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‘Don’t use unbranded coffee capsules’: the clauses that can void your warranty

Paloma Kubiak
Written By:
Paloma Kubiak
Posted:
Updated:
22/06/2016

The last thing on your mind when you buy a new gadget or appliance is reading the details of the warranty or operating instructions.

But how you use your appliance, where it’s stored and what you do with the packaging can affect whether a retailer or manufacturer will agree to fix a problem, according to Which? research.

The consumer group analysed product warranties of branded boilers, laptops, washing and coffee machines, televisions and fridges and found varying levels of detail.

Some were vague, stating that using ‘unapproved items’ to open a TV box or exposing your vacuum cleaner to nature would invalidate a warranty.

Others were specific saying, for example, manufacturers won’t repair products damaged by earthquakes, war, terrorism, fire, natural disaster or an accident.

Beth Askham of Which? said some warranty clauses verged on the ridiculous. Paperwork for one coffee machine said it couldn’t be operated in altitudes higher than 3,400m, an impossible height for the UK as the tallest mountain Ben Novis stands at only 1,345m.

Clauses that can catch you out

Below is a list of clauses on popular household items which may be nulled for less obvious reasons:

Coffee machines (AEG, DeLonghi, FrancisFrancis, Krups)

If damage occurs from using unbranded capsules, such as supermarket own brand, you’re not covered. But it’s down to the manufacturer to prove it was the capsules that caused the problem.

Using a coffee machine in a ‘non-domestic’ setting such as a B&B, farmhouse or office will void your warranty, as well as if you fail to descale the product or even use the wrong descaler. Some firms say you need to use their own branded descaler but as they cost between £5 and £17, it’s no wonder customers turn for cheaper options. Just don’t use vinegar as it’ll leave a bad taste.

If the machine does stop working, it needs to survive a journey to a repair centre as any damage in transit isn’t covered.

Washing machines (Beko, Bosch, Hotpoint, Indesit)

Many parts you think may be covered are actually excluded such as plugs, cables, covers and filters – those mainly made by plastic or glass.

As above, damage in transit or using the item in a business environment won’t be covered. And rather ambiguous is ‘improper use’ so the warranty could be nulled if you don’t use it in the way that it is stated in the instructions.

Vacuum cleaners (Bosch, Dyson, Hoover, Miele, Vax)

Be careful exactly what you hoover as sucking up ash, rubble, plaster or water will most likely void the warranty. You also shouldn’t use it for ‘non-domestic use’ such as commercial cleaning or use unbranded parts, such as hoover bags.

Fridges and freezers (Beko, Bosch, Hotpoint, Indesit, Samsung)

Where you store your fridge/freezer could affect your warranty so before placing it in a garage or outbuilding, you should check what the paperwork says.

Fridges and freezers are designed to work within a climate range, called a climate class. The normal range (N) is 16-32°C, and sub-normal (SN) is 10-32°C. If a fridge or freezer is placed below this range, such as in a cold garage, it may not work properly and may not be covered.

Boilers (Glow-worm, Ideal, Vaillant, Viessman, Worcester Bosch)

Boiler warranties demand the most from you in terms of regular maintenance, and require you to involve the manufacturer in your boiler’s upkeep.

Which? said every manufacturer it assessed required the user to have the boiler serviced annually for the warranty to be valid and you may also need to register the boiler within 30 days of installation for the warranty to be valid.

You need to be careful carrying out maintenance yourself such as re-pressuring and resetting it, bleeding it or thawing frozen condensate pipes or relocating it and many warranties don’t cover descaling or repairing damage caused by corrosive water or sludge.]

TVs (LG, Panasonic, Samsung, Sony)

Avoid pausing your favourite TV show as irreparable damage may be caused by the same image being on the screen for too long and you also shouldn’t use unapproved accessories though manufacturers don’t tend to define exactly what these are. You should also avoid humid environments.

Laptops (Apple, Asus, Dell, Toshiba)

Most manufacturers are concerned about the state of your laptop should a catastrophic disaster occur: war, earthquake, terrorism etc, but scratches, wear and tear, dead battery aren’t covered by the warranty.

If your laptop’s developed a pixel problem, Toshiba doesn’t cover minor defects in LCD screens while Asus recommends you keep the original packaging so you can transport the laptop safely if it needs repairing.

Bought a faulty item? Your rights

Amanda Diamond, Which? consumer rights editor, says if you buy a product that turns out to be faulty, you’re protected under the Consumer Rights Act.

For 30 days after you’ve bought or received it, you have the right to reject it or, if you prefer, to get a repair or replacement. After this time, you still have the right to a repair or replacement.

If the product develops a problem more than six months after you bought it, the onus is on you to prove that the fault was there at the time of purchase, rather than the retailer proving it wasn’t.

If the faulty product is more than six years old (five in Scotland), your claim may well be dismissed, as the time you have for bringing a claim in the small claims court will have passed.