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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Business
Miles Brignall

Why won’t Samsung sell us a new drawer for our fridge-freezer?

Samsung
Samsung and other manufacturers do not always make it easy to get spare parts. Photograph: Steve Marcus/Reuters

In August 2016 we purchased a Samsung fridge-freezer and it is still within its five-year warranty. We damaged the top drawer in the fridge and wanted to order a replacement. Although four of the other drawers are available on the Samsung spares website, the company has told us that the one we need is no longer available.

Do we just have to continue with a damaged drawer until the whole appliance needs replacing?

TL, by email

I would try the various companies providing spares – a Google search brings up the names, of which eSpares is probably best known.

People regularly sell parts on eBay from appliances that might have failed or been damaged but have elements that are perfectly good. There are currently 10 pages of Samsung fridge-freezer drawers – and I would be amazed if there isn’t one that will fit your product. Take into account that lots of parts will fit more than one model.

The site has become a great source for people opting to repair items rather than throwing them out. It is also a great place to find boiler parts that manufacturers say they no longer stock.

And finally … payback time for Booking.com

Can you persuade Booking.com to repay me £1,220 for a French hotel reservation that had to be cancelled due to Covid? The hotel has confirmed several times to me that this refund was made to Booking.com, plus I have confirmation from the hotel parent company, Accor, that the refund was made. Despite this, the booking site won’t refund me – I have contacted it 20 times since February but nothing happens.

JH, by email

My gentle nudge of Booking.com did the trick and your refund has been paid. No explanation, except to say the matter was already in train – although you’d been told that several times, without anything happening.

We welcome letters but cannot answer individually. Email us at consumer.champions@theguardian.com. Please include a daytime phone number. Submission and publication of all letters is subject to our terms and conditions

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