faulty 14 month old 'frost free' fridge freezer

[chipmunk01]

Hi there,
New to this forum, but I hope you might be able to offer some advice.
I bought a ‘frost free’ Hoover Fridge Freezer from Comet at the end of Feb 2007 for £300. Since April 2008 it’s been frosting up and making all kinds of unhappy noises. I wondered if I might have left the door open, so defrosted it a couple of times, but within 48 hours it had refrosted up again.
Obviously this is all when it’s just out of the 12 month warrantee
Just spoken to Comet Customer Service Centre and they offered to send me an engineer for £75 plus parts. This would be non refundable, even if the fault turned out to be a manufacturing fault, as the fridge freezer is out of warranty!
I did quote the sale of goods act to the girl on the phone, regarding my expectations that a £300 fridge freezer should last longer than 14 months.
She gave me a lot of corporate empathy, but still insisted that as I’d not purchased an extended warrantee there was nothing she could do.
Do I need to pay this call out fee for an engineer? Or would a ‘reasonable person’ expect that as a fridge freezer should last longer than this, that if the fault is a manufacturing fault then Comet should stump up?
Or is it my tough luck for not buying an extended warranty?

All advice welcome! Thank you!

[gyzmo]

They can ask for payment for a service - it is down toyou to prove the fault exists. However, if it does turn out that the item does nto conform to the contract, they have no right to expect to keep the money.

Extended warranties are in addition to statutory rights and canot override them - it does not matter whether a warranty exists. I would go instore and ask to speak to a manager. Ask how they think this could happen otherwise (on the basis that you could not do anything to cause this, in which case the item would not conform to the contract). If the manager refuses to deal, report it to Consumer Direct and mention specifically that you have spoken to a manager.

Please keep us updated and we'll take things from there. Good luck!

[chipmunk01]

Gyzmo,
thanks for your advice, here's the update.
Decided to give Consumer Direct a call as you suggested, best thing i ever did!
The chap i spoke to was very knowledgable and encouraging, he told me not to deal with Comet over he phone any more, but to send a recorded delivery letter to the head office, and to the branch where i purchesed the item.
He provided me with all the apporopriate phrases i would need to include in my letter, and also directed me to the Consumer Direct website where there are template letters you can use.
A couple of days after i sent my letters off, Comet rang me - they'd changed their tune!
An engineer was sent round the next day, free of charge of course, and he inspected and fixed the problem.
what a result!
Thanks for your advice, and i would definitely recommend Consumer Direct too!
cheers x

[gyzmo]

Glad it worked out. These shops know damned well what the law is - they continually refuse to adhere to it unless they are pushed or threatened.

Well done.

[confused!!!]

Hello, can you help me?! I have the same problem with my Hoover fridgefreezer, also from Comet. Im not very good at complaining but cant afford to replace my fidgefreezer! I was wondering if you have a template I could use or any advice to offer. I have looked at the Consumer Direct site but not sure which one I should be using!