Comments on: Poor Customer Service from iRobot UK (Roomba)

By: Robert

Robert — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 21:22:38 +0000

Hey its not only in the UK that IRobot gives terrible warranty and customer service.

I have been lied to, put off, etc on the repair of my Roomba….

It stopped working within the first two months of purchase and I have been battling with them ever since.

I have better ways of spending $400……..and it will never be with a IRobot product ever again.

By: David

David — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 10:08:06 +0000

Had the same problem with a 560 – old style cleaning module stopped working.
Called Domotec on Wednesday, they asked for a serial number and an address to send the spares – it arrived Friday!
I was stunned at how easy it was – they must have identified the age of the unit and that it had the ‘old’ style module and just issued a replacement, no questions, no hassle.
Can’t fault iRobot or Domotec, I’m still stunned at how fast & easy it all was.

By: Exigency In Specie / Lousy Timing

Exigency In Specie / Lousy Timing — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 18:27:01 +0000

[...] purchase, and this morning I put the order through on the official iRobot UK site. Then I read this posting on Howard’s site – he has hit a problem with his Roomba and is trying to claim under the warranty – the problem, the [...]

By: joe

joe — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 20:09:09 +0000

The main brushes on my 530 packed in on Monday this week. I phoned domotec uk on tuesday, new cleaning module arrived this morning (thursday)..easily fitted, and working great again. Sorry about your problems, but i found the service exceptional. (My unit is 6 months old, and i bought (new) from a company on the web.

By: Ian Cunningham

Ian Cunningham — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 06:47:05 +0000

They are playing games with you – the limit is the reasonable life time of the unit up to 6 years. They have also stated a 12 month warranty as part of the sale. 30 days is not a reasonable
lieftime for such a product. The seller is responsible for repair/ replacment or refund – nobody else. I-robot may have appointed Domotec. It’s very easy to make a small claim on-line (CAB will help) for anythign up to £5,000.00 and I find that this usually reminds sellers of their responsibilities. Of course, it’s tough on a seller sometimes if there is a design fault – but fortunately they have the same rights as you do with respect to their supplier. Obvsioul they’d rather pretend it’s your problem.

Sale of Goods Act Quick Facts
Subject: Sale of Goods Act, Faulty Goods.

Relevant or Related Legislation: Sale of Goods Act 1979. Supply of Goods and Services Act 1982. Sale and Supply of Goods Act 1994. The Sale and Supply of Goods to Consumers Regulations 2002.

Key Facts:

• Wherever goods are bought they must “conform to contract”. This means they must be as described, fit for purpose and of satisfactory quality (i.e. not inherently faulty at the time of sale).

• Goods are of satisfactory quality if they reach the standard that a reasonable person would regard as satisfactory, taking into account the price and any description.

• Aspects of quality include fitness for purpose, freedom from minor defects, appearance and finish, durability and safety.

• It is the seller, not the manufacturer, who is responsible if goods do not conform to contract.

• If goods do not conform to contract at the time of sale, purchasers can request their money back “within a reasonable time”. (This is not defined and will depend on circumstances)

• For up to six years after purchase (five years from discovery in Scotland) purchasers can demand damages (which a court would equate to the cost of a repair or replacement).

• A purchaser who is a consumer, i.e. is not buying in the course of a business, can alternatively request a repair or replacement.

• If repair and replacement are not possible or too costly, then the consumer can seek a partial refund, if they have had some benefit from the good, or a full refund if the fault/s have meant they have enjoyed no benefit

• In general, the onus is on all purchasers to prove the goods did not conform to contract (e.g. was inherently faulty) and should have reasonably lasted until this point in time (i.e. perishable goods do not last for six years).

• If a consumer chooses to request a repair or replacement, then for the first six months after purchase it will be for the retailer to prove the goods did conform to contract (e.g. were not inherently faulty)

• After six months and until the end of the six years, it is for the consumer to prove the lack of conformity.

http://www.berr.gov.uk/consumers/fact-sheets/page38311.html

By: Richard

Richard — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 14:39:51 +0000

Unfortunately I came across this a couple of hours too late – Roomba is ordered and been despatched.

Will be interested to hear the response from iRobot, as their UK site clearly states on the product page under more product details that the Roomba has a one year manufacturers warranty.

It just seems bizarre that you can buy direct from the manufacturer in their UK store and not get a warranty when you could have walked into John Lewis or Makro and got one that would be covered.