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BG: We sell water purifiers, allows people to drink water that they ordinarily couldn't ie. tap water from India, streams, ponds etc.
SC: "Water comes out the top of my bottle and it shouldn't"
Me: "Very sorry madam, can I run through some fault-finding with you?"
SC: *sighs* I suppose
Me: "Is it done up correctly blah di blah?"
SC: "Yes, I'm not an idiot!"
Me: "Of course not madam, but we do have to cover the basics."
I run through the very short list, she replies in bored tones, not leaving enough time between questions for her to do the actual thing I'm asking her to.
Me: "Okay, here's what we will do. I will get you a replacement purifier out to you."
SC: "I'm in Chile."
Me: "That's fine, we will send it to you ASAP, I will organise a courier for you."
SC: "I'm on a train for 22 days. I will contact you when I am at my next destination."
Me: "Okay, no problem, we will send out a replacement as soon as we can get an address."
I hear nothing from her. Not an email, not a phone call.
About eight weeks later, I get this email:
"To Nemesis,
I am writing to let you know that I have sought legal advice over your bottle.
You are in contravention of my statutory rights as laid down by the office of fair trading, as your product is not fit for purpose.
It is supposed to work, but doesn't. You have a duty of care and why didn't you realise that the bottle might not work? Why wasn't a replacement available for me in Chile, you should think about these things and be prepared.
I acknowledge that you wanted to send me a replacement, but I was on a train, so I couldn't get it. Therefore, I had to buy water, which I wasn't expecting to. You are responsible, so you need to pay up £200+ because I was also in Brazil attending the carnival and water is 3 times the price it usually is.
I will forward you my itinerary and faulty bottle if you insist on proof. "
Now here's what gets me:
1. Our product costs around £25.00. She did not buy it from us, we don't know when she bought it, we don't even know if she has one.
2. She says it's faulty, but without the bottle, we do not know if it is
3. We made every attempt to get her a new bottle, (based on her word) even going so far as to book a courier to south america. (All for a £25.00 product)
4. If one was going on a long, remote trip, relying on just one source of water, wouldn't you, y'know, check it before embarking on said long, remote trip? Most travellers are sensible enough to have a back-up plan, in case item gets lost/stolen/damaged.
Does anyone else know a company that would spend £140.00 to replace a £25.00 product? We take any claims of faults seriously and they don't happen very often.
Technically, she could claim under consequential damages, but hot damn, there is a lot of assumptions to go through first.
SC: "Water comes out the top of my bottle and it shouldn't"
Me: "Very sorry madam, can I run through some fault-finding with you?"
SC: *sighs* I suppose
Me: "Is it done up correctly blah di blah?"
SC: "Yes, I'm not an idiot!"
Me: "Of course not madam, but we do have to cover the basics."
I run through the very short list, she replies in bored tones, not leaving enough time between questions for her to do the actual thing I'm asking her to.
Me: "Okay, here's what we will do. I will get you a replacement purifier out to you."
SC: "I'm in Chile."
Me: "That's fine, we will send it to you ASAP, I will organise a courier for you."
SC: "I'm on a train for 22 days. I will contact you when I am at my next destination."
Me: "Okay, no problem, we will send out a replacement as soon as we can get an address."
I hear nothing from her. Not an email, not a phone call.
About eight weeks later, I get this email:
"To Nemesis,
I am writing to let you know that I have sought legal advice over your bottle.
You are in contravention of my statutory rights as laid down by the office of fair trading, as your product is not fit for purpose.
It is supposed to work, but doesn't. You have a duty of care and why didn't you realise that the bottle might not work? Why wasn't a replacement available for me in Chile, you should think about these things and be prepared.
I acknowledge that you wanted to send me a replacement, but I was on a train, so I couldn't get it. Therefore, I had to buy water, which I wasn't expecting to. You are responsible, so you need to pay up £200+ because I was also in Brazil attending the carnival and water is 3 times the price it usually is.
I will forward you my itinerary and faulty bottle if you insist on proof. "
Now here's what gets me:
1. Our product costs around £25.00. She did not buy it from us, we don't know when she bought it, we don't even know if she has one.
2. She says it's faulty, but without the bottle, we do not know if it is
3. We made every attempt to get her a new bottle, (based on her word) even going so far as to book a courier to south america. (All for a £25.00 product)
4. If one was going on a long, remote trip, relying on just one source of water, wouldn't you, y'know, check it before embarking on said long, remote trip? Most travellers are sensible enough to have a back-up plan, in case item gets lost/stolen/damaged.
Does anyone else know a company that would spend £140.00 to replace a £25.00 product? We take any claims of faults seriously and they don't happen very often.
Technically, she could claim under consequential damages, but hot damn, there is a lot of assumptions to go through first.
"
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