Raw Deal: Helping Margaret resolve her washing machine worry

THE lady pictured is Margaret Fletcher – and she should be hailed as a hero of the non-digital world.

Despite what it sometimes seems these days, not everyone has a computer and a mobile phone. Not everyone is “online”.

Many people don’t want to take part in the digital revolution and they have every right to choose not to do so.

Crucially, however, they shouldn’t be made to suffer because of that.

In August last year, Margaret bought a Samsung washing machine from her local Curry’s store in Coventry. The assistant said she had to register the product to validate her five-year warranty.

This could be done online.

But Margaret isn’t online. She doesn’t own a mobile phone.

She is still, however, entitled to her warranty.

The shop assistant advised that she should visit the Know-How team in the store, which Margaret duly did that a few days later.

But they weren’t very helpful, they said she should have filled in the card that came with the machine. What card? Margaret hadn’t seen any card. The best the assistant could do was to suggest she phone Samsung.

Margaret did this the next day. After some language difficulties Margaret eventually got across what she wanted and Samsung said the paperwork would be sent out in the mail.

By September, nothing had arrived so Margaret wrote to Samsung asking why. A week later a letter of apology arrived, which contained a promise that the machine was now registered, the paperwork was being processed and would be sent . . . “shortly”.

Margaret was somewhat perplexed as to why the firm had sent a letter apologising for not sending her the warranty, but not the warranty itself.

Another month went by. On October 10 Margaret went back to Curry’s, only to be told by an assistant that the store should have registered the machine on her behalf.

Yes, said Margaret. Before pointing out, again, that this hadn’t happened.

The assistant and Margaret went to see the same Know-How staff member who had last time told her she should have filled in a card that she hadn’t been given.

This assistant was persuaded to phone Samsung.

She came off the phone with a promise the paperwork would be sent within 28 days.

When a further four weeks passed with no sign of a warranty Margaret sent a letter to Raw Deal.

Although she is a senior citizen, this was the first time Margaret had ever bought a washing machine. The adventure was spoiled, however, by this trouble with the warranty. Margaret said the whole experience was beginning to get her down.

We couldn’t have that.

We pointed out the difficulties to Samsung. Once it grasped the problem, things finally began to move.

Samsung told us: “The warranty for this device was registered when originally requested.

“Due to the nature of the online registration process, customers are asked to include an e-mail address to which the confirmation paperwork is sent. The customer did not have access to email, which unfortunately was not recognised when she spoke to the agents.

“The Samsung customer services team have subsequently sent through a physical copy of this validation to the customer’s postal address, and apologise for any inconvenience caused.”

Margaret sent us a lovely letter saying: “I am pleased to inform you that I finally got the paperwork for a five-year warranty on January 11. A full 21 weeks after I bought the machine.

“Thank you for getting me this, it made a difference when the big guns got involved!

“I didn’t think I’d ever get it.”

Happy washing, Margaret, our respects for standing up for your rights – and don’t you go digital unless you want to!

Do you have a problem?

 To get in touch with Raw Deal please email your address and daytime/mobile number to rawdeal@sundaypost.com or write to Raw Deal, 80 Kingsway East, Dundee, DD4 8SL (please include SAE).

Briefly outline the problem and how you would like it resolved. Include contact details of the other party and any customer ref/order numbers.

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