Dreadful after sales service

A

Albert Ross

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Dreadful after sales service

How difficult can it be to supply a missing floorboard or to send the correct replacement piece of teak decking?

We bought a new Jeanneau 36i from a well-known Jeanneau dealer in England back in April 2009. We obviously expected that there would be a few things wrong with her but we did not expect to get so little help from the dealer under the guarantee.

We have been appalled by dealer’s failure over some seven months to sort out even some of the most simple problems. Anyway, after 7 frustrating months, with an assortment of problems outstanding, I now really can't see anyway of making progress without going to court.

Do forumites have any experience of using the Small Claims Court and / or the Sale of Goods Act to force a seller to honour their guarantee on a new boat?

Can anyone recommend a marine surveyor or legal firm who is good at this sort of thing?

Do you have any suggestions? Currently, the total cost of what needs sorting may be under £1000 … but a guarantee should be a guarantee and goods should be fit for purpose.

Thank you for your advice.
 
We've had similar problems which took a long time to resolve - would also be interested to hear any advice on this ..
 
flat1 said:
Dreadful after sales service

How difficult can it be to supply a missing floorboard or to send the correct replacement piece of teak decking?

We bought a new Jeanneau 36i from a well-known Jeanneau dealer in England back in April 2009. We obviously expected that there would be a few things wrong with her but we did not expect to get so little help from the dealer under the guarantee.

We have been appalled by dealer’s failure over some seven months to sort out even some of the most simple problems. Anyway, after 7 frustrating months, with an assortment of problems outstanding, I now really can't see anyway of making progress without going to court.

Do forumites have any experience of using the Small Claims Court and / or the Sale of Goods Act to force a seller to honour their guarantee on a new boat?

Can anyone recommend a marine surveyor or legal firm who is good at this sort of thing?

Do you have any suggestions? Currently, the total cost of what needs sorting may be under £1000 … but a guarantee should be a guarantee and goods should be fit for purpose.

Thank you for your advice.
Click to expand...

contact Fullcircle ( East Coast forum )he had similar probs 3>4 yrs ago
 
Thank you .. yes, it might be worth contacting Jeanneau

Some of the problems have been so basic .. for example, the boat was supplied complete with a diesel leak .. it took ages for "the dealer" to arrange for "an engineer". "The engineer" turned out to be a very nice local sailing instructor, he did his best but didn't fix it .. We still had the leak when we went on our Summer holiday cruise (we couldn't fill the fuel tank up to the top or it dripped out ). I eventually did the work myself when we arrived in Guernsey ... diesel smells don't add to the pleasure of owning a new boat. I don't think the dealer cared.
 
1) write a letter to the dealer outlining the items still oustanding and your displeasure at there service. Quote the quarantee and tell them you are giving them 30 days to sort it our or you will take legal action. Make sure you send the letter recorded delivery. Also send a copy recorded delivery direct to Jeanneau.

2) Find out if they are a member of the BMF or any other trade body and approach them for advice / help. Also approach the RYA if you are a member. They have free support.

3) If the broker does nothing, get quotes to have the work rectified. File in the courts, you can do it online, its easy (done it a few times now). This will undoubtedly get a response from the broker before you need to go to court. The papers can easily be withdrawn and it only cost a few quid to file the papers in the first place. Make sure to name the company and the sales rep. personaly on the court forms.

4) I would not go for a lawyer. You are looking at £500 per hour. Hardly worth it as £1000 bill in yacht land is isn't a lot anyway. Although I think the RYA might have some free advise available to members. But I appreciate its not the money its the principle.

5) If you end up in court, make sure you have a copy of the sales invoice, guarantee, T&C of contract, try and get three quotes for the work to be rectified and a copy of the letter you sent recorded delivery (This shows you tried to sort the situation out).

6) Keep a log of everything, all phone calls, letters and conversations.

6) Don't back down. A lot of these companies will try it on as most people will give in first. Don't, keep at them.

Its a shame in some respects that the recesion isn't longer as it would weed more of the chaff that seems to populate the small boat market.
 
Diesel and old squid in the fishing boat bilge does the trick. Don't ask........
A

Nice concise advise, Boat 44
 
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I believe that this is an endimic problem in the marine business - that's not to say that there are not a few good dealers out there. A friend of mine spent over £80k on a new boat this year and has been dogged by ultra-simple problems that the dealer just did not do anything about.

If you have tried all the softly softly approach, now is the time to get serious

Let them know in writing that if all the problems you have identified are not fixed within a reasonable period of time (7 - 14 days?), you will employ an independant surveyor and on the basis of his report instigate legal action against them. The small claims procedure is not too costly or difficult (http://www.hmcourts-service.gov.uk/infoabout/claims/index.htm), getting judgement is usually fairly easy - enforcing it, on the other hand, can be more difficult.

Certainly I would agree that a complaint direct to jeanneau should also be made.
 
I tried that at the Southampton Boat Show.

The after sales man at The Show was very polite and helpful, he promised various things, none of which he has delivered on despite various e-mails to remind him.
 
flat1 said:
Thank you all for so much for your very helpful advice.

I've tried a letter of complaint by recorded delivery and simply got fobbed off.

I think you may be right about the cost of getting a lawyer, but assuming that I win, (which is likely as they have promised to supply some missing parts and then repeatedly sent the wrong bit .. difficult to defend, I think) they will end up paying the legal costs.

I'd have thought these firms lived or died by their reputation.

Anyone thinking of buying a Jeanneau, please feel free to PM me.
Click to expand...


Personally i would never buy a new boat. too much hassle ( inc your findings ) & too much cash @ risk
 
flat1 said:
I tried that at the Southampton Boat Show.

The after sales man at The Show was very polite and helpful, he promised various things, none of which he has delivered on despite various e-mails to remind him.
Click to expand...

personal experience (SO35) with jeanneau (and a french yard):
keel screw-jack bearing seized : 5 months to be fixed
leaking forward water tank : 2 years , never done... I fixed it myself
leaking shower: idem
leaking stern gland: 2 years to be fixed
windlass rusting parts : 3 years, never done ... I fixed it myself
overheating engine: 2 years to be fixed (yes, I succeeded !)
leaking rudder shaft: 3 years , never done, I partially fixed it, but problem still pending
(sigh)
 
Thank you all for so much for your very helpful advice.

I've tried a letter of complaint by recorded delivery and simply got fobbed off.

I think you may be right about the cost of getting a lawyer, but assuming that I win, (which is likely as they have promised to supply some missing parts and then repeatedly sent the wrong bit .. difficult to defend, I think) they will end up paying the legal costs.

I'd have thought these firms lived or died by their reputation.

Anyone thinking of buying a Jeanneau, please feel free to PM me.
 
DownWest said:
And link Jeanneau to this site. Might ginger them up a bit.
A
Click to expand...
As someone with issues with Jeanneau then I don't think anyone gets very far with them - they just ignore you.

Here's a picture of Seraph keel delamination:
RIMG0134Small.jpg


Here she is being repaired
RIMG0143Medium-1.jpg


Happened in year 3; so well within the 5 year hull warranty; cost of 260€'s to fix and 130€'s extra time on the hard for curing.

2 batteries failed within the 2year battery warranty. Cost 280€'s.

Leak in forward hatch (from new) over the bowthruster; Agent (SV) and Jeanneau advised. Ineffective repair and bowthruster ruined through water ingress - £5K to replace

All reported to Jeanneau and all within warranty period and pictures, receipts provided; and again they just ignore you. Jeanneau, and a certain Agent, are in my opinion, absolute Tossers.

Here's a claim link for OP: https://www.moneyclaim.gov.uk/csmco2/index.jsp
 
Not on this subject, but I have to say that after sales service in France is not the best. Several recent chats indicates that it is a low priority in the system. Order special bits from major chain. Zilch feedback.No bits. There are exceptions, but it is not the rule. There is a suspicion that the old ideas of cartels still exist. Generally gear is still very expensive, much easier to get from the UK. Example, price of ply to build my current boat was much more than the CNC kit from UK, inc the transport. The difference was about 30%.
There are compensations though..
A
 
Buying recycled yoghurt pots

Come on guys, what do you expect. If you by cheap and nasty plastic fantastic you will get what you pay for. That is not to say that the expensive stuff is any better, the after sales service might be though. As an ex dealer of a certain make of French yachts ... not Jeanneau the other one (all owned by the same company anyway), they really are rubbish (allegedly as they say on Have I got News for you, hope that keeps the lawyers off). They look great for a few years (or less)... well that's it then. Not unlike kippers in the moonlight, they shine but they stink. Why do you think Sunsail sell off so many of their fleet after only 3 years.

You might say "hang on a bit, it's the service we're talking about not the boats".. well ask yourselves, "How much do you think these guys get paid for their aftersales service?" That's the point.. somewhere between 0% and 1% of the purchase price is allocated for aftersales. By the time they have given away most of their 30% margin just to get the sale in the first place they really want to move onto the next deal. Get the problems sorted before you accept the new boat; get a surveyor involved, give it a "Proper Sea trial", give them a dead line to sort the snags list and be prepared to walk away from the deal if they don't.. you have all the cards...it's your money. Sit on someones desk... in public..and make a fuss.. you will get their attention that way.

I would have said "Buy British every time" Moody in particular but even they have sold out. If you've got £80K to splash about you could do a lot worse than buy a late 80's old Moody at £50K and then spend some money on it. In 10 years time you would still have a boat worth something.

Well if this doesn't get the anoraks hopping up on their high horses and demanding satisfaction, apologies, blood.... nothing will.

I'll just nip off and put my asbestos underwear and chobbam armour on in anticipation.. oh I do love teasing you lot.
 
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