Dear Sally,

I hope you can help us obtain a refund from Currys PC World for a faulty dishwasher that my husband bought for £578 in June 2019, which broke down earlier this year while it was still under warranty.

I have been speaking to Currys regarding this problem since May, but have had no success. My last email to the company in September went unanswered. We have had to buy a new dishwasher on our credit card in the interim, and are now £500 out of pocket – not to mention the time and mobile phone minutes spent on trying to reach a resolution.

– EJ, Sheffield

Sally says:

Sorting out your faulty dishwasher has turned into a seemingly never-ending cycle of cancelled appointments and failed callbacks.

When you first told Currys the appliance was broken, you hoped for a direct replacement. However, the model was no longer available so the company agreed to collect the machine and refund you. Unfortunately, the “wrong” workmen arrived on May 24 and could not complete the task, because they were not trained to disconnect integrated appliances such as yours.

You rebooked for a few days later, but again the technician did not have the requisite skills, so cancelled. Complaints fell on deaf ears and promised callbacks never came. Finally, on June 19, the machine was taken away and you were told the refund would appear in five days. But nothing was received. You chased it up via an online form a few weeks later, then followed up with a call. Despite further promises of a refund, it did not materialise.

You and your husband are both busy doctors working for the NHS and felt particularly aggrieved about the long periods wasted staying in for failed appointments and the inordinate time spent on the phone trying to resolve the problem.

I asked Currys to switch its efforts to an express cycle and organise your refund pronto, as five months of waiting was just not acceptable. The firm soon held up its hands and apologised for the shortfalls in dealing with your complaint.

A spokesman said: “We are very sorry that the customers have not received the level of service we expect of ourselves. Following a thorough investigation, we have spoken to the customer to arrange the £578 refund.” It has also offered you £180 as a ­goodwill gesture.