Ripped off or Fair?

Booked a technician (Electrolux) oven tripping safety switch gave model no of oven when booking technician. Technician arrived didn’t touch oven just said can’t supply elements for that oven anymore so I cannot fix it that will be $150 call out fee. Oven is 7 years old, have contacted Electrolux and they have agreed to a fee of $95. I feel this is still unfair as they asked for model no when taking booking and should have known they no longer supply parts and therefore couldn’t fix it before sending technician. Do you think I am being treated fairly.

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What is the model number of the oven, While Electrolux may not carry spares for this particular oven, it is worth searching to see if there are any third party online spare stores that do. These include:

https://genuineapplianceparts.com.au/

If you can find a replacement element, you can then organise your own electrician to visit your house to replace.

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Welcome to the Community @max5421

I agree that is over the top if you indicated what the problem was when making the booking, although in theory it could have been other causes; however blown elements are one of the more probable.

It is appalling they would not have parts!

I suggest you search for your rights under Australian Consumer Law, both for products as well as service, and send your retailer from whom you bought the oven a formal ‘letter of complaint’ regarding product quality, expected life, and to Electrolux for service. They can be the same letter.

In your place I would be asking for nothing less than a pro-rata replacement credit for a new oven and a refund for the service call although they might argue they could not diagnose the problem without attending - noting you indicated the tech ‘didn’t touch the oven…’ to back your claim.

There are numerous links to the relevant ACCC and Choice advice on the Community as well as advice on how to write the letter. Use the Community search tool to find them.

Keep in mind the retailer ‘owns’ your oven quality problem not Electrolux, in the first instance. If the retailer tries to fob you off rather than acting as an intermediary they should be reported to the ACCC.

Please keep us posted, and reply again if you wish more advice.

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I have found non genuine elements and fitted them myself and appliance works fine again. The reason for my post is I feel I am being ripped off. The technician was only in my house a few minutes did not physically touch appliance just glanced at it and said can’t fix it because we have no parts then asked for $150 .

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If they could diagnose the fault over the phone when possibly, but, there are many things that could cause a circuit breaker to tip - with the element being one of them. A loose wire/connection, a fan motor with short/insulting issue etc.

It is likely that a electrician would have had to inspect the oven to determine why it tripped the breaker. On doing so, he then made the comment that Electrolux don’t keep spares for your oven any more.

At least they came to be party and reduced the call out fee.

It sounds like the reduced $95 fee was worth it as you then knew what the fault was and were able to find an alternative solution. Without knowing (from the electrician’s visit), it could have still been a mystery.

And replacing them yourself (which isn’t necessarily recommended unless suitably experienced or qualified to do), would have saved far more than the $95 troubleshooting visit.

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Perhaps he previously worked for this Cairns business.

Relevance please? This was about Electrolux not an independent repair company. Are you suggesting the tech may have previously worked there is your point? How many techs change jobs whether they be good or bad?

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I was referring to the similarity of what occured.

"3 years ago

Stay away. Will never use Macs again — they just take your money and don’t deliver on repairs. $132 for ten minutes to tell me it’s broken, which is why I call them in the first place.

Mark"

" Les Kiss

2 reviews

4 years ago

Do not do business with Macs Appliances. They have now moved to Woree. The receptionist Megan is extremely rude from the moment she picked up the phone. They charged me $132 to book a technician to come have a look at a water leak in my fridge.
He walked in and then turned around and walked out saying they can’t fix it cause it’s too old and I lost the money and no effort was put into fixing the fridge. I complain but they have taken the payment and don’t want anything to do with me.
Maybe I should open a business to compete with them. I’ll go to people’s places, say I can’t fix it and get $132 dollars. I’ll do that 5 times a day Mon-Fri and I’m set.
Very un-Australian!"

We actually had them booked to do a repair under an extended warranty that the previous owner of our home had until I saw their reviews.

I called the extended warranty company and told them that this business would not be setting foot on our property.

The warranty business than found an acceptable repairer.