Responsibility for faulty equipment

Culture
1

In April 2021 we had our 2nd air to air heater installed and it has worked fine till last week when 2 days running it suddenly stopped blowing out heat even though well below the set temperature. I had to cut it off and restart it each time but the trouble is it is not in the same room as me and that room got very cold without me realising it.

I contacted the supplier/installer and was told someone would contact me regarding the ‘intervention’.
Half an hour ago I received an email which asked me to sign a devis of around €170 just for them to come and look at it.

I asked what the length of the guarantie was and was told 6 months for the installation work, 5 years for the compressor and 3 years for electrical equipment.

So I said why do I have to pay if it is a failure of the equipment and what happens if it proves to be the case? They say that then they would claim from their supplier but in any case their turnout and work to discover the problem is at my cost.

Is this the way things are supposed to happen in France? So far I have not signed anything and have not accepted their proposed visit tomorrow at 9.30. Whether they will come or not I don’t know but they have hardly given much notice in any case.

2

I’ve not had much experience in this area but the two times I’ve had to contact companies in similar circumstances I was advised that the fee was only charged if the items (my car and more recently my broadband router) weren’t faulty and it was something I’d done that caused the issue.

Ultimately however it depends what’s in your contract about SAV. Do you still have the contract handy?

3

Not handy, no, I just thought it was a bit off to dive in straight away with a demand for money on something so expensive and so comparatively recently installed. Especially as I know that builders have to have 10 years insurance cover for their work.

I would have thought SAV (if I have understood the term correctly) was to cover servicing, the sort of periodical thing that we did have, and paid for on the first unit which of course is much older, not for apparent breakdowns.

Anyway, as they again tried to rush me by saying in the absence of a rapid agreement they would put off tomorrow’s visit till Wednesday instead. I replied that I would give them my answer tomorrow.

4

Have you tried playing the “ retired pensioner with sick wife in need of heat” to get them to waive the charge??

Don’t ask, don’t get.

1 Like
5

after the first year, our air to air system was covered by the contractor only after signing an annual maintenance contract which also covered call-outs. I think that is standard practice in the industry.
Since then, we have continued the contract (I mentioned this in another topic) at ~200€/pa.
Our garagiste supplied us with a car imported from Spain and re-registered it here in France. I wouldn’t expect them to provide free servicing and breakdown cover…

6

SAV = service après vente… Sorry, I was too lazy to type it all out :slightly_smiling_face:

I was referring to the call out charge being covered by any SAV contract you’ve got, not the faulty device. Costs for repairing the heater would, I think, fall under your consumer protection rights as it’s still relatively new.

7

I take your point but if you buy something new which was installed and could not be taken back for repair or replacement, I don’t think it is wrong to expect someone to at least come and have a look at it. However, in view of in this case the distance involved, 80 odd kms from Limoges perhaps the fairest thing to do would be to pay them for their time and mileage. So I will reply tomorrow in the accord. :grinning:

If something or some part being so new did turn out to be faulty would a replacement be accompanied by reimbursed of costs? I somehow doubt it. :thinking:

@JaneJones Don’t think that would work somehow, already tried to play that card regarding the water leak and loss of hot water. :roll_eyes:

@Gareth I googled it so knew what you meant. :wink: :smiley:

1 Like
8

We have four air to air heaters and having seen what the annual maintainance involved, I decided to do it myself. It just consisted of taking the front off the extenral unit and cleaninging the filter, just a few minutes work once a year for each unit.

1 Like
9

It’s definitely worth asking the question before you agree to going ahead with it. You may hopefully be surprised. Hope it all works out for you.

10

and re-gassing? :thinking:

11

That’s never been an issue.

12

I do that as a matter of course about every 3 months or so, with the vacuum cleaner nozzle. But I did both heaters only about a month ago, the older one is going great guns but the newer one, while great 99% of the time has taken to suddenly stopping for no reason.

I did have that first heater serviced by them about a year ago after they told me it should be done every year, they do the exterior cabinet too. The cost was around €250.

@Gareth

It’s definitely worth asking the question before you agree to going ahead with it.

I think I’ll do that while asking them to hold off on the visit for the time being. I am somewhat disappointed with them for not asking a couple of pertinent questions to try and identify the problem and instead diving in with both feet and demanding money before doing anything.

Edit: I forgot to mention that when I asked for the service of the first heater it was because it had become less efficient, nobody had told me of the need to periodically clean the filters, which I didn’t know existed. But on that occasion they didn’t do what they are doing now, they did what they should have done now, and that is ask me a few questions which revealed the need for cleaning, and for servicing.

1 Like
13

Doesn’t sound right to me David. You didn’t buy three different and unconnected things, installation, electrical components and heat pump. You had one contract to deliver, install and commission your heat pump (I presume) so there should be one overall guarantee, with maybe an extended guarantee on the hardware. What those guys are telling you is your overarching, all encompassing guarantee was only for six months. That sounds strange. I’m sure that when I first installed reversible A/C in 2004 the overall guarantee was for a couple of years and the hardware five. When I replaced one of the compressors and its attached splits four years ago it was something similar. Though as dreadful generalisation, I have to say I’ve found all the domestic A/C people I have dealt with over the years (unlike large Datacentre types) a bit fly by night.

There’s a Government/Citizen’s advice website somewhere that advises how to deal with this sort of thing. I checked it out while in conflict with my rogue paysagiste a few months ago. Sorry, just can’t find the URL :roll_eyes: I may have found it on here.

Final point, it’s not tripping out just because it’s too cold outside?

1 Like
14

No, you only regas if you have had a leak. It doesnt get used up. Yes the filter clean is the anual service but they should be doing more than that otherwise they are being lazy. They should check for leaks, fault codes stored in the memory and out of date components like pressure relief valves etc.

15

Certainly does, would anyone hire a company whos work is only guaranteed for 6 months? Min EU was a year I believe but 10y decenal, where is that cover?

16

That’s what I thought, but then perhaps that was just for building work, although even the really good plumber who at last cured our hot water leak last week complained that that small job was covered for 10 years.

@John_Scully

Final point, it’s not tripping out just because it’s too cold outside?

I wouldn’t have thought so, the outside cabinet faces south whereas the one for the main room, the older one, has been going great guns and its intake fan is on the NW corner of the building.

It has happened just twice, over 2 days. The first time I switched it off and on again and it came back full blast after several minutes, which is normal. The 2nd day it switched itself back on, (that’s not quite correct, it was never switched off) by itself half an hour later at which time the temperature in that room had fallen to 3 degrees below the set value.

If it keeps happening it can be serious because this is the kitchen which adjoins Fran’s bedroom (door always open between the 2) and as I go round the house every morning switching stuff on I am then isolated in the living room and don’t notice till I go back in the kitchen that it has gone cold.

Anyway I have put them off for the time being to see how it developes. This company used to concentrate on the English euro. I was first contacted by an English rep and later, after he left, by an English speaking Frenchman. Also, a year or so ago I think it was, there was a new member here who revealed that he was employed by them as a trouble shooter and his wife also as someone who made sure customers got their just rebates from the taxman. Haven’t seen him since, perhaps I should do a search for the company name, New Wave Energies.

Edit: Found it, this was his post:

Alexander

Oct '21

Hi!

I’m starting a new job tomorrow where I’ll be in charge of informing people on these very government grants and helping work out what you’re allowed.
My wife actually works there too and she’s in charge of doing the paper work for you once we’ve worked out what you need. She makes sure the state pays you.

The company is called new wave energies in Limoges and, as I said, I’m just starting tomorrow in training, so I need to learn the ropes but I’ll be in charge of all English speaking inquiries, being an Englishman myself!

I’d be happy to help out however I can! This will be great practice for me and I’ll do whatever I can to answer all of your questions.

My phone number is 07 55 05 35 81

And my email : alex.lawrence117@gmail.com

Send me any questions you have or give me a ring so we can talk about it.

I’ll try and see if he still works there.

17

Get one of your French friends to phone up asking what the guarantee’s are on any work and system, as they are thinking of getting a new system :wink:

Is this them.

18

Yes, that’s them @Griffin36 , not sure about your suggestion though, it might set in motion irritating calls from them. :wink:

19

Use a mobile and then block the number :wink:

20

Getting technical now friend, remember who you are talking to. :rofl:

I’ve sent a message to that email address, we’ll see if anything happens. :thinking: