Defy Appliances / Defy South Africa review: Extremely poor service, Lack of accountability and not ownering warrany

Dear Customer Relations Management,

I am writing to formally express my extreme dissatisfaction with the unacceptable service I have received from Ellerines Port Shepstone and Defy regarding a Defy double-door fridge that I purchased from Ellerines for approximately R19,000.

At the time of purchase, I was assured that the fridge came with a five-year warranty. However, when the fridge developed a fault in December last year, what should have been a straightforward warranty claim turned into an extremely frustrating experience that has now dragged on for more than seven months without a resolution.

I would like to outline the sequence of events to demonstrate the extent of the poor service, lack of communication and failure to take accountability.

1. Initial reporting of the fault

Earlier this year, I contacted Ellerines regarding the faulty fridge and was advised to visit their store, which I did around April.

The lady who assisted me contacted Defy, but they initially indicated that they could not retrieve my details. A manager subsequently took over the call, and after some time, they managed to retrieve my information. The manager then logged the incident with Defy, and I was advised to wait for feedback.

I waited for an extended period without receiving any communication. When I eventually returned to the store to follow up, I discovered that the incident had never been logged as initially indicated. The manager then acknowledged the issue and logged it at that stage, meaning I had to start waiting all over again.

**2. Technician visit and unsuccessful repair**

After some time, I received a call from someone claiming to represent Defy, requesting to visit my home to assess the fridge.

The technician eventually came out and attempted to repair the fridge but was unsuccessful. He indicated that he would return to complete the repair. Unfortunately, he never came back.

Once again, I had to take the initiative to follow up with the manager at Ellerines. After further engagement, I was eventually informed that Defy had agreed to replace the fridge.

I was advised that there was a form I needed to sign and that I would have to pay a fee of approximately R950, although I cannot recall the exact amount or the reason for the charge. I requested that the relevant form and banking details be emailed to me so that I could proceed. However, despite following up several times, this was never done.

On another occasion, I was informed that the lady assisting me could no longer locate the email containing the form and would have to request it again.

**3. Contradictory information and incident closure**

Things became even more frustrating when a lady named Ntosh from Ellerines informed me that the incident had been closed, despite the fact that my fridge had never been replaced.

When I questioned how an incident could be closed without the matter being resolved, she indicated that she did not know what had happened but would log the incident again.

Although I felt this was extremely unfair, considering how long I had already been waiting, I agreed to the process and waited once again.

**4. Another assessment scheduled despite a previous technician visit**

Today, after the incident was apparently logged again, I received another call from a different number advising me that they intended to visit my home on 3 November to assess the fridge.

I explained that the fridge had already been assessed by a technician who had attempted to repair it unsuccessfully. Despite this explanation, the caller insisted that the previous assessment was not recorded under their details and that they still needed to come out.

This is extremely concerning. How can a customer be expected to repeatedly accommodate assessments when the previous assessment and repair attempt have already taken place, and the outcome was that the fridge needed to be replaced?

**5. Failure to communicate and take accountability**

What concerns me most is the complete lack of accountability from the people who have been handling this matter.

The lady I was communicating with from Ellerines is no longer answering my calls or responding to my messages. This leaves me with the impression that she is avoiding the matter rather than assisting me towards a resolution.

I subsequently contacted the Defy call centre and spoke to Desiree. To my surprise, she informed me that she could not find anything recorded under my name and could not even see that a technician had previously been dispatched to my home.

This raises serious concerns about the handling and recording of my complaint. I cannot understand how a technician could have visited my home, attempted a repair and promised to return, yet there is apparently no record of this interaction.

I requested to speak to a Team Leader and was transferred to Ishmail. He also indicated that he could not find any record of the matter and suggested that the reason could be that my warranty had expired.

I challenged this explanation because I was initially assured that the fridge carried a five-year warranty. Furthermore, if the warranty had expired, why was I previously informed that Defy had agreed to replace the fridge?

The conflicting explanations from Ellerines and Defy are unacceptable and leave me questioning whether my matter is being handled transparently.

**My expectations and requested resolution**

I have been patient throughout this entire process, but my patience is now exhausted. I purchased an expensive appliance in good faith, trusting the five-year warranty that was communicated to me. Instead, I have been subjected to repeated delays, unnecessary follow-ups, contradictory explanations and a complete lack of accountability.

I therefore request the following:

1. A formal investigation into the handling of my warranty claim, including why the initial incident was not logged when I first visited the store.
2. Verification of the technician visit, including the assessment and unsuccessful repair attempt at my residence.
3. An explanation as to why the incident was marked as closed when the fridge had not been repaired or replaced.
4. Clarification regarding the alleged expiry of my warranty, supported by the relevant purchase and warranty records.
5. A clear explanation of the approximately R950 replacement fee previously communicated to me, including its purpose and whether it is payable.
6. Immediate intervention to ensure that my Defy double-door fridge is repaired or replaced as previously communicated, without subjecting me to further unnecessary delays.

I also expect written feedback on the investigation and a clear timeline for resolving this matter.

I want to emphasise that I am not asking for a favour. I am asking for the warranty commitment that was made to me when I purchased the appliance to be honoured.

It is unacceptable that a customer who has spent approximately R19,000 on an appliance should have to spend more than seven months chasing different people, repeating the same story and trying to get a basic warranty claim resolved.

I have reached a point where I feel that I am being sent from pillar to post, with nobody willing to take ownership of the situation. This experience has significantly damaged my confidence in both Ellerines and Defy.

Should this matter not receive the urgent attention and resolution it deserves, I will have no option but to escalate it to the relevant consumer protection authorities.

I trust that this complaint will be treated with the seriousness it deserves and that someone with the necessary authority will take ownership and bring this matter to a satisfactory conclusion.

I look forward to your urgent response.

Kind regards,

Mpendulo G. Sikhosana