HOTPOINT WASHING MACHINE – WMFUG 863 G ORDER REF. NO. 7429259868 / COMPLAINT REF: CC3682399 On Sunday 22/04/2018 at approx. 9.30 a.m. two installers arrived at number 22 to deliver our washing machine. We live at number 32, and our neighbours at 22 were not impressed as they were in bed. I asked why we had not received a phone call 30 minutes before delivery as promised, and the driver said that all your systems were down due to a virus, so they had been unable to phone us. When I later spoke to Lee at customer services, he said this was untrue. From the minute they arrived, it was quite obvious that they wanted to get away as quickly as possible. There was little or no conversation between us and he completely ignored my wife, who was about to offer them a drink. The main fitter (a misnomer if ever there was one) came in and started to remove the old machine. When taking the old appliance out, water spilled from the hose – which is only to be expected – but there was no attempt to clean this up and the floor was still wet when he pushed the new appliance into its space. I had removed the door from the cupboard next to where the machine was to go and had taken everything out to give easy access. The installer unscrewed the waste pipe from the U-bend and then, rather than removing the jubilee clip, he simply forced the hose off the connector. I asked him to be careful not to lose the rubber valve that was inside the coupling, but he didn’t seem to know what this was, and just took it out and put it on the cupboard floor. He then tried to force the three pin plug out through the circular hole in the cupboard floor, while the water inlet was still in position, coming up through the hole, making it difficult. I did advise him that the waste and fill hoses should be removed before trying to pull the plug through the hole, but he ignored me. At this stage the other, younger and more polite installer, wheeled the new unwrapped machine down the side of the house, ready for installation. They then attempted to unscrew the cold fill hose from the old machine but were unable to do this by hand and, as they had no tools with them, I lent them an adjustable spanner. The old machine was then removed and the new one brought into the utility room. Attempting to bring the new three pin plug up through the hole in the bottom of the cupboard, the installer said this plug was bigger than the one on the old machine and wouldn’t fit. I reminded him that I had already told him he would have to remove the inlet hose before trying to bring the plug through, so he unscrewed the connector, having first turned the cold water back on, (I had previously told him I had turned it off) and in so doing soaked the inside of the cupboard. I noticed that he had forcibly removed part of the cupboard plinth that returned at the side of the washing machine, to make it easier for him to reconnect the plug and hoses. Having disconnected the inlet hose and taken it out of the hole - lo and behold - the three pin plug easily passed through the hole, and he then reconnected the inlet hose. At this point I had to take a telephone call, and when I returned the new machine was in place, and had been set to run a cycle, and I was advised that, once this had finished, the machine was ready to be used. I was asked to sign their sheet and they left. It was approximately 10.15 a.m. In view of the main installer’s manner, I decided to check that the installation had been done correctly. It was a good job I did. If we had used the machine, we would have flooded the house. The rubber valve in the waste outlet, that I mentioned previously, had not been replaced. Not only this, but the screw connector was loose and the jubilee clip had not been replaced. I then decided it was time to ring your customer services and spoke to Lee, who asked me to check that they had in fact removed the transit bolts from back of the appliance. I said I would have to pull the machine out, so could he phone me back in a few minutes. Once the machine was out, I could confirm that the transit bolts had been removed but the plastic plugs had not been installed. These were later found in the unopened pack that included the instructions, registration card etc. I also discovered that the part of the cupboard plinth they had removed had not been put back but had been thrown under the cupboard, together with the rubber valve. As far as I am aware no attempt was made to check if the appliance was level. I advised Lee of our experience and he immediately offered to refund the installation charge. A little while after the installers had left, a neighbour knocked on our door to say that some of the wrapping from our newly delivered machine was scattered all down the road. Once this had been collected we realised that this included the fitter’s copy of the installation instructions – he’d obviously never read them!. This whole episode is disgraceful and a £25.00 installation fee refund, does not cover it.