Brighthouse "Optional" service cover - Page 2

DCA-KING · 21st January 2008, 22:15

Who says you have to sign one the store??

Lefty · 12th February 2008, 20:03

Any further with this yet, Andy?

Cheers
Lefty

Lefty · 18th February 2008, 18:07

Bump Bumpity Bump!

Greetings folks!

Hopefully, we will have successfully lured you back to this thread via a “new post” notification email!

We are trying to collect stories of people's experience with Brighthouse. Eventually we would like to make up a dossier.

We would like to know about how Brighthouse staff have treated you, particularly if you have got behind with payments.

We would also like to know if you have been pressurised to take out any insurance or optional service cover (OSC).

Furthermore we would like to know about problems you have had with goods from this company and how Brighthouse have handled repairs or replacements.

Here is the link to the thread to post your stories.

http://www.consumeractiongroup.c o.uk/forum/brighthouse/131337-brighthouse-horror.html

Please don't add your story to this thread. Use the thread in the link above.

Cheers
Lefty

shaneasmith · 1st March 2008, 20:40

i dont have a home insurance thing so does that mean if i wanted a product there i will have to fet the OSC and DLC.sorry for the dumb question i am new with this thanks

steven4064 · 1st March 2008, 20:47

They will try and tell you that you must. Why are you buying from these people anyway?

shaneasmith · 1st March 2008, 21:33

well i really need a new bed and a lil skint at mo to buy a new one,so as you say they will tell me i need to get these does that mean i dont legally have to take these covers or i really do have to thanks.
here is my msn if that is easier shaneasmith@hotmail.com

steven4064 · 1st March 2008, 23:12

Well you certainly don'y have to take the optional service cover. I don't think they can legally mke you take the other either but they might refuse to let you make the purchase. Lefty knows more about this.

Are you in a position where you can't get crdit any other way - eg by buying from Argos?

shaneasmith · 1st March 2008, 23:35

from argos no because i thinkni have bad credit history that is why i chose bright house.
i heard there is another like brighthouse in wigan but called perfecthomes opposite mcdonalds

steven4064 · 2nd March 2008, 00:13

Sorry don't know it.

However, BrightHouse's cheapst double bed is £345.69 at a weekly payment of £3.19 giving total of £497.64. Insurance will be on top of this. I can't remember what the percentage they charge is but it is likely to add another £50-£100 to th etotal price. Also it is their own make. Quality is notoriously bad.

Argos' cheapest double divan is £139.99 (£149.99 for the slightly larger one). They do a beadstead and matress for £95.

Lefty · 3rd March 2008, 17:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by shaneasmith

i dont have a home insurance thing so does that mean if i wanted a product there i will have to fet the OSC and DLC.sorry for the dumb question i am new with this thanks

Hi

Steven has answered your question correctly. You DO NOT have to take "optional" service cover. However, unless you can supply proof of "suitable" home insurance you WILL have to take damage liabilty cover. The goods must be insured. This is not entirely unreasonable, as the goods continue to belong to Brighthouse whilst in your home, and ownership does not pass to you until you have finished all payments on your agreement(s).

Damage Liability Cover (around £250 on a £800 cash price product) is loaded AUTOMATICALLY and will only be removed if you can supply proof of "suitable" home contents insurance. (Brighthouse reserve the right to determine what is and what is not "suitable". In fact, very few home contents policies will specifically include items subject to a hire purchase agreement.)

You are led to believe this insurance covers the product for damage, theft, fire, flood etc. However, unlike "real" home contents insurance it WILL NOT provide you with a replacement product should it become necessary (not even like-for-like) and will only, at best, release you from your agreement with Brighthouse - who, ultimately, benefit from the policy. You end up with NOTHING!!! Furthermore, in the event of a claim, the store manager will have the final say as to whether the policy should apply. He may, for instance, decide the goods where stolen or damaged because you didn’t secure or look after them adequately.

I live in a high risk insurance area, and I can insure the entire contents of my home (including £5,000 worth of all risk named items) for less than Brighthouse will charge for DLC on a single item!!!!

I notice from your other posts that you have signed up (and presumably made first payments) on some items. You mentioned a bed? A laptop? A TV? (You also said you were a bit "skint" at the moment?

Please don't be offended, but it sounds to me like you've been sucked into the Brighthouse "hard sell", and you may have gone a little over the top? £5 a week here and £10 a week here may sound easy in the sales pitch, but in reality it's a lot harder.

My advice would be if you really need a bed (and, after all, that's a PRETTY essential item, innit?), and you absolutely HAVE TO use Brighthouse, then take a good read of my sticky thread HERE and get completely clued up on what you're letting yourself into and KNOW YOUR RIGHTS!

Get back if you need any further help or advice.

Cheers
Lefty

steven4064 · 3rd March 2008, 19:47

Thanks Lefty - bang on the nail as usual.

clemma · 24th November 2008, 19:57

I am currently fighting to get a refund on OSC and DLC at the moment. My basis is that I was not given the option to take/not take the "optional" service cover (i.e. mis-sold as they told me I had to have it, otherwise I wouldn't get credit....) and that my home insurance was valid and did cover HP items (I had this in writing but BH STILL refused to accept it!) I wrote to Anne Healey 10 days ago and as I have heard nothing, I sent another email yesterday. Anne has replied and said the BH are looking into it and will get back to me soon.... I put in my email that if I have no satisfactory response within 7 days, I will take matter further with TS, OFT etc.,etc.

Will keep you updated.

P.S They have now removed both policies - I proved OSC was worthless when my TV was repaired (I didn't have OSC and the TV is 20 months old - after much letter writing, they gathered I knew what I was talking about and actually followed the law

) As for DLC I took in yet another letter from my insurance company, with "HP items are covered by this policy as long as you are legally responsible for them" written in bold!

DCA-KING · 24th November 2008, 21:46

I Tried to claim it back what they will tell you is can you provide proof that you where forced to take it out
Regards DK
PS will post my full battle story up and a copy of the CHQ

clemma · 24th November 2008, 22:28

I can't "prove" it for OSC, no. But I can for DLC

p.s I can't prove they forced me....but can they prove they didn't? Why would I have OSC on only 2 of my agreements, not all 4?

clemma · 24th November 2008, 22:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by DCA-KING

I Tried to claim it back what they will tell you is can you provide proof that you where forced to take it out
Regards DK
PS will post my full battle story up and a copy of the CHQ

Well hurry up with this one - I want to know what happened!!

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