Consumer issue what do you think

hydro1

A relative purchased a water filter which she had installed by a plumber but some months later discovered its not working correctly.

The company who supplied it claim the issues she is having is more that likely related to how it was installed. They have offered to call her installer and run through the installation with him to try and ascertain the problem.

She is saying the item is faulty and wants the supplier to resolve it but I think she's wrong. Where does responsibility lie in a situation where you purchase something and then get it installed by someone else and its found not to work correctly.

Xterminator

did the company recommend or supply the plumber, or did your sister source the plumber?

However the offer by the company seems reasonable. if the filter is not fitted correctly it would have problems and i think its reasonable they have it checked out. They have not ruled out filter issue, simply say the need to ascertain what the issue is.

why does you sister not want to comply with a reasonable request?

ohnonotgmail

hydro1 wrote: »

A relative purchased a water filter which she had installed by a plumber but some months later discovered its not working correctly.

The company who supplied it claim the issues she is having is more that likely related to how it was installed. They have offered to call her installer and run through the installation with him to try and ascertain the problem.

She is saying the item is faulty and wants the supplier to resolve it but I think she's wrong. Where does responsibility lie in a situation where you purchase something and then get it installed by someone else and its found not to work correctly.

how is your sister so certain that the problem is with the item and not the installation?

ssmith6287

the supplier is responsible for the product, the plumber is responsible for the installation. If its been a couple of months you'd imagine it was installed properly

ohnonotgmail

ssmith6287 wrote: »

the supplier is responsible for the product, the plumber is responsible for the installation. If its been a couple of months you'd imagine it was installed properly

not necessarily. an improper installation could cause the item to operate in a manner it was not intended to. Its not unreasonable to check the installation was done correctly.

coylemj

hydro1 wrote: »

Where does responsibility lie in a situation where you purchase something and then get it installed by someone else and its found not to work correctly.

In the first instance, it doesn't really matter who is 'responsible' because if your relative declines that offer then she won't have a leg to stand on if she tries to take the manufacturer to court.

They seem to be taking a reasonable first step in an attempt to identify the source of the problem but if she digs into the metaphorical bunker then she is on a hiding to nothing.

hydro1

It's not my sister it's my mother inlaws sister and the mother inlaw was phoning me so initially got a lot of it second hand. I called her tonight and apparently she can't get through to the plumber and although she didn't say so I think this is why she insists the supplier is responsible. The plumber is hers not the suppliers. Wondering if he knows he dud something wrong and avoiding her.

Apparently the suppliers has offered to talk to the plumber and have suggested that the unit has been installed incorrectly as it's supposed to filter out some chemicals that she said she got tested and it wasn't filtering. I can't fathom it and reckon the supplier will eventually tell her to feck off and she won't have a leg to stand on.

I think shes wrong perusing this course and told her so but not sure if she's listening, so hopefully washed my hands of it.

cerastes

How could such an item be fitted incorrectly? That it wouldn't operate correctly?
I'm envisioning an assembly that is a fixed installation on or near a kitchen sink?
Initially the op reads as though the item worked and then stopped working or stopped Working as it had previously done soon after the installation, later it seems the output was tested and it doesn't seem to filter what it's stated it should.
Sounds like the manufacturer is well aware of this and is going down the correct route to fob off the customer by suggesting an installation error, probably suspect it the plumber will not accept fault willingly.

So I'd say, how could you possibly install such an item incorrectly that it wouldn't work?
Because it seems like it would be a most straightforward item to install.

What's likely? An incorrectly seated filter? What kind of filter does it have?

hydro1

cerastes wrote: »

How could such an item be fitted incorrectly? That it wouldn't operate correctly?
I'm envisioning an assembly that is a fixed installation on or near a kitchen sink?
Initially the op reads as though the item worked and then stopped working or stopped Working as it had previously done soon after the installation, later it seems the output was tested and it doesn't seem to filter what it's stated it should.
Sounds like the manufacturer is well aware of this and is going down the correct route to fob off the customer by suggesting an installation error, probably suspect it the plumber will not accept fault willingly.

So I'd say, how could you possibly install such an item incorrectly that it wouldn't work?
Because it seems like it would be a most straightforward item to install.

What's likely? An incorrectly seated filter? What kind of filter does it have?

Apparently it's working but not filtering out chemicals chlorine and fluorine I think I haven't seen it but she said it has a couple of filters in it and supplier reckon it plumbed the wrong way around bypassing the main filters I think. So I can imagine if it plumbed backwards it might not be filtering what she wants but still technically working.

bucketybuck

Worth remembering that the supplier may have encountered this issue dozens of times, and may know that every time this problem was previously reported the cause turned out to be a problem with installation. I've seen similar myself in my own line of work, and the supplier offering to speak to the plumber directly indicates to me that they actually have a good idea what has happened and thats it is a plumbing issue.

Not every supplier is out to screw people, sometimes its worth actually listening to them...

RoYoBo

If this is a reverse osmosis unit, the filter cartridges must be seated in the correct way for proper results. We have fitted our own and there are plenty of youtube videos that are very helpful.

Out of interest, how did your relative determine that the specific contaminants mentioned weren't being filtered out? I have TDS meter and it just indicates a number and doesn't identify the actual dissolved substances. Did she send it away somewhere for testing?

hydro1

I was talking with her this morning and yes she sent samples away to be tested which came back showing no difference in fluorine and supplier reckons somehow the unit may have been installed incorrectly or they didn't put in the main filter. So its possible the unit is ok and I think it beginning to sink in as she said she will try installer again but starting to think he is avoiding her as she also texted him about it and its unusual he hasn't replied.