Consumer Rights Issue: Budget Appliances Ltd Refuses Responsibility for Damage

Ambac

Hi all,

I’m hoping to get some advice on an ongoing issue I’m having with a company called Budget Appliances Ltd, based in Drogheda, though they deliver and install across Ireland.

I purchased a dishwasher from them a few weeks ago, and while the initial installation seemed fine, I soon noticed a serious issue. Three days after the installation, I discovered water pooling under my floor. It turned out that the inlet tube to the dishwasher was leaking, and this caused significant damage to the flooring underneath. The floors had to be taken up and dried out, and now, I’m left with a huge repair bill.

I contacted Budget Appliances Ltd about the damage. They came out a few days later and fixed the leak by replacing the tube, but they’ve refused to take responsibility for the damage to my flooring. The total cost of repairs is €1,133, which covers both the floor replacement and the plumbing call-out.

I've been trying to get in touch with them for weeks now, but they’ve been ignoring my messages and refuse to cover the costs. I’m left having to file a consumer claim and potentially take legal action. At this point, it’s become really stressful and time-consuming.

I’m wondering if anyone here has had similar experiences with Budget Appliances Ltd or if you have any advice on what I can do next. I’m looking into legal options under the Sale of Goods and Supply of Services Act 1980 and the Consumer Rights Act 2022, but I’d love to hear if anyone has gone through something similar or has tips on how to deal with companies that won’t take responsibility for their mistakes.

I just want to warn others that if you’re considering using Budget Appliances Ltd, be aware that their customer service doesn’t seem to handle issues like this well at all.

If you’ve had a similar experience, feel free to share any insights you might have on pursuing consumer claims or how you dealt with a similar issue.

Thanks for any feedback or advice!