Faulty Heater.....do Makers Compensate For Loss Of Fish?

[chookchook]

im devastated, well and truly.
sometime during the night, my new 300w scuba heater 'exploded' (for want of a better word) frying all my tanks inhabitants (SA cichlids, not the cheapest of fish either) i only bought the heater in may (i have 2x 300w heaters in this big tank and one was failing so needed replacing) and its apparantly under a 2 year warranty according to the box, but the shop i bought it from no longer exists so im unsure what to do. i mailed the makers of the heater this morning and got a simple reply this afternoon telling me to return it to the shop i bought it from (even though id explained in my email complaint that the shop closed down 4 months ago)
i mailed them back explaining i couldnt do this and havent heard anything else back. (i know i know i need to be patient but im fuming and upset and hormonal)

but now im sitting here in tears over the loss of all my fish, my viejas, my oscars, my humongus plecos and picto cats, and all the dithery fish that swam among them... will they compensate for loss of fish if it shows the heater was faulty?

 

[MBOU]

I doubt it, unfortunately

I believe most of tem have 'get out' clauses meaning they dont have to pay out every time people lose fish...

If people get fish replaced, its usually done on the generoisity of the shop, they dont legally have to replace fish but if a retailer has any sense, they will just cut losses and give you the fish to keep you as a customer... mind you, for that ammount, you'd have to be a good customer....

Without the shop... you'll have a battle on your hands

 

[micko]

If often wondered the same myself.
No doubt, as MBOU stated, there will be a get out clause.
Good luck and keep us updated.

 

[soybean]

No of course they won't, unless you can prove beyond a shadow of a doubt to their satisfaction that the heater is to blame - unlikely!

Best you can hope for is a replacement under the warranty.

 

[nurglespuss]

Your contract is with the store, so you would have to make a claim with them. They would then make a claim on the supplier/manufacturers insurance. It would have to go through small claims court. Just because the shop no longer trades doesn't mean this can't be done, it would have to be done through trading standards. However, there isn't much chance of success beyond a replacement heater. Sorry.

 

[chookchook]

had another mail back asking me to send the heater (at my own cost) to an adress in Italy for inspection, registered post. bet you that will cost me a fortune.....they think it is abnormal that such a new heater would blow out like that and would like to run tests on it before they go any further...

 

[soybean]

Sounds a dead end. Put it down to experience and buy a new one.

 

[MBOU]

Depends really... always play the pity vote, at least you know something it wrong with it and worst that happensis you lose a few quid, you could potentiall get more ... up to you

 

[zuulan]

I had a similar situation. Luckily it wasn't so bad that I lost fish, but the store I bought it from got taken over with a new company registration, it was BAS in Bolton, UK. So they wouldn't honour any faulty good claim sold by the previous owners.

Anyway they said I send it back to the maker, but as a heater is about £15 I didn't bother sending it back as P&P was probably going to be £5. Anyway a lot of companies only deal direct, like Dell, even if your don't buy it direct from them. Warranties over 1 year are often with the manufacturer and not the shop you bought it from.

No idea about compensation for your lost fish tho, I'm guessing unless it specficly said it would guarantee against loss of fish then they won't pay out.

 

[MBOU]

I think it all depends on how much you want to fight your corner!

I have helped two customers with this type of complaint before, both got help in the end but without a retailer, they might not have got far....

Hagen replaced a Roma 200 and gave credit for all the liverock and fish (to an extent) when the guy left the tank overnight and seals all blew out on the tank and killed everything and wrecked the filter etc...

Hozelock helped out a bit for a customer who's filter blew a seal and emptied 18,000 liters out of his garden and wrecking his neighbours garden and killing the 20K worth of koi he had in there....

But both took MONTHS of proof and negottiation and screaming and crying...

I got sick of one of the companies not listening to me so told the customer to cry and be devastated and handed the phone over. The guy deserved an award! But it worked.....

But without that help and companies finally getting their butt in gear..

 

[Geoff-]

had another mail back asking me to send the heater (at my own cost) to an adress in Italy for inspection, registered post. bet you that will cost me a fortune.....they think it is abnormal that such a new heater would blow out like that and would like to run tests on it before they go any further...

To Italy?

hear nothing in over a month.. make a phone call "did you get my heater?" italian company replies "what heater?".

good luck with getting further compensation. chalk it up to experience and go with a german brand (jager eheim). zee germans are far more reliable

 

[trianglekitty]

had another mail back asking me to send the heater (at my own cost) to an adress in Italy for inspection, registered post. bet you that will cost me a fortune.....they think it is abnormal that such a new heater would blow out like that and would like to run tests on it before they go any further...

To Italy?

hear nothing in over a month.. make a phone call "did you get my heater?" italian company replies "what heater?".

good luck with getting further compensation. chalk it up to experience and go with a german brand (jager eheim). zee germans are far more reliable

Is that the best brand? I've read way too many stories about malfunctioning heaters lately.

 

[walkers101]

Cut your losses and go with a decent brand in future