Thread: Currys - current product but they don't stock spare parts

Hi

I was given an Hitachi kettle a while ago (over a year, and I don't have a receipt as it was a gift), and recently the filter broke.

I contacted Hitachi, who said they don't deal with it, and as it is a product only Currys/Dixons carry, to contact them. I did this, and they put me onto Partmaster, who in turn tried to chuck me back to Hitachi, then Currys.

Now I am in a bit of a ding dong with Currys.

Basically, this kettle cost £50, and is still being sold both instore and online. They are saying they can't repair it or get replacement filters, and unless I can produce a receipt I'm stuffed.

My issue is that this isn't an old product that was discontinued years ago - it is still being sold, and I feel that as such they should be able to offer replacement filters. Either that or they need to state on it that replacements are not available, and as such if it breaks in a year and a day, you're going to be down £50 buying a new one.

Does anyone have any suggestions for what I can do? I'm loathe to buy another kettle when the only thing wrong with this one is the filter (and we get a lot of limescale, so we need it!)

I'm very tempted to get another, nick the filter out and then take it back, but that would only put some other poor sod in the same situation

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I'm not entirely sure that they're obliged to stock spare parts.

However you should be able to get a replacement kettle if you can prove you bought it from there. Did you pay with a debit or credit card? A statement showing the purchase would suffice.

Unfortunately it was bought about 18 months ago by my mum. I daresay she could find the statement with the purchase on it (she certainly won't have the receipt), but the last email I had from them stated it must be under 12 months old.

I'm just fuming that they can sell a kettle without the means to replace the filter if need be! I wouldn't mind if it was an actual fault, but it's a filter for crying out loud! I'm going to lose a £50 kettle (that I really like: and yes I know that's just a wee bit sad...) for the sake of a £2 replacement part

Well people pay £20 for a kettle and get many years use out of it, so I think it is reasonable to expect a £50 kettle to last longer than 18 months.

I assume the filter broke due to poor quality, rather than being misused/dropped, etc? If so, I say find the statement and get them to sort out a replacement, the 12 months they are referring to is the manufacturer's warranty, which is irrelevant.

Thanks for your replies

That's what I thought

No, it wasn't misused - I took it out to wash it and it was frayed round the edges and coming away from the plastic on one half.

Can I ask what you mean about the 12 months being irrelevant? I thought that was the be all and end all, so to speak?

The 12 month period is usually the guarantee offered by the manufacturer - this is in addition to your statutory rights, it does not replace them.

The Sale of Goods Act states that goods must be fit for purpose. If it doesn't last for a reasonable length of time, with ordinary use, then clearly it was not fit for purpose.

Unfortunately, partsmaster are supplied spares by the relevant companies that supply their products to the stores. If hitachi don't stock or supply filters outside of being packaged in with their kettles, then partsmaster don't have any means of aquiring a filter short of ripping a £50 kettle apart, rendering it unsellable and selling the filter to you.

I've had an instance of this happening before in my branch, usualy the manufactorer is happy to provide spares direct off the production line at a price. I have no idea why they are so unwilling to do this because they clearly have access to them unless the kettle is discontinued, which it can't be if it's still in the store.

I honestly don't see how "not fit for purpose" applies here to be honest, I'm not being defensive towards the company, I'm simply saying a filter is stuck inside a kettle, and thus protected by the shell of the kettle. If for example the metal/plastic was cracked or deformed when bought, fair enough, you'd have noticed as soon as you'd removed the cardboard/instructions from inside the kettle and returned it. But if the filter was removed for cleaning (the only real reason to touch a filter in a kettle) for example and excessive force was used to remove or clip the filter back in, then that would be a case of accidental damage. Other than these two scenarios, I don't see how else you'd damage a filter besides obvious neglect.

Thanks for your replies both of you.

I can honestly say there was no excessive force used. It was simply as I said in my last post - I took it out to clean it, and found it was frayed and coming away at the edges (which explained the limescale in my tea)

I have to say I wouldn't have noticed if it was cracked when it was bought - this is the first time it had been out of the kettle. I cleaned it internally occasionally with a limescale tablet thingy, but never felt the need to remove the filter till now

Anyway, I've written back to them stating I'm not impressed, but I'll give it one more go instore too, maybe mention that as it's still in production could they not whip one away at source...I am perfectly happy to pay, it's not like I'm after a freebie.

Unfortunately, partsmaster are supplied spares by the relevant companies that supply their products to the stores. If hitachi don't stock or supply filters outside of being packaged in with their kettles, then partsmaster don't have any means of aquiring a filter short of ripping a £50 kettle apart, rendering it unsellable and selling the filter to you.

I've just absorbed what you wrote here...

I wrote to Hitachi originally, and they were the ones who chucked me onto talking to Currys. If this is correct, and they knew they (Hitachi) don't stock those parts, then they must have known Currys would be unable to help!? Have they just passed the buck rather than deal with a simple request?

Originally Posted by lexis200

I've just absorbed what you wrote here...

I wrote to Hitachi originally, and they were the ones who chucked me onto talking to Currys. If this is correct, and they knew they (Hitachi) don't stock those parts, then they must have known Currys would be unable to help!? Have they just passed the buck rather than deal with a simple request?

Either the person on the phone didn't know, or yes, thats correct.

If you post or PM me the model number tonight, I can have a quick double check on the branch partsmaster list at work tomorrow just to be 100% sure there isn't anything I can do on on the companies behalf.

And I mourn for the loss of your tea, truely I do.. No true englishman deserves a life without decent tea! :P

And I mourn for the loss of your tea, truely I do.. No true englishman deserves a life without decent tea! :P

Do I detect the merest hint of sarcasm here?

I don't think you're appreciating the enormity of this - I've had to swipe my mums spare one, and it leaks all over my worktop. Not only do I not have my lovely kettle (that you may have guessed I am overly attached to), but I'm having to clean up after the one I nicked from mum!

Thanks very much for the offer - the only number on the kettle is KET2 (the chap I spoke to at Partsmaster said this wasn't a model number?). Other than that, on Currys website it's item number 659700 if that helps?

Originally Posted by barracad

Well people pay £20 for a kettle and get many years use out of it, so I think it is reasonable to expect a £50 kettle to last longer than 18 months.

I assume the filter broke due to poor quality, rather than being misused/dropped, etc? If so, I say find the statement and get them to sort out a replacement, the 12 months they are referring to is the manufacturer's warranty, which is irrelevant.

Mine was about £5, tesco value thing about 3 years old.

Having not seen the kettle mentioned I cannot say - but as a question - would it be possible that as water has been poured into the kettle over the last 18 months - this has "eroded" (for want of a better word) the filter and this is why it is frayed.
If this is the case then the "not fit for purpose" would possibly raise its head again as you would expect that if there was potential for this to happen it should have been designed to withstand it.

Hi flyingdoc

Possibly, but I'm a bit anal with filling kettles and only do it through the lid, not the spout, so I'm not sure if there'd be enough pressure on it just from normal pouring? Unless I suppose it was already on its way when it was bought.

Thanks very much for taking the trouble to do that Renzokuken, it's really good of you, especially when it sounds like you had a cracker of a day!

Lexis

Thanks Methodical, that's superb

I ended up having to buy a new kettle in the end! It was on half price though so not too desperate I'll be on ebay soon for spares just in case

Lexis