Leaking Tank Feedback

Well, I finally heard back from Zooplus where I bought the goldfish tank that suddenly started leaking over the weekend. This is what the email said:

"We talked to the manufacturer about your leaking tank and he confirmed to us, that it is impossible that a tank starts leaking after about 10 months if handled correctly. If the tank doesn't leak when setting it up for the first time, this is not a manufacturing error, and the warranty can't be asserted. Please check if you clean your tank correctly. To stop the leaking, you can use 86514.0, JBL AquaSil Silikon transparent. We thank you for your understanding."

Note the shameless plug to sell me another product.

So what do you all think? Are they right with regards to it being "impossible" for a tank to start leaking after several months due to a manufacturing error?

Sounds like utter b*&$ocks to me. Isn't there some consumer rights law that states a purchase should remain fit for purpose for a reasonable ammount of time?

sounds like flibble to me too, what a cheek!

fibble i said what indi said

what a load of crap!!!

Total rubbish. Have you found out where the tank is leaking from Mary? If you have identified that, then I would write back with the information, and also detail how you clean the tank. Ask them to tell you how they can specify what is 'impossible', tell them how many tanks you have and you clean them all the same etc, etc. Then threaten them with referring them to Trading Standards or whatever the Irish equivalent is.

Well, thanks to some similar advice and my OH reminding me that I recently purchased a book called "Know Your Rights", I consulted the Sale of Goods and Supply of Services Act (1980) which states:
- Goods must be of merchantable quality i.e. have a certain standard, and should last a reasonable period in relation to its cost (up to six years).
- Goods must be fit for the purpose described i.e. a sealed watertight fish tank should remain sealed.
- Goods must be as described i.e. the description must comply with the label and its specific purpose. So you'd expect a fish tank to last longer than ten months.

If a product does not comply with the above criteria, a customer can claim compensation in the form of one of the 'three Rs':
- Repair
- Replace
- Refund

Clearly, the failure of the tank in under ten months qualifies as a breach of contract. So I've written back to Zooplus outlining the above points so they can stick that in their pipe and smoke it!!

Well here's the latest fob off email from Zooplus:

"We would like to apologise once again for the inconvenience that has been caused. However, we would like to inform you that if the tank is damaged then it should have been leaking right from the beginning. Thus, the problem, that was described by you is not a manufacturing mistake. The incorrect cleaning might have caused the problem. "

Grrr, "incorrect cleaning" - I'll swing for 'em.

Just tell those ignorant sods you will not be shopping there again.

I would tell them that they are missing the point. You are not claiming that it was faulty on arrival, but that a seal has failed after 10months use. Tell them that you have loads of tanks, all cleaned and treated in the same way and it is only this tank that has failed - indicating clearly that the method of cleaning is NOT a factor.

Then threaten them with legal action. Do you have the system where lawyersd give you 30mins legal advice free of charge? If you do, a letter from one of them might do the trick.

I hate companies like this.

Diana wrote:I would tell them that they are missing the point. You are not claiming that it was faulty on arrival, but that a seal has failed after 10months use. Tell them that you have loads of tanks, all cleaned and treated in the same way and it is only this tank that has failed - indicating clearly that the method of cleaning is NOT a factor.

That's more or less what I sent back to them. They also suggested that I contact the manufacturer direct but I pointed out to them that legally I have no connection with the manufacturer as my contract is with Zooplus who sold me the defective goods. If they wish to make a counterclaim against Tetra to recoup the loss IF they refund me, so be it but that has nothing to do with me.

Bah, I'm fed up with being Mrs. Nice. If I don't get a satisfactory answer from them the next time to say that they'll either replace the tank or refund my money then I'll start waving the threat of a solicitor letter and/or Small Claims court in front of them. Only €9 to register a complaint and over 60% of cases are settled outside of court. It's worth a shot.

Seems an awful lot of trouble for a €120 tank but IMO it's the principle that counts. It's not right that a respected online supplier (or so I thought) should try and weasel out of their responsibility like that. Just as an example, I bought a small heater for the BiOrb from Aquatics Online which failed after about seven months. When I wrote to them about it, there was no quibble whatsoever - I sent them back the faulty heater and they sent me a brand new one. Now that's customer service!

I had nothing but crap service from aquatics online. I had 2 faulty tetratec heaters from them. I emailed to say they didn't work at all. I got an email back saying I should post them back (at my expense) & if they found them faulty they would replace them, but if they 'decided' they were not faulty (from the manufacturer) that I would have to pay postage for their return & keep the broken ones, saying I broke them!

I returned them to tetra for a full replacement with free postage & have never been to that shop since

it angers me so much! if you bought the from a "real world " store you could take them back no quibbles.

Yet online because they dont have to speak to you in person they is a totally different level of customer services which is disgusting!

munchycarrot wrote:I had nothing but crap service from aquatics online.

Oh that's a shame as I've never had any quibble with them. You must've been mean to Jackie in a former life!

nah... i even sent Jackie a lovely email thanking her for a very efficient service after delivery of my ex1200 filter for £59