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15CASE ONGOINGCREDIT WHERE IT’S DUE
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Contact
FierceCan a site force
me to use the
manufacturer’s
warranty?
CASE ONGOINGI bought a computer for my
grandson from Fierce PC (www.
fiercepc.co.uk), which is based
in Great Harwood in Lancashire
and has been in business since 2014. I
ordered it through the company’s
Amazon store (www.snipca.
com/41451). Unfortunately, it
failed after only three months,
while it was still under warranty.
Despite the difficulties created
by Amazon’s constraints whencommunicating with companies that sell
through it, I managed to connect with a
lady in Fierce’s support department who
immediately understood that the PC was not
at my address, but was actually with my
grandson.
She provided excellent
documentation and instructions
regarding the collection of the
PC. This all went smoothly, and
the machine was repaired and
returned just a few days later in fullFierce collected and fixed my grandson’s PC
got to contact Bosch. Is
this correct?
David RossA
No, it isn’t. This
advice is so
wrong that we
dug into Glotech’s terms and conditions
for clarity. We were stunned to read this:
“If a fault develops after 30 days of
owning the appliance and the product is
within the manufacturer’s warranty
period...you are required to contact the
manufacturer directly to arrange an
engineer visit and repair”.
This is balderdash. If you can prove anQ
I bought a Bosch microwave
from Glotech (www.glotech.
co.uk) in July 2021. Occasionally
it sparks and makes a loud bang, which is
concerning. Despite two visits from
Bosch engineers, no fault can be found. I
want a replacement, but Glotech says
because I have a two-year warranty, I’veitem is inherently faulty,
the Consumer Rights Act
(CRA) states that the
retailer has to deal with
it, not pass the buck to
the manufacturer. We’ve
told Glotech this.
The problem for David is that Bosch’s
engineers couldn’t find a problem, so he
hasn’t got proof of an inherent fault. But
we’ve asked the company to re-examine
it, pointing out that if an inherent fault
causes it to catch fire or blow up, the legal
consequences for Glotech or Bosch could
be serious under the Consumer
Protection Act 1987.Can I get a refund and
compensation for delayed goods?
Q
When I upgraded my
subscription to Family Tree
Maker (FTM, w w w. m a c k i e v.
com) in 2019, I added a printed edition of
the Companion Guide Windows Edition
(pictured) for £29. I accepted it was in
production and I’d have to wait for it, but
it’s still not ready after nearly three years.
FTM’s developer, MacKiev, claims it’s still
in production. I want my money back
and some additional recompense. Am I
entitled to this?
Les PettiforA
Les is certainly entitled to a
refund. No court would consider
three years a reasonable time to
wait for a product.
But it’s harder to argue that he’s
entitled to compensation for having been
forced to wait. Such claims are mostly for
financial loss, so Les would need to show
proof that the delay cost him money. For
example, if Les was forced to buy another
guide to help him use this software, he
could add the cost of this to his claim.
Similarly, he could add loss of income tohis claim, if he
were able to
prove that.
We’ve asked
MacKiev to refund Les, adding that he
wants additional compensation. We’re
confident it will return Les’s money, but
for extra compensation he may have to
take the company to the small claims
court. This is a big decision, so we’ve
suggested he first reads Citizens Advice’s
page on the legal process: http://www.snipca.
com/41489.working condition. Fierce’s help was service
as it should always be.
Tim BoddingtonIssue 630 • 27 April – 10 May 2022