‘Defective’ washing machine: Notices issued to company, dealer

Respondents sued for Rs216,000.

LAHORE:

A consumer court on Saturday issued notices, for May 15, to a washing machine manufacturer and the owner of a store that sold a faulty washing machine to a customer.

The respondents have been sued by the petitioner Ahmad Sarwar for Rs216,000.

The petitioner said that on March 12, 2011, he had bought an Electrolux washing machine from Al-Fateh Electronics at Queens Road for Rs16,000. However, the spinner stopped working on the first day.

At his complaint Electrolux had repaired the washing machine on May 7, 2011.  However, it kept on giving him trouble, he said, and at the end of March 2012, the machine stopped working.

He said he had contacted the company who promised him that a representative will soon be sent to his home to check and replace the machine. Despite many calls, he said, no one had come. He claimed that at the time of purchase, he had been given a 10-year warranty. He said that he had sent, on May 6, legal notices to the respondents but had not received a reply.

He prayed the court that the respondents be directed to reimburse him the cost of the machine (Rs16,000), and pay him Rs50,000 as lawyer’s fee and Rs150,000 as damages for causing him mental agony.

Electrolux Pakistan in charge George Barkat held Al-Fateh Electronics responsible, stating that it was the duty of the dealer selling their products to inform the company about any complaint. Al-Fateh Electronics, according to him, did not pass on the complaint.

He claimed ignorance about the petitioner’s claim that he had been promised a home visit by a company representative and assured repair or replacement of the washing machine. He added that though replacing the machine was “difficult”, the company would be happy to repair it.

Al-Fateh Electronics could not be reached for a comment.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 6^th, 2012.