Advice please…….

[aqualectric]

Went to a customer with a Hotpoint DWF61 beige dishwasher (Bosch built) with a blown PCB. I checked the machine over with an insulation meter for short circuits and all seemed well, so I quoted the repair cost £130 for the PCB + labour £45 = £175 total. (PCB would cost me £99.96 inc VAT from Connect). I also mentioned that it was ten years old and they said they would think about it. I said the DWF61 was a good machine, so therefore they would have to spend a decent amount to get the same quality today. (as you do!) Also the colour was the same as the Bosch washer next to it.

He rang me back about 2 weeks later and said he could obtain the PCB from an internet parts supplier for around £80 and could I fit it? He said he had been on loads of blog sites and everyone was more or less saying the same thing about the DWF61 being a good machine, etc. And the colour match, of course.
So I booked a call, went back and fitted the PCB and the machine seemed absolutely fine.
Two days later he rang to say that all the leds were lit and the machine was not responding to any buttons. I went back and the PCB had a blown triac but not in the same place. The original fault before fitting the new PCB was that the old PCB was dead; no lights. I couldn’t find the fault on site after checking everything I could get to without a complete strip down. So I pulled it in the workshop and stripped the machine. Tried everything. 👿
I repaired the blown triac and started the machine up. All working. 😕 After a couple of cycles there was a small ‘pop’ and the machine flashed the leds again. I eventually traced the fault to the slightest leak from the diverter valve under the heater assembly. This must have caused the short that blew the triac. The cost of repair with a new heater would render this machine BER for sure.
Rang through the bad news and she was disappointed but OK about it. I asked her what to do with the machine and she agreed for me to dump it. It went last Monday as I have no storage room left in my workshop. I felt sorry for them and even refunded my labour to ease their pain. (too bloody soft, I know…. :rolls: ) So I have not earned a bean from this call.

They have left a message today (Sunday) to say can they have their old dishwasher back as John Lewis is giving £50 cashback for your old appliance…..or a scrap dishwasher in its place!! “We’ll need either otherwise we’ll lose that £50 as well” goes the message.

WTF???? Am I in any way liable for this or am I being hoodwinked? I have searched the John Lewis website and there is no mention of any £50 cashback anywhere that I can see.

Your thoughts, please!!

Steve.

[gandh1]

Re: Advice please…….

cant possibly believe you are liable, even though it was a verbal request for disposal. you could always sell them a s/h scrap dw for £25-50 if they are prepared to take this further and do that to you???

you didnt break the machine, it did it itself, and another fault screwed the pcb after you fitted it. id go as far to say you were within your rights to keep the labour for the repair that you completed, only issue being the inferance you made it was worth saving which they could claim was your “recommendation” even though it was based on more that just mechanical life.

its not your problem they didnt want to hang on to the old machine, htey obv dont want to insist on giving you something for your effort to fix the machine, dont go out of your way. people screw you for everything they can and i bet they prolly have more cash than you too 😀

[leavemetogetonwithit]

Re: Advice please…….

Reading your account, I’m wondering if you’re worrying too far ahead. From what you say, they “asked if they can have”. It doesn’t sound like an insistence more a polite request. Tell them the truth, you have nothing to fear, you’ve done nothing wrong. If the courts can’t touch our Clive, what have they got on you?
Mike.

[Allsorts]

Re: Advice please…….

TBH, the job you was employed for was to fit a board… Since the board was supplied by them it leaves you not liable for the faults thereafter.. You have done the job you were paid for.

If these ppl asked for you to remove the old machine from service “Dump it”, they are in no way able to hold you responsible for supplying them with a replacement scrap machine.

You are being fleeced for your good nature (Foolishness). The have proberbly had someone tell them that they could have gotton £50 for the scrap machine from ebay.

George

[boselecta]

http://www.which.co.uk/news/2010/06/50- … is-216605/

Yes seems It may be true about giving £50 off for old appliances, although this particular offer seems to have expired recently.

I would just explain to the customer that you have disposed of the machine and have made no money from the job and therefore are not in a position to pay out for a machine that they agreed with you to scrap.

[aqualectric]

Re: Advice please…….

Thanks for the replies!!
I couldn’t think of anything else I could have done in this case, so I’m just going to check the John Lewis £50 discount story tomorrow then ring them back. The Which? article said the offer ended 11th July 2010………. 👿

Thanks again for helping me get my head straight on this!! I’ve even been back to my post and edited it for spelling mistakes…..:rolls:

Cheers,

Steve.

[leavemetogetonwithit]

Re: Advice please…….

I thought most of these £X cash back deals were just a con anyway. It’s not like they actually want your old scrap machine is it? So, tell customer, if they want £50 off, all they need to do is go in waving cash money notes under the nose of the salesperson. 😆
Mike.

[robbra]

Re: Advice please…….

Steve,
If you want an old dishwasher I’ve got a Hotpoint you can have. DWF20 I think, yes an Indy.
Rob

[Author]

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