I've paid insurance on my fridge for years - so why won't Currys replace it? SALLY HAMILTON replies

In December 2007, I purchased a combination fridge and freezer from Currys located in Guildford for a price of £599. Along with the purchase, I acquired a warranty from the same retailer that indicated they would repair or exchange a covered item without charge.

At the beginning of the year, I informed Currys about a problem and they sent one of their engineers to examine the appliance. The engineer informed me that finding spare parts for the appliance may not be possible due to its age.

After looking into getting a new unit with the same specifications, it appeared that it would be roughly £1,500. However, Currys then ended up sending me an eVoucher for only £599.

I declined this proposal and expressed my dissatisfaction to the company through multiple channels such as phone calls, emails, and written correspondence, even addressing the matter to its top executive. Unfortunately, no effective actions have been taken in response. I humbly seek your assistance in this matter.

The blog post is about D. R. from Surrey, specifically the town of Woking.

Currys is declining to provide a customer with a new refrigerator-freezer even though the customer has been paying insurance for it. This has left the customer feeling excluded from the benefits they were supposed to receive.

Sally Hamilton responds by saying that the cost of shipping has increased significantly, and there is a continuous global scarcity of materials. As a result, the prices for various home appliances have surged over the last few years.

It's not surprising that you had difficulty locating a fridge freezer at the same cost as the one you purchased in 2007 given the current market situation. Additionally, the rise in prices due to inflation has not been accounted for in this scenario.

I believed that Currys had deceived you, and I was displeased that they excluded you when you attempted to have your issue resolved by the higher-ups.

Each year, you made payments for a security policy to ensure that you would receive a no-cost fix or new appliance if any issues arose.

Your reliable refrigerator and freezer served you for 16 years, and I believe it has fulfilled its obligations to you.

Yet, Currys had been receiving your yearly payments for nearly 16 years in exchange for assuring coverage for any potential issue, regardless of the age of the appliance.

You informed me that the cost for the Currys warranty, which is a form of insurance coverage, began at £39 per year. However, when you filed your claim in September 2023, it had increased to £72.

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Your estimation is that you have spent around £800 on insurance payments in 16 years, which is more than the amount you paid for the fridge initially.

I reached out to Currys and asked them to take another look at your claim. Given that they had previously ignored your requests, I anticipated a chilly reception.

I am happy to announce that Currys quickly acknowledged their error within 24 hours and admitted that your claim was valid.

According to a spokesperson, the fridge cover you bought is considered a "legacy" policy. This signifies that it is not offered to new clients and this created confusion when you made a claim.

The product was taken off the market following a rebranding of the company that took place in the year 2021.

The previous cover you bought came with an assurance of safety regardless of what occurs, keeping your items secure from defects and unintentional harm.

This implied that they would receive a brand new replacement that was the exact same model when a device was deemed impossible to fix.

After conducting an inquiry, Currys has acknowledged that their staff who were dealing with your grievance erroneously treated your request as a refund of the initial amount paid, instead of the sum of buying a comparable replacement item.

Following my action, Currys rectified their error and made arrangements to reimburse you with a sum of £1,399, which is the price you paid for the replacement fridge freezer, after the previous one had stopped working.

When you're buying a new appliance, you might be puzzled about whether you should spend extra money on an extended warranty. It's worth noting that these warranties aren't mandatory, but stores push them because they can make a lot of money that way.

Purchasing a warranty that extends the coverage period is not always a wise investment, especially for items that are sold for a lower price.

I usually avoid them and choose to be self-sufficient by paying for any unforeseen expenses with my savings.

I am going to register for no-cost assurances, which numerous retailers and producers provide. To be eligible, purchasers must fill out forms and forward them to the manufacturer or retailer.

Wife With Dementia Keeps Job, Three Won't Terminate Contract

Until November 2024, I am contracted to Three for my phone service. Originally, it was intended for my spouse, but due to her dementia, she doesn't use or comprehend mobile phones anymore.

I made a phone call to cancel my contract due to some difficult situations. The response I got was that I would have to keep paying £22.87 monthly until the contract period is over or pay a total of £276 right now to terminate the contract immediately.

I was told that since the phone is registered under my name, assistance is needed. Can you please lend a hand?

L.W. from the North of Lincolnshire wrote in with a question.

Sally Hamilton responds apologetically, acknowledging the overwhelming challenge of dementia that both you and your wife are experiencing. It's certainly an added burden to have to deal with unsatisfactory treatment from a mobile company.

Breaking phone contracts before the due time can be a complicated issue for anyone, but it can become even more challenging when someone is diagnosed with dementia.

It can be difficult to cancel a phone that is under the name of the person who is experiencing difficulty because they may not be capable of doing it themselves.

Sometimes, a relative may have to go through a lot of trouble to convince a company that they have the legal authority to handle a cancellation on behalf of someone else who gave them Power of Attorney over their finances. The agency in charge of overseeing the communication industry, called Ofcom, wants these companies to be understanding and accommodating when it comes to dealing with customers who are in a vulnerable position due to their health or personal circumstances. That's why they encourage businesses to train their employees on how to recognize and respond to such cases with kindness and compassion.

Your situation was a bit unique because the contract for your spouse's mobile device is registered under your personal information. This practice is quite common for numerous married pairs.

When you told Three about the situation, they immediately replied that they would charge you as if you were terminating an old contract early.

Similar to numerous mobile service providers, Three assures to provide assistance to those in need. The company acknowledges that every individual's circumstances are different, and a single solution may not be suitable for all. However, I sensed that the representative I spoke with did not fulfill this commitment or indicate the adaptability and empathy that Ofcom's directives advise.

I reached out to Three to inquire about the issue at hand. I'm happy to report that as a result, Three got in touch with you promptly, terminated the contract, settled the remaining amount, and waived the £276 fee for cancellation.

"Get To The Core: Writing Effective Blogs"

In the beginning of October, my Whirlpool washing machine stopped working and I reached out to the manufacturer to repair it.

Starting from October 9th onwards, an engineer has reset their appointments six times, and on some occasions, it was done on the day of the appointment. I have had to take six half days off from work for this reason, and I am quite perplexed about what the reason behind it could be.

"Dear readers, I have received an email from E. E. regarding the blog section of our website. They had some concerns about the language used in the section, and suggested using simpler language that is more accessible to a wider audience. After giving it some thought, I agree with E. E. that our language may have become too complex and elitist. As a result, I have decided to make some changes to the style and tone of our blog section. We will work towards using more straightforward language that is easier to understand for everyone. Thank you for your feedback, E. E. We appreciate it and hope that our changes will make our content more accessible for everyone. Best regards, [Your name]"

Whirlpool is sorry for the trouble and acknowledges your annoyance. Therefore, they have reimbursed the expense of the warranty and given an additional gesture of kindness.

The fix was done at no cost on December 12th, which was the day after a particular component had arrived.

I made a purchase on ASOS recently, however, the items were sent to an address that was not mine.

I got in touch with the customer support team to request a reimbursement, but eventually my purchase was delivered. However, I wasn't able to clarify the situation as ASOS terminated my account.

I received an email from M.W.

ASOS has evaluated your situation and restored your account.

In September, I attempted to transfer £200 to my son through PayPal. However, he did not receive the payment. Upon investigation, PayPal notified me that I had sent the funds to an incorrect recipient and it was my responsibility to recover the funds.

I've tried to get in touch with the person multiple times, but they haven't responded at all.

An individual named R. H. has reached out via email.

According to PayPal, they are not responsible for mistakes that their customers make while sending money through their platform. However, as a kind gesture, they will refund the money.

I reserved a round trip air travel from Belfast City Airport to London City Airport through Booking.com.

However, after printing out my boarding pass, I came to know that I will be traveling to Heathrow instead. The airline didn't inform me about this change in my destination beforehand, which was quite inconvenient. Consequently, I had to pay a sum of £174.74 to alter my booked ticket.

According to Booking.com, the ticket was authorized for the incorrect location. Consequently, the platform has made arrangements to reimburse the fee you paid for updating your reservation.

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