significant difference in the price of spare parts. A set of spares for a Miele washing machine is £621 more than for the same spares for a Candy, but the biggest price difference between manufacturers for vacuum cleaner spares was just £93.
Where to get your spares
It’s clear from members’ letter and e-mails that getting spares is frustrating. So, where should you begin?Make the manufacturer your first port of call. Look for a contact number in the instruction manual, or on the appliance. The manufacturer should be able to help you if you have a model number, and should offer advice about fitting the part if you need it.
Failing that, many people said they’d bought parts successfully from local spare parts suppliers they found in Yellow Pages, or from local electrical retailers.
Refurbishment is an alternative to landfill.
You could ask the retailer from whom you bought the appliance whether they know where you can buy parts. Sourcing parts online is another option. Sites you recommended included http://www.easyfix.co.uk, http://www.sparesrus.co.uk and http://www.spares2go.co.uk. For small parts, it’s often better to take the broken one into a shop and get a matching replacement.Recycling old appliances
When you decide that repairing your appliance is no longer feasible, what can you do with the old one? Refurbishment is an alternative to landfill.The Furniture Recycling Network co-ordinates the refurbishment of furniture and appliances for people in need. Call 01924 375 252 for details of your nearest project. Create (Community Recycling and Enterprise Training for Employment) repairs appliances and sells them on. It has projects in London (call 020 8885 6209) and Merseyside (call 0151 448 1748).
There are virtually no schemes for recycling household appliances in the UK. It’s likely that retailers will have to have recycling schemes once the European Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive comes into effect from 2004, but it’s not clear yet how the directive will work.
Large household appliances make up 43 per cent of the total electrical and electronic waste sent to landfill. The legislation will make it mandatory for more of them or of their components to be recycled.
When buying a new appliance, ask if the retailer or manufacturer can remove the old one. Some manufacturers will pick up old appliances when they deliver new ones, and dispose of them for you. But most suggested contacting your local authority about disposal.
Vacuum cleaners
Eighteen per cent of upright vacuum cleaners up to six years old have needed at least one repair, according to our figures. We priced parts for vacuums we tested in 1998 and 1999. Of the brands in our table, Hitachi, Panasonic, and Sebo have above average reliability. Although parts from Hoover and Dyson were cheaper, their vacuum cleaners have below average reliability, so you’re more likely to need spares.Most manufacturers said they try to have spares available for about ten years. Dyson offers spares for seven years after a product is discontinued, and Sanyo said seven years for functional parts and six for cosmetic ones. Sebo maintains the availability of its spare parts the longest (15 years), and it has very good reliability, with only 3 per cent of vacuums up to six years old needing repairs.
Washing machines
Prices vary widely in our league table, with Miele parts costing almost three times more than the next most expensive brand. It was the most expensive for all the washing machine parts we priced.Front loading machines are more reliable than top-loaders or washer-driers. Our reliability survey told us 19 per cent of front-loading washing machines up to six years old have needed at least one repair. We priced parts for washing machines we tested in 1998. Of the brands in our table, AEG, Bosch, Candy, Miele and Zanussi have above average reliability. Hoover and Hotpoint both have below average reliability.
It is worth considering how easy it will be to get replacement parts when you buy a new appliance. This might seem pessimistic, but the types of appliance we’ve looked at here do break down.
Ten years is the average length of time for which manufacturers say they hold parts. Bosch and Siemens told us they hold spare parts for at least ten years, while Hoover and Candy said they hold functional spare parts for ten years, but cosmetic ones for only four.
Dishwashers
Our reliability data shows that 16 per cent of full-sized dishwashers up to six years old have needed repairs. We priced spares for dishwashers we tested in 1996 and 1999. Of the brands in our table, only Bosch has above average reliability. Indesit has below average reliability; the rest have average reliability.Manufacturers told us the average expected lifespan of their dishwashers is ten years. Miele told us it expects its machines to last 20 years or more – more than any of the other manufacturers. It also stocks spare parts the longest, 15 years. This still isn’t long enough to cover the expected lifespan, though.
Our league table shows that Miele came out the most expensive for replacement parts. One extraordinary example was the prices for a replacement cutlery basket. A cutlery basket from Whirlpool costs just £6.17, but one from Miele costs a whopping £88.05. Of the other manufacturers, AEG Bosch, Candy and Siemens had more expensive parts than their competitors.
Tumble driers
Our reliability data shows that 12 per cent of electric tumble driers up to six years old have needed repairs. We priced parts for driers we tested in 1997 and 2000. Of the brands we’ve looked at here, only Creda has above average reliability. Hoover and Whirlpool have below average reliability. Manufacturers we spoke to said they expect tumble driers to have a ten-year lifespan.Prices for tumble drier spares varied less than for dishwashers and washing machines. Bosch had the most expensive set of parts at £226 in total. Creda and White Knight were the cheapest, both charging less than £100 for a set of spares.
Re: Which- online
Extremely interesting, thanks Martin.
I’m going to give this more thought over the next few days 😉
Dave.
JHuby wrote:There is no one listed on the DASA membership as T Bailey !!!!!!!
Yes you’re correct, well spotted. As “Which” have a sort of ‘Forum’ on their website, perhaps I should querie that (for a laugh if nothing else as most ‘postings’ they show are very old to say the least, I will try to wake up their webmaster 😆 )
Martin
Re: Which- online
As Which have indicated they have already contacted DASA over their findings, this will be put to them anyway I imagine ?
Let me know the url Martin, I may try and keep the Webmaster awake 😀
Dave.
Re: Which- online
Dave_Conway wrote:Let me know the url Martin, I may try and keep the Webmaster awake 😀
I don’t think it would help Dave ‘cos its a REGISTERED MEMBERS FORUM, but here is the link anyway :- http://sub.which.net/cgi-bin/WebX.cgi?14@@.ee7a1f6
Anyroad, I’ve emailed their Sysop AND posted the following in their forum entitled DASA Member?
Just registered as a member of Which-online and curious to ask about your section marked “REPAIRING APPLIANCES” and in particular the following text I have copied for your convenience :-
After each repairer had left, our engineer inspected the quality of the repair. Disturbingly, we found that two independent companies fitted a wrong part, with potentially dangerous consequences. Both Main Electrical, of Cambridge, and a DASA member, T Bailey, of Kirtling, near Newmarket, fitted an additional thermostat instead of a thermal fuse. Although the machine now worked, it had been left without the protection of a thermal fuse, which made it a potential fire risk in the event of overheating.
Going back through 5 years of DASA Members records “T Bailey” is NOT LISTED as being such..can you explain this?
Will let you know what comes of it?
Martin
Re: Which- online
Martin,
Within the article it quotes the WEEE directive coming into force during 2004…….this is odd and out of date as all are aware that weee has yet to start in the UK. So is this an old article?
Kevin
Re: Which- online
kheath wrote:So is this an old article?
Could well be Kevin, browsing throughout their site shows all sorts of old out of date stuff including forum ‘posts’ dated from 1999!!
So much for Which being on the pulse of what’s going on eh?
By the way, I have taken up their “Free 30 day Trial” offer in order to get this friggin out of date bollocks :rotfl:
Martin
Re: Which- online
It appears they do read their forum, copy enclosed: –
Hello Martin
Welcome to Which? Online and the Forums.
I’m keen to get an explanation for you but are you referring to a Forum posting or is this from a specific report? If it’s from a report I wonder if you could give me the link to the report so that I may get in touch with the appropriate researcher.
Thanks
SarahThen I posted the ‘link’ to which I referred:-
Martin – I’ll get in touch with the appropriate research group for some claification but this may take a few days so please bear with us on this.
Thanks
SarahRe: Which- online
Well of course I did read it and I took note of it and I spoke to Kevin about it and I formulated a plan to offer us a strategic advantage by it.
Played properly this could offer us all a little bonus thanks very much and that response you got there Martin was pretty positive. It will be interesting to see how this pans out in all honesty and if we can turn it to our advantage, which I do think is entirely possible very easily.
K.
Re: Which- online
kwatt wrote:Well of course I did read it and I took note of it and I spoke to Kevin about it and I formulated a plan to offer us a strategic advantage by it.
No Ken , I referred to the ‘sysop’ at Which actually read and responded to my post, not you guys here in TWR! (It goes without saying that you guys read all the tripe I send out :rotfl: )
I have also posted a ‘weblink’ on Which-online to UKW with an explanation to those who didn’t already know, who we are and what the site provides the lucky visitor!
More rubbish to follow…….!
Martin
Re: Which- online
Jason,
I wonder if you could verify whether T Bailey was ever a member of DASA?? (I suspect Which have made this guy up?) However, here is a copy of the email reply I got back from the Sysop at Which today:-
Hello Martin,
The report that you are referring to was published in May 2001 and at that time T Bailey was verified by us as member of DASA. I’m sure you will appreciate that we go through very rigorous verification processes before publishing any information and because of the standards of work by T Bailey we asked DASA to investigate the matter further
If you want further information about DASA membership or their investigation then you will have to contact DASA themselves although because of data protection laws they may not be in a position to disclose anything else to you.
Regards,
Julia Mackie
Which?
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