Powerless (Powerhouse)

Member Name: dibuzz

Product:	Powerhouse
Date:	15/01/02 (219 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: plenty of choice, quick delivery time

Disadvantages: poor customer service, poor after sales service

I bought a washing machine in July from Scottish Power who have now been taken over by Powerhouse. I took out the optional 2 year extra guarantee thinking this would give me peace of mind. How wrong can you be?

On 29th December the glass door shattered when I opened it. As my 4 kids were all in the room at the time this was quite scary.

I tried for 3 days to ring the shop but there was never any answer. It turned out they had moved without letting their customers know. I eventually got through by ringing another shop.

I was given the number to ring and after a 20 minute queue I got through to an advisor who gave me another number. This number however had a message saying they would not be open until 2nd January.

I tried several times on that day but it was always engagaed until about 5pm when I got through and after a 30 minute queue spoke to an advisor. I explained what had happened and that we needed a new door. She arranged for an engineer to call on 8th January. I told her we were desperate as we have 4 kids but she said this was the earliest appointment.

On the 7th we got a call asking was it just the door handle which needed replacing.When we said no we were told the doors were out of stock and would take 7 - 10 days.

Next day I visited the Powerhouse Superstore and was told to go to a smaller Powerhouse who were dealing with Scottish Power business. I did this and explained how frustrated I was (we really need the washing machine as 3 of my kids have asthma and their beds need changing often). The salesman was uninterested but gave me the head office number. I rang this and was given another number to ring. They gave me another one who gave me the first one I tried! Each time I was on hold for 15-20 mins. In the end I gave up and wrote to them but have received no reply.

The really annoying thing is that nobody at powerhouse seems interested in my problem. I bought from them as my old washer was b
roken and they offered the quickest delivery time. Although this could affect my children's health they don't care now they have got my money.

It is costing me a fortune travelling to my mother's every day to do my washing and I feel they should offer compensation if they don't fix an appliance within a certain time.

Summary: