How do I get Bosch to respond? I have a Bosch Vacuum Cleaner which has broken down, it seems to be a failed electronics board. When I ring there enquiry line they demand my receipt before they will help with getting it fixed or selling me an electronics board. I’m not sure it is in warranty but that doesn’t matter. It did work well but broken it’s more landfill than the world needs. A citation of ACCC elicited a response that it was all about the accountants.
For the purposes of the ACL (Australian Consumer Law), it is a requirement that proof of purchase is necessary if asked for. This proof doesn’t have to be the receipt but can be a number of things such as a Credit Card statement showing the purchase. If the fault is due to fair wear and tear, you may not have coverage under ACL. If it is a manufacturing fault, this may be covered for much longer than a warranty provides. CHOICE has provided some guidance on expected lifetimes, which is around 6 years. It will also depend on the manufacturer claims of quality and the cost of the unit, a more expensive unit would be expected to be of a higher quality and so last a bit longer.
First then, is to find satisfactory proof of purchase. Then, look at the age of the unit. If it seems to fit within the coverage of your ACL rights, then a formal letter of complaint outlining what has happened, and what you expect as a remedy needs to be sent. In the first place this should usually be to the retailer rather than the manufacturer, however if the retailer is no longer in business then the manufacturer will be the first contact.
CHOICE and the ACCC provide templates for the email/letter.
Some further information that may be helpful
The following is checklist by CHOICE to help consumers and there is a link in it to the letter/email templates.
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I’m not looking for “ACL” I’m just looking for Bosch to stand behind their product and offer a repair service outside warranty.
You asked how to get them to possibly respond to your request for help. I tried to outline the steps you need to take. I supplied links to inform you of the steps and proof that are required. Importantly, Bosch have a right to not cover your product if you cannot provide satisfactory proof of purchase. From your initial post it seems that Bosch have asked you for this proof as they are entitled to do. They may also not supply parts to you directly and instead may only supply them to a suitably qualified repair person, particularly if those parts are meant to be installed by a licensed technician or electrician.
From the ACCC on this proof of purchase
Businesses can ask for proof of purchase before repairing, replacing or refunding
If a consumer requests a repair, replacement or refund, the business can ask for a receipt or another form of proof of purchase.
Other forms of proof of purchase include a:
- credit or debit card statement
- lay-by agreement
- receipt number or reference number given over the phone or internet
- warranty card with details of the manufacturer or supplier, date and amount of purchase
- serial or production number linked with the purchase on the supplier’s or manufacturer’s database.
The consumer may need to provide more than one of these things.
The law doesn’t give a definition of how much proof is enough – the consumer just needs to reasonably demonstrate that they bought the item.
Then if you supply that proof, they may help you. If after you provide satisfactory proof and they then do not assist you, you will need to use your rights that come through Australian Consumer Law (ACL). To attempt to get that support from Bosch or whomever sold you the vacuum cleaner, you need to follow some steps. Telephone calls are not usually very effective as you have found out. This means as I posted previously, that you need to write your complaint to them. If they do not respond or do not respond favourably to your complaint, then you will need to contact your Office of Fair Trading. If that is unsuccessful, you will probably need to go your Civil and Administrative Tribunal to see if you can get a resolution.
If your machine does not have a fault covered by your ACL rights or you are unsure it is a fault covered by your ACL rights, you may have to pay a suitably qualified someone to inspect and repair your machine, or find an alternative source for the part if Bosch are unwilling to supply it, or you may have to accept that you may need to buy a new machine. If that suitably qualified someone inspects the machine and finds a fault covered by your rights, you can have that cost of inspection and repair covered but you will need to go through the process outlined already.
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@grahroll described the process to seek that remedy. If you chose to ignore the process you should not expect Bosch to respond favourably since they have not already.
In a nutshell, consumers can ask companies to fix products outside their written warranty and the company might or might not agree.
If the company does not agree, the customer must use the process described in the ACL to press their rights. At the end of the day depending on the failure, the product’s price and market position, claims about the product, and so on, and time the product was in service the ACL may or may not apply.
If you are seeking a paid repair you should be contacting a Bosch service centre for the product, not Bosch per se.
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It might be worth bypassing Bosch and contacting one of their small appliance service agents in your local area. Manufacturers often don’t service or repair products themselves, but, pass it onto one of the ‘authorised service agents’.
If one does a simple internet search, they can be readily found.
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Sounds like you were connected to their Warranty Claims department (and whoever answered couldn’t be bothered or didn’t know enough to direct you to the right one).
If you’re pretty sure the circuit board’s the problem and you just want to get the part and install it yourself, go to the “Buy spare parts online” link shown under Spare parts on Get Help with Your Appliance - Bosch Home Appliances. The online form asks for model number or part number, as one would expect.
If you’re not sure the circuit board is the problem, do as @philt suggested: contact a Bosch service agent near you.
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The battery on mine wasn’t lasting as long just before the warranty ran out. But six months later, it was useless - 2-3 minutes on ½ power and it’s dead. A new battery is more than I paid!!
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I have a Bosch washing machine and my personal experience with Bosch has been very good, they repaired my washer free of charge after the warranty had expired.
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I had a Bosch Front Load washing machine and the drive belt went. Bosch lead me on a merry chase to get a replacement and in the end said they couldn’t source one for me. Coincidentally I went on a business trip to Singapore so rang Bosch on the off chance they might stock the belt. Their reply 'Sure, how many do you want…" (Thus ample supply). Went to their outlet and purchased one so, yes I can understand your frustrations with BOSCH Australia.
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