Customers lodging hundreds of complaints over faulty items feuds

FRUSTRATED customers sold faulty products are spending months fighting for refunds or replacements, with some forced to go to ­absurd lengths for items that fail within days or weeks of purchase, says consumer watchdog Choice.

FRUSTRATED customers sold faulty products are spending months fighting for refunds or replacements.

Some are forced to go to ­absurd lengths, including paying for expert advice, to get redress for items that fail within days or weeks of purchase, says consumer watchdog Choice.

Others endure multiple ­repairs because traders insist problems are minor, not major.

RELATED: FORD FINED OVER DODGY TRANSMISSIONS

PUSH FOR AIRLINE COMPO SCHEME

Choice says some customers stuck with faulty products face frustrating fights for refunds.

Refund rage cases, outlined in a submission to federal Treasury that calls for clear consumer protections, include:

A WOMAN who said she needed a shoe repairer’s testimony to get a store credit after her Doc Marten boot’s inner sole collapsed after a week.

A CUSTOMER who said it took months to resolve a dispute over a coffee grinder that began to smell of burning after two weeks. She consulted an electrician to confirm a fault.

A MAN who claimed his Dell computer was only replaced after three failed repairs over 16 months.

Choice spokesman Tom Godfrey said: “We receive hundreds of contacts from individuals who are frustrated with how much time and effort they have needed to expend in order to convince businesses to provide them with remedies.”

Choice spokesman Tom Godfrey. Picture: Supplied.

‘TOXIC’ DOG FOOD MANUFACTURER TO PAY VET BILLS

“There is an urgent need to amend the law, to make it ­expressly clear that consumers are entitled to their choice of remedy if a product experiences any failure in a short period of time, or multiple minor failures over a specified period.

“Choice has been alarmed at the enormous lengths some consumers are forced to go to in their attempts to access refunds for clearly faulty goods that failed quickly. Many even seek expert assessments at their own cost.”

The Australian Consumer Law allows customers a choice of remedy for major problems, while traders can opt to repair minor issues within a reasonable time. Choice and the Consumer Action Law Centre want US-style “lemon laws” to entitle customers to a refund or replacement for any failure within 30 days, without having to prove a major fault.

For high-value items such as cars, the period should be six months, they argue.

Choice also recommends that any more than two minor failures should be seen as a major issue.

[e-mail]

@KarenCollierHS