I get the impression that as a consumer, you have few [or obscure?]rights and little protection. What do others think and what is your experience?
Thanks Tim
My French is OK but it,s certainly easier to scan read a document in one,s native language.
I shall file both copies. One for me & one to show any future recalcitrant French shopkeepers!
Vic, you might prefer the document in English:
http://ec.europa.eu/publications/booklets/move/64/en.pdf
Happy reading
Essentially what the euro-legislation says is that goods should be fit for purpose and that a minimum of two years applies by way of guarantee throughout the EU. So your EU rights are very smilar to your UK common law rights that goods should be without defect " sans viives cachés" or en conformité with european normes.
Excellent David thanks very much. I will read & digest although, I have to say, I do have preferred reading which doesn,t include european directives!!
As a matter of interest, can you point me to the section which might apply to my particular situation as I have started to read it but am rapidly loosing the will to live.
Seriously though it,s a great reference for the future. Thanks again.
Update;-
They phoned me on friday to make an appointment for Monday. I arrived on the agreed day & sure enough a new device had been manufactured, programmed to my parameters & was ready to go.The specialist informed me that they had made a special case for me as I was obviously not happy. I informed him that I was extremely happy now & it should not have been necessary for me to insist on my rights as they should have volunteered a new device in the first place.
Anyway it turned out Ok in the end & shows one should stand one,s ground against these anti consumer practices.
The company has about 500 branches in France & is called Audika
Due to a combination of using shot guns,loud guitars & old age I finally bit the bullet & got myself a hearing aid. I used a national company who had a branch in our town thinking I would get good service even though I was sure that the price they were asking for my state of the art, in ear device, was astronomical. WRONG!!!!
After the 3 week trial/adjustment period I was more than happy to "cough up" the best part of 2,000 euros as the thing had genuinely changed my somewhat fuzzy perception of the world.
The day after paying I was removing the device prior to going to bed when i noticed a hole in the shell which was obviously a result of a too thin casting when it was made from a mould of my ear.
The next day I was back in the shop & was told by the specialist that the thing would have to be sent back to the manufacturers to be re-made & I would lose the use of it for 2 weeks. I gently explained that this was not good enough & demanded that they manufactured a new one whilst I retained the use of the still working but holed existing. He tried to fob me off with all sorts of reasons as to why it had to be re-made including the fact that the electronics in the device had a serial number.
At this stage I drew upon my long held but seldom used stock of French swear words, opened the door to the waiting room for all to hear, & told him in no uncertain terms that their service was merde & he could either give me my money back now or agree to make me a new .He then told me that the new one would be ready in 2 weeks & I was of course able to use the existing until the new one arrived.
The 2 weeks is up next monday. I will let you know what happens.
Apalling!