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Hope I've put this in the right place
As some of you are aware I fit Kitchens for a living and have so for 20 years, I recently fitted a kitchen for a customer and installed a Stoves integrated Fridge Freezer, the freezer door shut without any problems but the fridge door kept springing back open when closed. I tried everything I could (double checked that the housing was level and plumb, took the cabinet doors off and tried closing the fridge door while the appliance was out of the housing) before calling out their engineer.
The first engineer came out and fitted a new door, this didn't cure it so he ordered new hinges. The second engineer came out and installed the hinges and it still wouldn't remain closed, he then used a cheap magnetic level on the front of the appliance and said that it is an installation fault.
I was pulled off another job to go back and recheck the installation, after going through the installation booklet I then put my spirit level on the front of the appliance and it showed that it was plumb, I then used another spirit level from one of the builders on site to double check and got the same result.
After doing a little research on Glen Dimplex I found that their call out fee is £135 and so I sent them an invoice for the same amount and a accompanying letter:
Dear Sir/Madam
Please find attached my invoice for a callout to ---------------------------------------------------, I originally installed the integrated 50/50 Fridge/Freezer to the specifications stated in the installation manual provided with the Fridge/Freezer.
The fridge door would not close correctly and stayed agar by a couple of millimetres whereas the freezer door would close without any problems, the appliance was removed from the cabinet along with the cabinet doors and tested and the fridge door still sprung open by a couple of millimetres.
I then re-installed the appliance and double checked the cabinet doors where not striking the cabinet sides, only after re-checking the installation was correct did we contacted you to send out an engineer.
The first engineer fitted a new door which didn’t cure the problem so he ordered two new hinges, the second engineer fitted the two hinges but it still sprung open.
That second engineer put a small magnetic spirit level onto the front side of the appliance and told the customer that it’s not closing because it has been installed incorrectly and is leaning forward, I was called back to re-check and I put a spirit level to see if it was indeed leaning forward.
My spirit level (and another spirit level from another source) showed it to be plumb, the customer told me the engineer used a small cheap magnetic spirit level which are never accurate.
Not only am I a Kitchen Fitter, I am also an Appliance Engineer and have been repairing appliances since 1994 so I know how important it is to make sure appliances are installed correctly and to the manufacturers specifications.
I have done research into how much you charge for your fixed price callouts and find it only fair to charge likewise.
I look forward to a speedy response.
Regards
I received a reply from them today:
Thank you for your recent letter regarding the Stoves appliance at --------------------------------------------------
After investigating this matter on its own merit, our engineer maintians the appliance was not level upon his assessment. After this has been corrected on your visit, our same engineer returned on Friday 11th July and has fully rectified the issue. Whilst the door hinges have been replaced, uneven install had also been a contributing factor, again, now resolved for the customer Mr -------.
The manufacturers warranty will only protect the customer from any functional repair costs during the first 12 months of ownership. Any consequential costs, requests for compensation or fees pertaining to installation or misuse for example are not covered by our company.
Subsequently, we must confirm that we are unable to consider the costs recommended via your enclosed invoice.
On behalf of Glen Dimplex Home Appliances, may we thank you again for taking the time to contact us and we trust this elucidates our position.
Yours Sincerely
Emma
I have done a second letter going into detail regarding the engineer who visited and to insist they pay me for wasting my time:
Dear Emma
Thank you for your letter (Ref: CC-******) regarding -------------------------------------------------.
I have also done a thorough investigation and found the following:
Your engineer who maintained the appliance was not level after rechecking on his visit on 11th July was proven wrong by Mr ----- who put his own spirit level on the appliance in front of him which showed the appliance to be plumb. Your engineer then asked Mr ------ for some steps and then removed two screws from the appliance that was catching on the door, the door then closed fully and did not spring back open.
I did not correct the installation on my visit as you stated as there was nothing to correct, all I did was double check that the appliance was installed correctly and to the manufacturer’s specifications and that the appliance was level.
I visited Mr ------- today (17th July) and seen the holes on the appliance where the screws where removed and it is plain to me and Mr ------- that this is a manufacturing fault and not an installation fault as you stated in your letter, also! if I had rectified any installation fault on my visit as you said I had then there would have been no need to call your engineer out on the 11th July to fix the problem.
Although you say your company will not cover any consequential costs regarding this appliance I must insist that my invoice is paid in full, I have a busy schedule and cannot afford to be called out and have my time wasted in this way.
I will be taking this to the small claims court if my invoice is not paid in full within 14 working days of receipt of this letter.
Yours Sincerely
Will this do or do I need to reword the letter in any way before I send it, all help and advise is appreciated,
This is a matter of principle with me, I'm fed up with these companies who think it's OK to waste my time and money instead of holding their hands up and admitting that they're at fault.
I've done it in the past when Belling wasted my time saying an integrated oven was incorrectly installed when it was a faulty fan, they paid me their call out fee of £70.
As some of you are aware I fit Kitchens for a living and have so for 20 years, I recently fitted a kitchen for a customer and installed a Stoves integrated Fridge Freezer, the freezer door shut without any problems but the fridge door kept springing back open when closed. I tried everything I could (double checked that the housing was level and plumb, took the cabinet doors off and tried closing the fridge door while the appliance was out of the housing) before calling out their engineer.
The first engineer came out and fitted a new door, this didn't cure it so he ordered new hinges. The second engineer came out and installed the hinges and it still wouldn't remain closed, he then used a cheap magnetic level on the front of the appliance and said that it is an installation fault.
I was pulled off another job to go back and recheck the installation, after going through the installation booklet I then put my spirit level on the front of the appliance and it showed that it was plumb, I then used another spirit level from one of the builders on site to double check and got the same result.
After doing a little research on Glen Dimplex I found that their call out fee is £135 and so I sent them an invoice for the same amount and a accompanying letter:
Dear Sir/Madam
Please find attached my invoice for a callout to ---------------------------------------------------, I originally installed the integrated 50/50 Fridge/Freezer to the specifications stated in the installation manual provided with the Fridge/Freezer.
The fridge door would not close correctly and stayed agar by a couple of millimetres whereas the freezer door would close without any problems, the appliance was removed from the cabinet along with the cabinet doors and tested and the fridge door still sprung open by a couple of millimetres.
I then re-installed the appliance and double checked the cabinet doors where not striking the cabinet sides, only after re-checking the installation was correct did we contacted you to send out an engineer.
The first engineer fitted a new door which didn’t cure the problem so he ordered two new hinges, the second engineer fitted the two hinges but it still sprung open.
That second engineer put a small magnetic spirit level onto the front side of the appliance and told the customer that it’s not closing because it has been installed incorrectly and is leaning forward, I was called back to re-check and I put a spirit level to see if it was indeed leaning forward.
My spirit level (and another spirit level from another source) showed it to be plumb, the customer told me the engineer used a small cheap magnetic spirit level which are never accurate.
Not only am I a Kitchen Fitter, I am also an Appliance Engineer and have been repairing appliances since 1994 so I know how important it is to make sure appliances are installed correctly and to the manufacturers specifications.
I have done research into how much you charge for your fixed price callouts and find it only fair to charge likewise.
I look forward to a speedy response.
Regards
I received a reply from them today:
Thank you for your recent letter regarding the Stoves appliance at --------------------------------------------------
After investigating this matter on its own merit, our engineer maintians the appliance was not level upon his assessment. After this has been corrected on your visit, our same engineer returned on Friday 11th July and has fully rectified the issue. Whilst the door hinges have been replaced, uneven install had also been a contributing factor, again, now resolved for the customer Mr -------.
The manufacturers warranty will only protect the customer from any functional repair costs during the first 12 months of ownership. Any consequential costs, requests for compensation or fees pertaining to installation or misuse for example are not covered by our company.
Subsequently, we must confirm that we are unable to consider the costs recommended via your enclosed invoice.
On behalf of Glen Dimplex Home Appliances, may we thank you again for taking the time to contact us and we trust this elucidates our position.
Yours Sincerely
Emma
I have done a second letter going into detail regarding the engineer who visited and to insist they pay me for wasting my time:
Dear Emma
Thank you for your letter (Ref: CC-******) regarding -------------------------------------------------.
I have also done a thorough investigation and found the following:
Your engineer who maintained the appliance was not level after rechecking on his visit on 11th July was proven wrong by Mr ----- who put his own spirit level on the appliance in front of him which showed the appliance to be plumb. Your engineer then asked Mr ------ for some steps and then removed two screws from the appliance that was catching on the door, the door then closed fully and did not spring back open.
I did not correct the installation on my visit as you stated as there was nothing to correct, all I did was double check that the appliance was installed correctly and to the manufacturer’s specifications and that the appliance was level.
I visited Mr ------- today (17th July) and seen the holes on the appliance where the screws where removed and it is plain to me and Mr ------- that this is a manufacturing fault and not an installation fault as you stated in your letter, also! if I had rectified any installation fault on my visit as you said I had then there would have been no need to call your engineer out on the 11th July to fix the problem.
Although you say your company will not cover any consequential costs regarding this appliance I must insist that my invoice is paid in full, I have a busy schedule and cannot afford to be called out and have my time wasted in this way.
I will be taking this to the small claims court if my invoice is not paid in full within 14 working days of receipt of this letter.
Yours Sincerely
Will this do or do I need to reword the letter in any way before I send it, all help and advise is appreciated,
This is a matter of principle with me, I'm fed up with these companies who think it's OK to waste my time and money instead of holding their hands up and admitting that they're at fault.
I've done it in the past when Belling wasted my time saying an integrated oven was incorrectly installed when it was a faulty fan, they paid me their call out fee of £70.
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