comet-The Consumers Complaint List-In the Public Domain

On 16th June 2002 I purchased an Indesit WDE12 combined washing machine and tumble dryer from Comet.

On 23rd December the machine gave an F12 error message. The instruction manual stated that we should contact the Merloni service department (Indesit). My husband rang this number and the earliest they could send an engineer was 2nd January. The engineer arrived, replaced the controller card and left with the machine apparently working correctly.

We discovered that the machine was not working correctly, it had to be left at least half an hour between washes. On 12th January a second engineer visited, fiddled with the machine, said there was nothing wrong and left. Later that evening the machine again gave an F12 message and refused to work at all.

We visited Comet the next day and told them that we wanted a new machine. They said that we could not have one and gave us a number for Comet’s service dept. We said that we would accept a repair this time but would insist on a new machine next time it broke down. As you can imagine, by this time we had no confidence in this machine.

The engineer arrived on 27th January and was not sure what was wrong with it but ordered 6 parts which he said would fix it, apparently at a cost of over £200. He said that the parts would be in on 30th. He booked the repair for 3rd February but said that we should ring on 30th and they might be able to repair it on the Saturday.

My husband rang on 30th and the parts had not come in, from what we were told later this was to be expected as Comet had not even ordered the parts.

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After several phone calls we were told that their service level agreement allowed them 14 days to get the parts. My husband rang on 7th February expecting to be told that if they did not have the parts by 10th we would get a new machine, that was when he was told that they had not ordered the parts until 30th January. The parts arrived and the washing machine was again repaired on 12th February.

On 4th March we again got an F12 error message and an engineer arrived on 8th March. He wants to put in a third replacement controller card and a heater.

I am not willing to accept another repair. I am paying £11.18 a month for this machine and between £7 and £8 each week when it is not working to use the launderette while a useless heap of metal occupies valuable space in our kitchen. I know that by now I must be entitled to a full refund and Comet should be grateful that I was willing to accept a replacement. Comet have received the worksheets from Merloni so they are fully aware that the machine has been repaired 3 times already.

Comet have offered to take it to their workshop to repair it, but it has been seen by 8 engineers already and they obviously have not found the problem. My fear is that as the machine is now 9 months old, if they repair it again by the time they do it (we were without a machine for 3 weeks last time) it might just limp through to the end of the guarantee and I will be left with no machine and 4 years left to pay.

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My Husband and myself have had to take several days off work as the Comet engineers never come out with any parts despite the fact that they are given the error code before they come out. There is obviously something seriously wrong with this machine. After further telephone conversations with Comet Service Department we have been told that we have to keep accepting repairs until the guarantee runs out.

I wrote to Comet and Time Finance on 20th March. When I got home from work yesterday there was a message on the telephone asking me to call Ms E B of the Comet Director’s Office on 01482 XXXXXX. I rang her today and she offered yet another repair. She kept stating over and over that they had a “right to repair” She wants to repair it again and when it fails again they will only consider a replacement.

The machine has had 2 replacement controller cards and the last engineer stated that it needed another. Ms B says that it is not the controller card. How she would know this when she is over a hundred miles away in Hull is a mystery to me. Maybe she should come out to repair washing machines herself.

I did ask what guarantees they would give if I accepted a repair and was told they could not offer anything as the same fault might not occur for 2 years after the repair. They want receipts from the launderette before they will refund this money.

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Other Comet Complaints

Editorial Comments

update on 1 April 2003
Right of Reply response from Comet (See Right of Reply column above right). We wait for Mrs Lovatt's comments.

update on 1 April 2003: Mrs Lovatt received the same response (as above). No further comment.

update from Ms Lovatt on 28 May 2003
"Finally had a replacement machine delivered on 18th May. Unfortunately I have had no reply from Comet on my claim for launderette costs, lost days at work and compensation for all the inconvenience" Val Lovatt

update from Ms Lovatt on 30 May 2003
"I have now received a reply, refusing any compensation and blaming me for the delay as I refused the "repair". Looks like this isn't over yet, but at
least I don't have to go to the launderette any more" Val Lovatt

This is typical of Comet's service. I bought a new TV and after 30days I called to complain that it had a fault. I was away for the first 30 days but the TV is still under warranty. I am entitled to a repair only and Ihave had 2 sets and 3 repairs for a known manufacturing fault.. Hopefully people will think twice when considering using certain shops. Dave C ... 17 September 2003
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You don't have a "right to a replacement" just because a machine breaks down x times. Once you have accepted a repair (ONCE) you have accepted the machine and you are only then entitled to further repairs, OR to demand a refund because the goods are not of merchantable quality. MarkyMarkD ... 19 September 2003
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Bought a Phillips Pixel Plus TV from Comet. Colour went in May, got it repaired, went again in June and told that it was a manufacturing fault, took TV away for FOUR weeks (and denied an agreed delivery date) got it back, two days later exactly same fault. TV taken away, refused a replacement and told same fault couldn't happen again (that's right I'm a fault voyeur)E-mailed comment. No reply and no TV and no intention of ever shopping there again or letting anyone I know shop there.
Anthony Hester ... 3 October 2003
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No amount of calling people like Comet works. File a Small Claims Court action. It does cost money to do so, but you add this to the amount claimed and will recover it if the Court finds in your favour. Comet etc will not bother to turn up because they will lose and you will win both your expenses and costs. Sometimes you may not win, but if everone with a justified complaint about level of service took this action the retailers would clean up their act. They are not frightened of moaners, but they take notice of people willing to take legal action.
Alan Damper... 20 October 2003
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I am writing to express my extreme disappointment at the treatment I have received from Comet. The following is a brief summary of events:
On 6th August I bought a Minolta XT Dimage Digital Camera from the store at Cribs Causeway, Bristol for 300. This product developed a fault after two months.

On 8th October I returned the product to the store and it was sent to Minolta who returned it after two and a half weeks saying that the circuit had been repaired. The fault remained.

On 4th November I returned the product to the store and asked for it be exchanged and was told that it was Comet policy not to replace products after 28 days.When I first asked about a replacement the store manager lied to me, saying he did not have the authority to replace the item. On speaking with your head office I was informed that this was in fact incorrect information.

When asked if it was Comets policy to disregard customer satisfaction when deciding whether to replace items, the manager was very evasive. Clearly your staff are very well trained in negotiation and the exact letter of the Sale of Goods Act. In more brutal language, your managers seem skilled in deflecting customer complaints. This policy, though strictly legal, is surely not the policy of a company that values customer satisfaction.

I asked the store manager if he would be happy for me to inform incoming customers of the returns policy, the manager was non-committal. I therefore stood outside the store and did exactly that in a non-threatening and very factual manner for one hour before being threatened with legal proceedings for trespass.Clearly the store was embarrassed about its rigid policy and was not happy for customers to be aware of it. This could be seen as admittance that the policy is unfair and not customer focused.
Colin Stephenson...5 November 2003