Bennet Read Hand Vac: awful product and unacceptable customer service

I bought a Bennet Read Swift Hand Vacuum from Game in Waterfall Mall, Rustenburg on 22/11/2017. I was told by the sales rep that the 12 month guarantee meant I could have my money back at any point if the machine broke or I wasn’t happy.

I took the machine back the first time around Jan/Feb 2018 because the battery-life had become progressively shorter and shorter until I couldn't operate the machine for more than a few seconds before having to charge it again. (I had already mounted it on my wall using the supp**** *****s, and the quality of those were so poor that the head of one ***** had stripped on installation, and I had to DRILL the *****-head off to get the mounting unit off of the wall so I could take the whole unit in, leaving a hole in my wall with the ***** shaft that I can't get out.) I was told by the Game staff at customer service that I couldn't get my money back because it was longer than 7 days since purchase, and that they would have to send the unit for assessment and repair.

I received the unit back and it worked for a month or so, and then stopped working completely. This time when I went back they called the Tevo salesman who told me that I should have been given a new machine the first time but now all he could do was send it for repairs. I insisted that I do not want another repair on this machine and that I want my money back. He called his Regional Manager, and then told me that all he could do was send the machine for assessment but that the company would call me when it had the machine in order to discuss a refund or replacement, and that they would not just repair it and send it back. I had serious doubts that the company would phone me, so wrote this all down on the spot and he signed that this was, in fact, what had been agreed. This whole episode cost me over an hour. (Ironically the lady in front of me in the queue was also returning a Bennet Read vacuum cleaner!) (Also I later found out later that my best friend bought a Bennet Read “nutri-bullet” and it broke just out of guarantee.)

Roughly 2 weeks later I got an sms from Game to say I can come and fetch my machine.I had had zero communication from Tevo/Bennet Read/Game as I had been promised. I phoned the sales rep, who phoned his manager again, and then told me that they will not refund me because that will affect the company. They have sent me a new machine, but it only has a 4-month guarantee because that is what is left of my original guarantee now (this was discussed with the Regional Manager by the sales rep).

I phoned the Regional Manager myself but he was unable to talk due to the noise where he was buying food, and said he would call me back in 10 minutes. It’s now more than 36 hours later and no-one has called.

This is unacceptable service and an unacceptable product. If the Tevo staff and Game staff are not properly trained that is not my fault. Nor is it my fault that the machine is faulty. The sales rep I dealt with on the most recent return assures me that the new machine will not break, but the company is also not willing to back that with a proper guarantee. I would never have spent R599 on an unknown brand if their guarantee had not been so good, but I figured they wouldn’t back their product so strongly if they weren’t convinced of its quality. Now they won’t even give me a new guarantee on a BRAND NEW product. I do not want another machine made by Bennet Read, I want my money back. And I cannot advise anyone strongly enough: don’t be fooled by the guarantees and promises. NEVER buy ANY Bennet Read product.