A customer has hit out at shower manufacturer Kohler for trying to “back out” of its lifetime guarantee commitment.
The consumer, from Ipswich, contacted the manufacturer after experiencing problems with one of the showers they had purchased in November 2007.
They later contacted The Observer after being informed by Kohler that their guarantees were no longer valid because of a company acquisition that took place two-and-a-half years before the guarantees were issued.
Kohler Mira acquired Daryl Industries in 2005. The customers’ guarantee was branded Kohler Daryl.
Anna Tims, consumer affairs journalist at the Guardian, claimed this was a “breathtakingly brazen attempt to back out of a legal commitment”.
When Tims contacted Kohler it claimed it was merely trying to explain that the product had become obsolete and apologised for being “unclear”.
It added that it meant to convey that since the spare parts are no longer available, it would replace the shower with a similar product of the same value.
Also because of the stress caused through the lack of clarity it would install it for free.
A Kohler Mira spokesperson said: “In any industry over the course of time products are discontinued and their parts become obsolete, as is the case in this particular instance, and the customer has therefore been given a new product which we installed for them free of charge.
“Commitment to our customers is of paramount importance and with specific reference to guarantees there is a constant programme to ensure they are both clear, legally compliant and in line with the market.”