Miele Service Centre will add on consumables that you can replace yourself

Be very careful when you book your appliances in for a service.

Let me first state that Miele is a fantastic brand which I fully endorse for quality and performance.

However, my vacuum cleaner needed a service and so I booked it in at the Miele shop. I was told that the service would be approximately five to six hundred rand but that the service centre in Sandton would contact me with a quote. I confirmed that the quoted amount was in order but any other costs had to be confirmed with me. A few days later I received a voicemail to confirm that I could collect my machine from the shop.

Imagine my surprise when I was presented with a bill for R1270.47, double was I was told it would cost. And then I had a look at the cost estimate. Not an invoice. A cost estimate. I had been charged R399 for an off the shelf COMPLETE air filter when it is only necessary to replace the filter itself and not the entire unit and I was charged R224.25 for, and I quote 'Expenses D'.

Miele service centre needs to brush up on the CPA because consumers are entitled and it is in fact law, that providers give EXACT information on what their consumers are being charged for.

So the lovely gentleman at the shop called the service centre and spoke to Val. Val does not seem to be able to do basic maths as when I told her that I had been quoted R650 she snorted derisively and negated that. But in fact Val, if you could add you would realise that chargeable item no 9400 - Working time D is in fact the service or labour charge, and totals R647.22 vat inclusive.

She then in her complete arrogance proceeded to throw the gentleman that booked my machine in under the bus by implying that he had misquoted the cost. Delightful. What a great colleague and employee to have. She also stated that the service centre did not contact clients with cost estimates at all. If that is in fact the case, then why did I pay on a 'cost estimate' and not an invoice?

The cost for the filter was removed because it was unnecessary. I have three at home. Why would I want you to replace the entire unit when only the filter needs to be replaced?

So Val, understand that you cannot do what you want to with consumers money. There are in fact laws that govern this in South Africa. Also, stop throwing your colleagues under the bus, learn how to do basic maths and get rid of the arrogance.