Whatever happens cover plan - vaccumn cleaner

[NurseCaz]

Hi,

I have originally posted on the CAG due to problems with a parking fine as some of you may already know...

But I just thought I would run something else by you clever guys on the forum!

I brought a vacumn cleaner for £75 from curry in mid january. I also paid for the 'whatever happens' insurance which cost me an extra £19-99.
The hoover stopped working properly about 2 months; I would hoover half of my upstairs landing for about 5 mins and it would cut out. Then wouldnt work for about an hour (time it took to cool down I presume). There wre def no blockages as the carpet was hardly in need of vacumning! Anyway, so my husband called the help line. He explained the problem and they said that it shows that the vacumn is a good one as it is overheating. This apparently shows that it is "picking up lots of dust"!!!
This hoover has a pet thingamy that is supposed to be good for pet hairs etc (I dont have a pet though!). They said that we had to use the vacumn, wash the filter and then allow to dry for 24 hours before using again! So.... i can only use the vacumn for 5 mins each time with 24 hours between????
Anyway, I looked carefully at the agreement and it clearly states that i can "comeinto store for instant replacement" This does not cover things such as large appliances, sky, projectors etc but doesnt say it doesn't cover vacumns. So my husband took it to our local currys who told us that we had to call the help line, they will send us a special bag, we had to put it in the bag and post it to them. An engineer will then look at it. If its blocked at all - they will charge us. They have now sent me the said plastic bag - but I dont WANT to wait for ages to use my vacumn! I feel conned - I want to take it back to the store for instant replacement as the agreement states.
Can I send anyone to agreement to look at for me? I would appreciate any advice..
Thanks
Caz

[NurseCaz]

UPDATE:
I have just called currys and they said that despite my agreement clearly stating that it is a 3 yr agreement starting 17/01/2008 and expiring 16/01/2011; my agreement doesn't come into effect until a year after purchase because the manufacturers guarantee takes care of things for the first year!!! The advisor said that my agreement would start when the manufacturers guarantee ran out a year after purchase. I asked why then, does it state that my 3 year agreement ends 2011? TO which he couldnt reply - told me to ask my local store and was obviously getting annoyed with me!!!

[ForestChav]

The first year of the agreement only covers things the manufacturer's warranty doesn't (eg accidental damage).

[NurseCaz]

but this is so unfair!!!
No where in the agreement does it say this - not even in the small print - so basically, if the vacumn was a year old, I could take it in the store and get a replacement instantly?
am so annoyed!

[ForestChav]

Guess so, though the policies are often a minefield if you KNOW how it works. I guess the manufacturers still have their warranty for the first year instead of the extended one so they would fix it under that.

It does seem unfair, though.

[NurseCaz]

vax are collecting the vacumn on monday - hopefully their customer service will be better than currys!!!
Thanks for your advice!
Caz x