@AO tumble dryer faulty at 13 months AO.com - brilliant customer service - **Bravo AO**

[BankFodder]

Maybe you could tell us a bit more about the dryer.

Who did you buy it from? – Who is AO?

What make is the tumble dryer and model. When did you buy it? You

[BankFodder]

Okay. If it's only 13 months old then clearly it is not of satisfactory quality. AO  are responsible because they are the retailer.

It's very normal for these retailers not want to get involved in this part of their selling responsibilities and so they try to fob you off. Of course lots of consumers will simply accept this and are even prepared to pay the cost of repairs because they believe that the item is out of warranty or something.

Luckily you have found your way here. Under the Consumer Rights Act you are entitled to have an item which is of satisfactory quality and remains that way for a reasonable period of time. I'm quite sure that it is reasonable to expect that a tumble dryer will work for at least five years and probably longer.

Therefore it is clear that your tumble dryer is not satisfactory quality and therefore AO are in breach of the contract and you will now have two force them to respect their obligations.

If you have been dealing with them on the telephone – then normally you shouldn't but if you do then read our customer services guide and implement the advice there before you have any further telephone dealings.

Write to the supplier and tell them that as your contract is with them, you require that they accept their responsibilities and that they either pay for the repair or they compensate you to the tune of a new machine.

Of course you have had 12 months use of the machine and so they would be entitled to make a reasonable deduction. On the basis that the machine should reasonably last six years, they would be entitled to reduce the compensation paid to you by 1/6.  However, you can let them bring up that issue. You should go for the full replacement value or a replacement machine.

At the same time go back to the company which said that it was beyond economic repair and asking if they will confirm that in writing. That will be all you need. AO will simply want to sell machines and they won't want to start being too fiddly about evidence et cetera. However, unless they are spectacularly decent, they will object to refunding you or replacing anything and you may well find that you are in a position where you have to send them a letter of claim threatening legal proceedings and you may then find that you have to issue a claim in the County Court.

We'll deal with that when it comes – but you can be sure that on the basis of the facts that you have given us, if you do bring a court claim then your chances of success are better than 95% and of course you will get your court fees back. Bringing a small claim in the County Court is very easy but don't expect an instant solution. If you do end up suing AO then the chances are that they will put their hands up before the court hearing – how quickly they do it will depend on how stupid they are. If they are really stupid then they will see you all the way to the court – and maybe into a hearing although the chances of this happening are extremely remote and of course they will lose the case.

So consider all of that. Go and get an estimate for repairs and get it in writing – so that it shows that the cost of repairs means that the dryer is a write-off.

Write to AO, point out to them that it is their responsibility and enclose a copy of the estimate for repairs which shows that it is a write-off. Ask them what they propose and tell them that you want a response within seven days.

I doubt whether it will make any difference and I fully imagine that we will have to go onto the next step – but don't give them more than seven days to respond. You don't want a nonworking tumble dryer hanging around your home – and of course being winter you probably need one anyway.

Come back here when you get an answer

[BankFodder]

Well, that was a good result. Maybe AO are better than the average white goods supplier

[BankFodder]

Don't worry about it being an inherent fault. That's irrelevant. However I would have thought that it was pretty basic that you would need an estimate for repairs even if it was not economic.

It's absolutely reasonable for them to ask that information. I suggest that you go back and get a figure. Then we can move forward

[BankFodder]

Well I'm sorry if this sounds harsh but I don't see a lot of point in getting report that doesn't include a valuation in its conclusion.

[BankFodder]

How much was the report? In principle they should reimburse you and if they force you to go to court then you should certainly claim this. You can claim anyway but it might be a little negotiating hand and something that you are prepared to give up in order to get the main refund that you are after and of course it then hands them some Face. It's always useful to have something in reserve to give away so that your opponent doesn't feel so bad.

[BankFodder]

Don't worry about the "inherent" thing. The important thing is that there is a fault and you've only used it for about a year so it is not satisfactory quality. That's all you need.

[BankFodder]

You are waiting for a call back. Bad move. That means that you place yourself in their hands so that they have control. Have you decided how long you're going to wait for them if they don't phone before you start phoning.
You should keep the initiative and that means that when you have a conversation with a company and they undertake to do something, you will then arrange that you will phone them on such and such morning or some such afternoon. I'm almost sure that it gives this advice in our customer services guide. No doubt you have your recorder installed so you will be able to record the conversation when it happens

[BankFodder]

First of all thanks for updating us. Congratulations on resolving this without too much difficulty.

Secondly, a big Bravo to AO. This must be one of the most customer-centred companies we have ever come across and it's up there with the same standards as John Lewis.

I suggest that you put up a review on Google and give them five stars and also on trust pilot.

The 45 quid deduction for use is slightly on the high side but given the fact that you are being put to any further trouble in terms of escalating complaint or threatening legal actions. This is very good.

Well done

[BankFodder]

I'm looking at my posts on this and I can see that I have been deeply suspicious of this company. It seems that my suspicions are completely unjustified and I'm afraid that they are affected by the kind of poisonous treatment that most retailers handout to their customers.
It seems that ao.com are an exception and I hope that all their customers stories have the same good experience.