Need Help With "Whatever Happens Policy" PLEASE!

[Shimmy]

Hello.

 

I recently joined this forum board to seek help from people who might know a thing or two about my problem and could help me, I am at my wits end!

 

 

Here is my problem.

 

For those who dont want to read the whole thing, i have summarised it below!

 

Last week I noticed that my Cookers Grill/ top oven was not heating up at all, even after being left on for 20 minutes it was still stone cold, so i contacted currys who informed me that they would send an engineer out to take a look.

 

Two days later an engineer arrived and did a diagnostic test on the cooker and found out that the thermastat was faulty, he informed me that this was rare in the case of my oven but he would order new parts for it anyway.

 

A week past untill his next arrival which is today (18th May 2010) and he proceeded to fix the thermistat, he had to take the whole cooker apart, both sides and the top which totaled about 15 screws he undone.

 

This is the part where my problem begins.

 

 

He opens the top of the cooker and then tells me "hey look there is a dead mouse in the cooker"

I was shocked when he said this and didnt know if he was joking or not, so I inspected it and he was infact telling the truth! but the mouse looked like it had been long dead, it had decomposed on the inside of my cooker!

 

I was shocked at this since i had never even knew that there was mice in my house, but the engineer informed me that it was a comon occurance in many cookers since mice like the warmth inside!

 

He then informs me that the mouse had eaten 80% of my fire retardent installation (which keeps the heat in) and many wires that it was behond repair and that it would need to be replaced. He told me that the cooker was such a health and safety warning that he could not leave it like it was so he had to disconnect the whole cooker!

 

I then dug out my "whatever happens" policy to read the small print since i know that they can be funny, and no where did it say that they do not cover pests or rodents.

 

When i phoned currys they informed me that they would NOT replace my cooker since I NEGLECTED it because i allowed a mouse to get inside, eat all the wires and fire retardent inside and I did not do anything to stop him!

 

I then told the women that the only time i knew about the mouse was when the engineer took the cooker apart to the bare wires, i dont know how to take apart a cooker so how could i have known!

 

The women said that this was not their problem and that i will not be getting any help.

 

Considering that i have payed insurance on my cooker for THREE AND A HALF YEARS i feel really disgusted about this!

 

I was wondering if anyone could help me or give me any tips just to get them to replace my cooker, i cant afford a new one since i am just recoverying from a major operation and can only work 3 hours a day and i need to cook for my family!

 

Sorry for the long read but I had to make sure that there was enought information for everyone to understand my problem!

 

Summary

Engineer came out to fix thermistat on my cooker and found one mouse living inside my cooker, this mouse had eaten 80% of the fire retardent installation and some wires that made it a health and safety risk, so much so that the electrician had to disconnect it.

 

Currys "whatever happens" policy said that i neglected my cooker since i allowed the mouse to climb inside and eat all the wires and fire retardent without doing anything to stop him. First of all i didnt know there was a mouse in the oven, and second of all i am no electrician, i dont know how to take apart a cook safely!

 

Thanks again for reading, sorry for the long long read but i am so frustrated with this i could cry!

 

PLEASE SOMEONE HELP!

 

Thanks again

 

Mary

[dx100uk]

hi

we have comet onboard here

send a PM to this member:

 

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/member.php?u=246892

 

dx

[Shimmy]

What should i PM them, my whole problem?

 

Thanks very much Dx.

[dx100uk]

link to your thread

 

dx

[Shimmy]

Ok thanks very much Dx

[chris-t-2k7]

I've sent you a reply Mary, like i say i'm more pc world laptops / pc's but i can't defiantly look into this for you if you send me the requested details.

 

I do think it may be a case that is reviewed on an individual basis rather then a set rule.

 

Chris

T.G

[Shimmy]

Thank you Chris, i hope you are right.

 

I have replied to your PM with the requested details

 

Mary

[Conniff]

Don't forget to keep the forum updated with what is happening, there are plenty of other who will be interested as they have also had trouble with whateverhappens.

[Shimmy]

Currently I have supplied the information to Chirs who says he will try to help, apart from that there is nothing much else going on.

 

looks like its cereal for dinner again tonight

 

Mary

[chris-t-2k7]

I've sent you a update Mary, with a few extra details. May be Sunday before i can get a full answer on the situation though, waiting on a few replies from people.

 

Chris

TG

[Shimmy]

Thanks for the information Chris.

 

As i said, i told the person on the phone that in the small print it said nothing about pests or small rodents/animals affecting the policy, so they said i was neglectful since i allowed the mouse to get inside the cooker and destroy it, and did nothing to prevent it

 

Mary

[AtlantisZPM]

Has this issue been raise to their "Medics"? If not get them to do it.

[Shimmy]

Has this issue been raise to their "Medics"? If not get them to do it.

 

What do you meen by "their medics"?

 

Thanks

 

Mary

[AtlantisZPM]

I have seen it banded about in other curry's/pcworld threads they seem to be a an escalation route for people in unusual situations, that have higher powers to resolve matters

[Shimmy]

I have seen it banded about in other curry's/pcworld threads they seem to be a an escalation route for people in unusual situations, that have higher powers to resolve matters

 

Ok Thank you

 

What would i ask for when phoning currys up again?

 

Or how else would i get in touch with "their medic"?

 

Thanks

 

Mary

[AtlantisZPM]

Explain your situation to the the customer services that runs the agreement if they give you a no or don't even attempt to look into it further. Request that the issue is looked into by a manager or "Medic" Don't waste your time with the engineers from here on.

[Shimmy]

ok thanks you i will try this tommorow

 

Mary

[labrat]

have to admit i feel that chris has something to do with the medics, hes very useful, and while some of us on here do work for ttg's we do not have any official standing and therefore would not be able to check up on specific jobs due to data protection

[shazawm]

Explain your situation to the the customer services that runs the agreement if they give you a no or don't even attempt to look into it further. Request that the issue is looked into by a manager or "Medic" Don't waste your time with the engineers from here on.

 

 

the guys on here are very helpfull and have sorted my issues out quickly !!

[Shimmy]

i hope they can sort my issue out.

 

For the past nights without a cooker i have eaten cereal, salad, toast and somtimes nothing.

 

I dont have the money to buy fast food for my family

 

I hope chris can get back to me with some good information

 

Mary

[shazawm]

i hope they can sort my issue out.

 

For the past nights without a cooker i have eaten cereal, salad, toast and somtimes nothing.

 

I dont have the money to buy fast food for my family

 

I hope chris can get back to me with some good information

 

Mary

 

hi mary

if chris says he can help he will hun just hold in there x

[chris-t-2k7]

Hello again,

 

I've continued to look into this, again as i said before this isn't my area unfortunately.

 

The replies i got didn't give me any great direction into where this can be taken, just because i don't have the correct people to contact.

 

I got the following details for you to make an enquiry:

- 0844 561 4000

- Customer Services, PO BOX 1686, Sheffield. S2 5YB, England

 

This may be one of the rules they have on kitcehn appliances, for pc''s i know what they class as mis-use, for kitchen appliances i don't.

 

I think the best thing to do is to go to your local currys, speak to customer service desk and tell them the problem. They may of heard of it and be able to tell you straight away, if they can't ask them if they can chase it for you, your more likely to get further forward if your at the store, even if the store them selves can't help you.

 

Sorry i can't be more assistance with this one.

 

Chris

T.G

[AtlantisZPM]

From a common sense point of view. Its very strange that a mouse got in there but it may have been something unavoidable you can't be expected to stand guard of the machine all the time in case some mouse wants to like somewhere warm. If they advise it is misuse then ask them where in the manual does it have information about how to combat this problem? If you speak to someone from the whatever happens team someone is bound to think of the whole picture and see it was unavoidable. What happened when you spoke to whatever happens, what was discussed may we ask.

[Shimmy]

From a common sense point of view. Its very strange that a mouse got in there but it may have been something unavoidable you can't be expected to stand guard of the machine all the time in case some mouse wants to like somewhere warm. If they advise it is misuse then ask them where in the manual does it have information about how to combat this problem? If you speak to someone from the whatever happens team someone is bound to think of the whole picture and see it was unavoidable. What happened when you spoke to whatever happens, what was discussed may we ask.

 

 

Yea i thought it was strange that a mouse was inside my cooker but the engineer who had experiance working with cookers said its a pretty common occurance.

 

Hopfully they will see where i am coming from and give me the benefit of the doubt and allow me to get a new cooker.

 

Basically when i contact the whatever happens team they told me it was misuse but since Chris has provided me with a number to call i will phone them tommorow and speak to them and then update you with the information.

 

Thanks chris for working hard and getting me this information, even though its not your area of expertice you still helped alot and i thank you for that.

 

Mary

[ForestChav]

Using purely common sense here - they are effectively accusing you of abusing it by allowing the mouse in. I'd simply ask them to prove it.