# currys rant....



## TwiceBlessed (Nov 8, 2006)

Sorry just need to offload.

On 8 december I phoned Currys to explain that our (less than a year old) fridge freezer wasnt working....We have one of their "whatever happens" policies which covers us for a 2 day call out and repairs within 21 days.

One visit (a week later) and we found we needed a new part, to be brought out and fixed in on 15 December.  Phone call on 14 to say part not in but would be by Tuesday 18 and they would come back out on 20th....Phone call on 19th from repairers to say part not in and would be in in a couple of days.  Phone call to them on 24 to say it would be in by 28th...Phone call to them 28th told it wasnt even with insurers yet but would be by today.  Phone call to them today.....no idea when the part is coming

Have been on phone to Currys/Currys head office/Whatever happens policy people/repair centre etc etc....

Again no idea when they can fix it...could now take "months" for part to arrive...only option is for them to send us some vouchers in about 10days and then we have to go in and order a new one.  Explained I was going in for a csection in 2w and wouldnt be (especially without a car- another long story) in any state to go to currys 4 miles away to sort this out when just out of hospital and how desparately we needed a fridge for when our baby comes home.....bad enough being without one for 23 days already.....

Lots of calls/screaming/tears/coughing  ( I have the flu) later no further forward just have to wait for vouchers and then go in and choose new fridge freezer.  Cant do remotely or online.....Asked if I could send a parent in (weekend after beanie arrives) to sort it out.  Yes thats fine but they cant reserve a fridge freezer more than 24 hours which means when they go in we may not be able to get one....aghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.  Waiting for a call from local store to see if they will help at all......and reserve one for us anyway......no sign of them calling back and the only number in the book for them is the one I rang which puts you through to their head office.

Actually I am sounding pretty calm now but am sick to the back teeth of this.  Our policy states they have to fix in 21 days, they havent, because they havent we have to do all the calling and legwork to get a replacement....

Load of **** and what am I supposed to do without a fridge for yet another 3w?


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## *Kim* (May 5, 2002)

Ring them back and threaten to ring the papers with your story of their shoddy service. They may help 

Kim x x


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## Caz (Jul 21, 2002)

What a pile of poo!

From my own experience as a retail manager I can tell you that he who shouts loudest gets what he wants - of course provided you don't descend into a slanging match so I reckon you should make yourslef really visible and keep shouting.
How about going down there in person - pick a busy day, filled with sales shoppers and complain VERY LOUDLY about having no fridge over Christmas, about how you will have none for the first few week's of your baby's life...a heavily pregnant woman making all that noise will be very bad for business and they might just do something for you there and then to shut you up.  At least you can make them use their phone and phone bill while you phone up their head office (forget their customer care centre as they will just tell you what the book says to say - go to the head office as high as you can) and find someone who will sort this decable out.
They have, after all, defaulted on their agreement with your to fix or replace within 21 days so they should now be trying to appease you. I know they might have a rule or policy about the credit note thing etc. but actually, rules are made to be broken and I am sure someone somewhere in Currys (even if it is the CEO) can authorise it in your case. 

Failing all that, threatening the papers helps too "New mother left without a fridge by incompetent retailer" sounds quite brand damaging to me. 

C~x


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## TwiceBlessed (Nov 8, 2006)

Thanks people.

Caz-  I can hardly move these days let alone go out (gonna have to get a taxi to the hospital for my cons appt on Wednesday) and we have no car so no way of getting there at the moment.  Have to wait for parents to come down on 18/19 Jan....Would have been good though -especially if I could shout.....!!! Love your thinking!

Just phoned Currys HO again, cant get through to store.  Got a lovely lovely lady on the phone (was only getting through to men before does that signify anything?).  Couldnt promise anything but has sent a detailed email to the store again explaining the position in full to the manager (rather than a "ring this woman" email) and they will ring me back (I think).  Really hoping they will make an exception.  If they dont will have to think again I guess.  Please please let this work.....


Dunno what we are gonna eat for the next couple of days....


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## Shellebell (Dec 31, 2004)

Sorry you are having a bad time with Currys  
I used to work for a white goods manuf and we were always having issues with Currys. I would suggest you call the head office rather than the store, I think if you call 08445 61 62 63 and press option 4 you will get the head office, if no joy you ask to speak to a senior/escalate and they should call you back within a stated time. Also found this on their website, which I would send your story to whether you get a resolution or not.

Currys Complaints Process

If you are not satisfied with the level of service provided by Currys, you can: 
Contact our Customer Service team for purchases made in-store: 0844 561 1234 
Contact us on our Aftersales line for online and telesales orders: 0844 561 1234 
Email us: [email protected] 
Write to us: Currys, PO Box 1686, Sheffield, S2 5YB

We undertake:. 
To deal with your complaint fairly, confidentially and effectively 
To respond to you within five working days to provide you with a likely timescale to resolve your issue 
To keep you up-to-date on progress made 
/links


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## Caz (Jul 21, 2002)

EBW1969 said:


> Thanks people.
> 
> Caz- I can hardly move these days let alone go out (gonna have to get a taxi to the hospital for my cons appt on Wednesday) and we have no car so no way of getting there at the moment. Have to wait for parents to come down on 18/19 Jan....Would have been good though -especially if I could shout.....!!! Love your thinking!


Good point!

Well, you can still make enough noise over the phone.

Glad you have made some progress (very interestign that it took a woman to do so though) but don't let it lie and keep on at them. If you keep on at them they will sort it out if only to get you off their backs. Then you can write to complain about the amount of money it cost you on the phone sorting it out and maybe get a bit more off them. 

C~x


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## TwiceBlessed (Nov 8, 2006)

Thanks Shellebelle hon, this is their last chance with me (thanks to the lovely last lady I spoke to they have a mini reprieve).  Im knackered.

If they cant do this reserving for the 3w I will contact the HO and see what they say.  I think they should just bring round a new one tbh. I mean is it worth the hassle not to!!??!!

Caz- you posted as I was replying......deffo not letting it lie if no joy with this one.  As for the lady on the phone when I explained about the baby her first words were "we cant have you coming home to no fridge with a newborn" one of the blokes just kept saying "sorry for the inconvenience" and then had the nerve to say at one point words to the effect of using the launderette....for my washing needs...erm.....huh  

I do keep threatening that the stress may put me into labour..... 

Feel better now kinda....


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## dakota (Feb 6, 2007)

EBW, how about phoning trading standards? or threatening to get them involved, if they have broke an agreement with you which sounds like they have, TS should be able to help you fight your corner.

I hope you get it sorted soon

Nikki xx


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## Catb33 (Aug 1, 2006)

Threatening to go to Watchdog also gets attention if you don't have any joy. What a pain for you. Hope they sort it soon. 

Cathie x


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## TwiceBlessed (Nov 8, 2006)

Thanks all

keeping an eye on all these suggestions if no joy by tomorrow regarding reserving one.

As for crying I was wailing so much earlier and all I got was this "sorry for the inconvenience".  Until the woman realised actually not having a fridge with a newborn in the house wasnt really a good idea.....

Amazing how much calmer I feel atm.

Mind you that could all change.....DP makes me laugh though getting me to "sort it" and telling me lay it on with a trowel about my condition......Mind you he knows if he had got this car malarkey sorted out (we still dont have one) this wouldnt be so much of an issue HA!


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## Caz (Jul 21, 2002)

EBW1969 said:


> As for the lady on the phone when I explained about the baby her first words were "we cant have you coming home to no fridge with a newborn" one of the blokes just kept saying "sorry for the inconvenience" and then had the nerve to say at one point words to the effect of using the launderette....for my washing needs...erm.....huh


Eh?  How excatly does that compute? Am I missing something but a fridge is a fridge isn't it. You put stuff in it to keep cool and stop it from spoiling. I know it's winter and all that but is there any other way of keeping things cool that I don't know about... Hmm, perhaps he's refering to an old camping trick we used to have (when we had bivvies and no room for a proper cool box/camp fridge) We'd stand the milk and butter in a pan of water to keep it cool. Yeah, that'll work. 

C~x


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## TwiceBlessed (Nov 8, 2006)

Someone from the store rang....

The one we want is discontinued and they cant reserve anything for us without payment/vouchers.
I have to choose a different machine....trouble is no way of finding out how much we will get in vouchers (policy place shut today).  

Lady from store did say however that she would come round to pick up the vouchers personally when they get here......!! 

Gonna ring the policy people again in the am to see how much we are gonna get in vouchers.....and see where we go from here.

LOL wish it was snowing then we could take advantage of the outside temperatures..

At least with people shut today I cant stress over it....


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## TwiceBlessed (Nov 8, 2006)

You ready for this .....

They wouldnt speak to me today because I am not the policy holder....

Got through to HO who told me I was trying to bypass their system and they had 4million customers to deal with.

Also told me vouchers could take up to 3w to arrive and they couldnt tell me how much they would be for..

They told me that the fridge freezer wasnt discontinued....

They also told me I had been on the phone fo 23 mins and they couldnt help I just have to wait for the vouchers...

I flipping give up


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## Caz (Jul 21, 2002)

Ooooh    

Go to the top. Bloody useless people. Well, you can tell 'em they've lost at least one custoemr because I won't buy anything from them again.

C~x


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## TwiceBlessed (Nov 8, 2006)

Spoke to woman at local store who again was lovely.  Our ex neighbour is going to take us down there in the car on Saturday, we choose a new one (though heck knows how much we will eventually get in vouchers) and then when vouchers come in we get a refund back to our card.  Cant risk waiting another 3w for the vouchers especially as we are due to meet our baby on 14th

Woman in store phoned policy people and told them to let the store know as soon as they know how much vouchers are for and told me she was now dealing with them ("they are so useless") and not to stress myself any more.  I am thinking of sending her some flowers once we sort this out...!  She has been so nice!

Have the name of the top bod at the insurance place and will be writing after this is sorted.


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## kitten1 (Jan 1, 2007)

Just mentioned this to my DH for ya huni!! (DH is an ex trading standards bod!   )

He says they are in breach of contract and if you pay for your fridge to be fixed and they need to reimburse you. Or something to that effect. (Have bad baby brain!!)

He says defo contact your local trading standards. Unfortunately, he guessed it was currys you are having the problems with - I won't repeat what he called em!!     

Good luck with your c-section huni!!

Mandy xx


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## TwiceBlessed (Nov 8, 2006)

Thanks hon

LOL I cant believe all this time I have been chatting to you and not realised you were a Mandy   or perhaps pg memory brain has kicked in here too

xx Jo


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## TwiceBlessed (Nov 8, 2006)

Went to currys.

They have agreed £479 in vouchers......over the phone.  We just had to choose one...

Erm but nothing in stock.

The "like for like" item is now £599 plus £50 delivery.  They knocked £50 off for us but still means we had to pay £120 for a replacement that could get delivered before (hopefully) this baby.  Delivery booked for Friday 11th (baby booked for Monday 14)

Completely infuriating.  

Just written to head office so we will see if we can get this money back.

Heck I am so flipping mad


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## Caz (Jul 21, 2002)

Jeez, I don't blame you. The have over a barrel a bit as you have to get a fridge in now and it's the only way but, surely they should replace like for like? I would check your contract and get trading standards / CAB involved if you can. You really don't need this cr*p right now do you.

C~x


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## kellixxx (May 30, 2007)

I also had this prob with them over a washer PLEASE don't be fobbed off. You DONT have to wait for vouchers you can go to Curry's and choose what you want up to the value of you goods. Thats what we did i turned into a stalker till i got my own way  

Good luck and ring 10 times a day if you have to

kel


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## TwiceBlessed (Nov 8, 2006)

Hi there me again

This is the response we have had from Currys.

Please could anyone help me type a response.


Thank you for your email dated the 8th January 2008.  I note your comments regarding your the repair to your  fridge/freezer. 

I find that you did request a repair on the 8th December 2007 and that the repairers did all they could to send an engineer within two working days. We do give the engineers up to 21 days to locate a part and repair the product. The system shows that your fridge/freezer was written off on the 2nd January 2008. Because of the Christmas holidays you did have to wait 23 days. 

The claims department can take from five to ten working days to send you the vouchers.  They would send vouchers to enable your to purchase a replacement fridge freezer with the same specification as your previous product.  You did make the decision to purchase a fridge freezer at a higher price because you felt you were in need of the product. 

Now that you have redeemed the vouchers we can no longer offer you extra payment for the fridge freezer you have purchased. 

Any help appreciated!

I am seething


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## Suzie (Jan 22, 2004)

I would suggest going down to your local store and causing a massive fuss around the store! I bought a brand new car that went wrong a few times in first couple of weeks and they said they wouldnt offer me a new one so I went into the showroom and told all the other customers about my car! 

Within 10 mins I had new car on order 

Ring the call centre and tell them you will be going into your local store this afternoon (even if you cant get there  ) and tell them you will be making such a stir amongst the other customers that it wouldnt be good for their business ! . Also advise the person on the phone that you are due to give birth very shortly and you are sure that they would like the matter resolved asap as you or your baby certainly dont need the stress this is causing. So if they would like to send you the remaining money you are owed then you can concentrate on trying to relax and not distressing your baby with the stress 

Trust me as the others say shout loud and go for the make them feel guilty for causing a pg lady stress 

hope you get the matter resolved!

x


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## TwiceBlessed (Nov 8, 2006)

Thanks, we went to the store on saturday and they were great.  Big fat pg woman causing a fuss etc.  Our problem is with the insurance you take out on the product. 

They told us this was our best option, to get the more expensive one and claim back the difference.  We didnt WANT a more expensive one, we wanted the same one or other to the same spec.  But they didnt do them or wouldnt have them in stock for weeks. 

They didnt give a stuff at the insurance company when trying to sort this out over Christmas and New Year telling me babies dont need cold milk and I would just have to wait etc.  I even explained how my bp had exploded at one point after speaking to them and that I am a high risk pgy.....I just got the brush off.

I think they owe us SOMETHING. 

If I wasnt at risk of going into labour (baby now 4/5 engaged and lots of other minor signs) Id be down there like a shot.....


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## TwiceBlessed (Nov 8, 2006)

Phoned the store, the kind lady is gonna ring me back when she comes back from lunch.  Try and get some more details and get them to confirm to the insurance place that we were ADVISED to buy the more expensive one and claim back.

Also planning on sending a "holding" email back to coverplan while this is going on as I dont feel I can take this on at the moment given the timescale for this baby!!!  Is it worth contacting the ombudsman or whoever?  Or shall we try once more direct to their head office (this probably being their first stage "Fob off" response. 

Lets see if the new fridge freezer arrives today.....


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## JaneNewcastle (Jun 17, 2005)

"The claims department can take from five to ten working days to send you the vouchers.  They would send vouchers to enable your to purchase a replacement fridge freezer with the same specification as your previous product.  You did make the decision to purchase a fridge freezer at a higher price because you felt you were in need of the product."

So, their policy is, 21 days to write off, then 10 days to get vouchers, so there is already a month with no fridge.  Then you go to the store to be told the one you want is not in stock.  To expect someone (pg or not) to be without a fridge for weeks while the same spec one came into stock is not reasonable behaviour, and any court would uphold that.

Your store ADVISED you to take the higher price unit, as they were UNABLE to replace the FAULTY item you had purchased AND insured with them.  Your insurer gave you the vouchers that were only valid at a store that did not have the product.  If you had been given cash instead of vouchers, you could have gone elsewhere to get the product.

They put you in this position, they are responsible for ensuring that you are not out of pocket.

I have a friend who is BRILLIANT at complaint letters.  She has a habit of obtaining the Directors name and writing to him at his home, that usually gets some action.

Jane
xx


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## TwiceBlessed (Nov 8, 2006)

Thanks Jane

I have sent the holding email to the coverplan people. Maybe a bit too much info but stuff it. I am looking out for labour signs for goodness sake and dont need any extra stress thinking I need to sort this out now...!!!

"Thank you for your email. We will be responding in full in due course.

Due to the timing of your response and it now being so close to delivery of our child, (in fact we have been informed yesterday as to being currently in the pre-labour stages -while being due to be admitted for a c-section on Monday 14 ) it may be up to a couple of weeks before we are able to do this. [my name here] is at home today awaiting delivery of the new item and we obviously will be best placed to respond to your message once this has been received and we are happy that it is working etc. Also some points of your email we will be clarifying/ discussing with our local branch of Currys once we have been able to speak to them.

Please could you confirm details of the Managing Directors name (was this correct on our previous message) and also a direct email for his office.

Thank you in anticipation, we will be in touch again as soon as is practical."

Right I am going to go and veg in front of the TV......

Currys store called back, fantastically helpful lady again "leave it with me there is one more step I can take to try to sort this out for you"......shes going to call me back.


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## TwiceBlessed (Nov 8, 2006)

Phone call back from the store...she sorted it.  £120 coming our way!

Result!

New fridge freezer is here too.


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## JaneNewcastle (Jun 17, 2005)

Yey


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## Caz (Jul 21, 2002)

Oh well done! Persistence pasy off. 

Still, you should not have gone through all that palaver in the first place. Kind of makes a mockery of buying insurance really. 

Lots of luck for Monday.  

C~x


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## ♥ M J ♥ (Apr 17, 2004)

Fab news that it is finally sorted however at some point (when you have 5 mins  ) i would still be looking to make a formal complaint to the insurance dept as you paid it for a reason and the way they have treated you preg or not is not acceptable!

good luck for monday meeting your little one

xx

I know who you are talking about  and she certainly gets results!  



JaneNewcastle said:


> I have a friend who is BRILLIANT at complaint letters. She has a habit of obtaining the Directors name and writing to him at his home, that usually gets some action.


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