Cosd Posted June 15, 2016 Report Share Posted June 15, 2016 (edited) So I have bought two stainless steel radiators for the family bathroom, and the day after they are fitted we notice a white powdery mark on the dark tiles beneath one of the radiators. To cut a long story short, it looks like a weld has failed and there is a tiny loss of water. They boast a 25 year warranty so it's no big deal. I've been chasing the company I bought them from (Heat and Plumb) and they keep telling me that they are waiting for the manufacturer (Reina) to come back to them regards replacement. In the mean while I've taken pictures as requested and emailed them. I get a text yesterday telling me that they are sending me a water testing kit which I need to send back to them before they replace. I called them up and argued that this is a day old after fitting but they argued that they delivered them in April. I explained these came prior to my bathroom starting refurbishment and that the leak was noticed the day after the plumbers completed the install. I also argued that how does a stainless steel radiator corode in such a short space of time even if it was fitted in April and they said that my system should have the correct amount of inhibitor in the system. To say I'm fuming with their stance is an understatement. What to do? Edited June 15, 2016 by Cosd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Banger123 Posted June 15, 2016 Report Share Posted June 15, 2016 From my experience (20 something years in plumbing and heating) the manufacturers will do all they can to get out of there obligations. 25 year guarantee worth about as much as the bit of paper it was written on. Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbiep Posted June 15, 2016 Report Share Posted June 15, 2016 Read up on Consumer Rights Act, and then phone them. Play hardball. Full refund, no arguments. If they want to take it up with the manufacturer, then that is up to them. But YOUR contract is with the vendor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_b_wales Posted June 15, 2016 Report Share Posted June 15, 2016 Trading Standards. They have helped me many times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted June 15, 2016 Report Share Posted June 15, 2016 (edited) just out of interest.......put a magnet on the radiator...to see if they are stainless steel..............(stainless is non magnetic) Edited June 15, 2016 by ditchman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coldweld Posted June 15, 2016 Report Share Posted June 15, 2016 Did you pay on Credit card ? If so contact them, If not refuse to accept their excuse, the problem is theirs NOT the Manufacturer . Send a letter stating the problem and give them 14 days to replace the items or give a full refund Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flynny Posted June 15, 2016 Report Share Posted June 15, 2016 I had this with one from screw fix, the firm who supply screw fix called me and asked to speak to the plumber, etc etc, I said I am the bleddy plumber, I want the rad changing asap, I bought it from screw fix and not you so I want a replacement now, No problem sir we'll send out a replacement tommorow was the kids reply, Don't have it mate, its not fit for purpose and tell them your not wasting your time with testing kits etc etc, Flynny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptainBeaky Posted June 15, 2016 Report Share Posted June 15, 2016 They will ALWAYS blame the water treatment or lack thereof - everything is always the fault of the water chemistry, from corroding radiators to late trains and Arsenal losing at home to Fulham. A radiator that leaks less than a week after installation is patently not of "merchantable quality" - unless you are running your radiators full of descaling acid, the water chemistry really isn't relevant over that short time. As stated above, your contract is with the vendor, so it is *their* problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosd Posted June 15, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 15, 2016 just out of interest.......put a magnet on the radiator...to see if they are stainless steel..............(stainless is non magnetic)just tried a SnapOn magnetic tray on it with very strong magnets and nothing. It doesn't stick at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dodeer Posted June 15, 2016 Report Share Posted June 15, 2016 Can you not email the manufacturer direct and tell them about it and see what they say? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosd Posted June 15, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 15, 2016 Can you not email the manufacturer direct and tell them about it and see what they say? Supplier tell g me they are waiting on the manufacturer, and the above stance is what the manufacturer said. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lloyd90 Posted June 15, 2016 Report Share Posted June 15, 2016 Ask for their official complaints and legal department address as your solicitor has advised you to send a "letter before action" before going to small claims court. May get the ball rolling Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gav05 Posted June 15, 2016 Report Share Posted June 15, 2016 Reina are a good company from my experience recently I I'm a plumbing and heating engineer. a client of mine had a towle rail in the bathroom where a similar joint fault happened they were 5 years old and got a new one sent out for us although there 3 to 5 working days was more like 10 days. Just don't be fobbed off by the middle man who you bough from. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vince Green Posted June 15, 2016 Report Share Posted June 15, 2016 (edited) Straight to trading standards and get it recorded if you think you are getting the runaround. Its nothing to do with the manufacturer, all faults are the liability of the company that sold it to you. They will probably say it was damaged while fitting and they could be right Edited June 15, 2016 by Vince Green Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gav05 Posted June 15, 2016 Report Share Posted June 15, 2016 Just make sure the sample has plenty of fernox or sentinel or mc1 in it and send it back. As I said don't be fobbed off by the middle man this is a weld failure and to be honest not that uncommon the way thease things get tossed around in delivery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buze Posted June 15, 2016 Report Share Posted June 15, 2016 I had a problem last year with a ceramic sink bought from amazon. Amazon washed their hands as the problem was nor 'part of the delivery' and the manufacturer told us that it hadn't been mounted properly. Ultimately we used the Which Magazine subscription, called their legal department, and they gave us a pretty nice template letter to send. 2 days laters, the MD of that company called me apologize and to organize sending me a replacement free of charges. Needless to say, the subscription to the magazine paid for itself just on that one... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosd Posted June 15, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 15, 2016 Just to clarify nothing was damaged during fitting nor transport. I received theboxes personally, they were plastic wrapped and no damage to the rads. They also had polystyrene protection. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buze Posted June 15, 2016 Report Share Posted June 15, 2016 Just to clarify nothing was damaged during fitting nor transport. I received theboxes personally, they were plastic wrapped and no damage to the rads. They also had polystyrene protection. Yes as it was for me, so I couldn't claim it was shipping damage, therefore amazon washed their hands of the problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saltings Posted June 16, 2016 Report Share Posted June 16, 2016 (edited) your contract is with the supplier as you paid them not the manufacturer so take the rad off and return it demand a replacement from where you purchased it a e mails do not work spit your dummy out it leaks enough said Edited June 16, 2016 by Saltings Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leeds chimp Posted June 16, 2016 Report Share Posted June 16, 2016 I had a problem last year with a ceramic sink bought from amazon. Amazon washed their hands as the problem was nor 'part of the delivery' and the manufacturer told us that it hadn't been mounted properly. Ultimately we used the Which Magazine subscription, called their legal department, and they gave us a pretty nice template letter to send. 2 days laters, the MD of that company called me apologize and to organize sending me a replacement free of charges. Needless to say, the subscription to the magazine paid for itself just on that one...Any chance of a copy of that letter?Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old'un Posted June 16, 2016 Report Share Posted June 16, 2016 Any chance of a copy of that letter? Cheers http://www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/letter/letter-to-ask-for-a-faulty-item-to-be-repaired-or-replaced http://www3.hants.gov.uk/tradingstandards/tradingstandards-consumer/goodsandservices-consumers/tsguide-letter-complaint.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruno22rf Posted June 16, 2016 Report Share Posted June 16, 2016 As said - it has nothing to do with the manufacturer at all - your contract is with the seller. Take them off ( they will have to come off anyway) and take them back and demand a full refund. Tell them that this is their one chance to honour their legal obligation and that a refusal will result in court action and they will end up paying costs. As for water samples....it's stainless steel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonny thomas Posted June 17, 2016 Report Share Posted June 17, 2016 Not all stainless is non magnetic some is ferrous the fack that this is non magnetic shows it is a high grade stainless and shouldnt corrode at all in theory you could run tap water through it without any issue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted June 17, 2016 Report Share Posted June 17, 2016 Not all stainless is non magnetic some is ferrous the fack that this is non magnetic shows it is a high grade stainless and shouldnt corrode at all in theory you could run tap water through it without any issue yes quite right..............i think it is leaking from looking at the pics at a joint ........i imajine it has been braized.....might not have got it hot enough to run the bronze......and had an inclusion of flux which has now melted out thus a leak.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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