Saturday 5 September 2009

The Saga of the Dishwasher


People who don't have a dishwasher seem to be very unsympathetic about this....but my dishwasher has been out of action for two months. The very two months that I began working four days a week. You can't begin to imagine the messes we have gotten ourselves into. My dirty little secret in all this is that one time it took 3 days to get back on top of the pile that had accumulated....because we kept adding to the mountain as we were trying to get it under control. I'm a slow learner, but I finally figured out that if I fill the little sink in the morning, everyone can do their own breaky dishes and life is a lot simpler.

I had someone come out two months ago. He said he knew what the problem was and he needed to order a part. It would take about 10 days. Four weeks later we phoned and asked what was going on. We got a snippy "if we had it you would have heard from us". Eight long weeks after that first appointment we had another, to have it repaired....yesterday morning at 10am. I got home at 9.45 after dropping off the kids and stopping by the supermarket, to discover he'd been and gone. I saw RED. After many phone calls with DH and I being very blunt and pushy .... they will not come and fix the dishwasher.

The kicker? I found out, when I phoned whirlpool to complain about the service they were providing, they are no longer and authorised whirlpool repairer and she dropped our job like a hot potato.

We now have to go through the whole process again with another company, who are already far more professional. We have already been told that the part normally takes 3-5 days to arrive unless it has to be ordered from overseas, in which case it could take.....another eight weeks!!!! We might have it back on the go by Christmas time.

After I'd cooled down and had two friends over for lunch I decided I didn't want to hand my money over to the first mob anyway. The price is I have to wait again.

I continue to dream of the delicious thought that some fairy might come fluttering by in the middle of the night and miraculously clean up after me. Maybe I just need a wife?! They clean up after everyone else in the house don't they?!!!!!

8 comments:

Belinda said...

I am currently in the middle of a very similar process with my oven.

On the bright side, at least I didn't have to go through your first repairer experience... I will admit to being extremely annoyed when the company didn't actually mention to me that it was going to be a minimum of 6 weeks. The repair guy had come out and gave me no forward date so I left it for a week fully expecting to hear something back. It wasn't until I rang and specifically asked what was going on that I was told the part was coming from over seas and it will be a minimum of 6 weeks.

What can I say.. I can sort of understand delays on parts, I can't understand the lack of communication.

Kind Regards
Belidna

Tracy said...

Lack of communication and then lying to cover your lack of communication are very poor customer service options.

Vickie said...

Oh dear bad communication indeed...I for one have never owned a dishwasher but I married one ..YEP you read that correct my dear hubby does all the dishes in our house -his a keeper for sure,cheers Vickie
p.s. I sure hope they get it fixed for you way before christmas

Linda said...

As far as I know except basic repairs our dishwasher has to go either to the regional centre 1 1/2 hours away or 2 1/4 hours to our hometown to get repaired. We take it on the trailer. Last time they did it on the same day for my husband which I am very grateful for. In the meantime we used the one from our new house as we hadn't moved in yet. Still there was lots of trailer movement involved and the trailer is out of action as it needs new tyres at the moment.

I love the sink photo. Our new house had a sink very similar to that. I was sad to have to get rid of the taps, but they were not nice ones like those as I thought, more like garden taps. The pipe around to the right has been removed as well.

We often find parts at the tip. I suppose the people here would rather buy a new one than go to the trouble but I haven't asked around what people actually do to get their appliances fixed.

Fi said...

Oh Tracy, I really feel for you!!!! We have gone without a dishwasher for a long period of time also, and it is not fun.

Praying for you xo

Jodie said...

Tracy, I am sooooo sympathetic. I'm so sorry that it didn't happen the other day, you were so excited about it. Had a lovely lunch by the way, I love you guys!! Jodie.

Angela said...

Oh I DO sympathise. Well, you know what they say about marriage...It starts when you sink in his arms, and ends with your arms in his sink!
BTW, on Lefthanded Housewife's comments, you referred to the 2hr/ 4hr food storage rule. WHAT IS THAT?? I haven't heard of it. Will I die of something awful now??

Tracy said...

Vicki my husband is not a dish washing kind of man. Laundry is his thing.

Linda, lucky for me, we live in a place where they come out to you :) I've had a house that had garden taps at the kitchen sink. I can't tell you how odd that was.

I thought of you as I was posting Fi. I'm feeling every day of your pain now LOL.

Jodie I enjoyed lunch too. It was lovely to sit and relax the afternoon away with the two of you.

Angela, Australia has quite strict food handling laws for commercial food handlers. The food can only be left out for four hours and then has to be thrown out. You can put food that has been out for less than two hours back in the fridge...but not if it's been out for the 2-4 hour mark. Sorry, it's a bit complicated to explain but simple in practice.