Dear Which?,
In 2018, I bought an AEG oven from AO.com, but it only lasted 10 months before developing a fault. It would turn itself off and on at random intervals, leaving food uncooked.
I contacted Domestic and General, with which I have maintenance cover, and my oven was replaced with the same model.
However, the new oven soon developed the same fault. This was replaced, only for the next oven to then develop an identical issue. I asked for a refund, but both Domestic and General and AEG refused on the grounds that as my current oven was a replacement, I was not considered the original buyer.
In total, I’ve had 19 service callouts for the ovens booked, with 14 cancelled due to replacement parts not being available. One engineer even told me that the specific model of oven had a known manufacturing fault.
I’ve had to spend £250 on three air ovens so I can cook food. Can you help?
Christine GittoesPut to Rights
Tali Ramsey, consumer rights expert at Which?, says:It's no wonder that you're frustrated after such a long-running and time-consuming saga. Thankfully, we've managed to find a positive solution.
I contacted Domestic and General on your behalf. It agreed to provide a replacement oven of a different brand and reimburse you for the cost of the air ovens.
I also spoke to AEG, which said it stopped production of the model in question after being made aware of the fault. It apologised for the delay in manufacturing replacement parts and said it is now in a position to resolve the issue for other affected customers.
Manufacturing faults can be difficult to prove and after the first six months of owning an item, the onus is on the buyer to show evidence that the fault was present at the time of purchase.
Readers finding themselves in a similar situation may find it useful to get an inspection from an independent expert or show evidence they’ve found online that other owners are experiencing the same issue.
If a product you’ve bought develops a fault, you should contact the retailer you bought it from in the first instance. If you have a maintenance cover plan or a manufacturer guarantee, you can also pursue these avenues to try and get the issue resolved.
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source https://www.which.co.uk/news/article/my-oven-was-replaced-three-times-for-the-same-issue-your-rights-when-a-product-develops-a-fault-aRefB4X2VNcf