nhs cycle2work scheme

lerouleur

Hi

Can anyone confirm that Halfords will only give 1 year's warranty on bikes purchased via the Cycle2work scheme?

Some manufacturers offer a lifetime warranty or a crash replacement programme, the norm being 2-5 yrs?

Is this not an infringement of the Sale of Goods Act?

Any Lawyers or CAB advisors out there?

I've had a lot of conflicting info so far, a bit of clarity would be helpful.

TY in advance

Anonymous

Have you asked Halfords?

lerouleur

yes, but as I've said previously I've had a lot of conflicting information.

Anonymous

You've asked Halfords, they've given you an answer - but you don't believe them?

kingrollo

If your with the NHS - you can't use halfords can you ? - the NHS uses cyclescheme - where as Halfords runs its own ?

RufusA

Two factors that may contribute:

1) Many of these longer warranties are only available through the authorised dealer network. If you don't buy through an authorised dealer, then you don't get the special warranty. They are there to reward loyal dealers, and to ensure that the bike is put together by someone who knows what they are doing.

2) "Lifetime" etc. warranties usually only apply to individuals (and not companies) and to the first / original owner of the bike, they are not transferrable. As your employer will be the first owner, ANY cycle to work scheme will involve a transfer of ownership and invalidate the warranty.

However on a side note, I would expect a good supplier to stand by the spirit of their warranty and even if you got a bike from Halfords; if you turned up at an authorised dealer after 18 months with frame failure, I am sure they would be able to work with the supplier and sort something out!

Rufus.

amaferanga

kingrollo wrote:

If your with the NHS - you can't use halfords can you ? - the NHS uses cyclescheme - where as Halfords runs its own ?

Not all Trusts use the same scheme. There are various options e.g. NHSbikes, Cyclescheme, self-administered schemes, etc.

lerouleur

TY
RufusA that makes sense, let's see what happens.
safe roads

amaferanga

Manufacturers normally only offer a warranty to the original owner. In the case of bike to work bikes, that's your employer. Once you take ownership of the bike then very few if any manufacturers will offer any kind of warranty.

I wouldn't get too hung up on lifetime warranties or crash replacement programmes anyway....

paulus69

Why not just get the bike and then take up the bike care plan in your local store, I took my 5 year old bike in last year and put it on a bike plan. They'll be pleased to take the £17 a year off you, whats anyones thoughts on that?

The Rookie

Halfords bike care plan only covers labour (which most of us can do anyway), not parts, so to most enthusiasts its a waste of money and it will never be anything like a warranty.

Simon

lerouleur

thanks for the different perspective

jeremyrundle

Remember the 12 months guarantee is in fact misleading.

In law an item should last a "reasonable" time.

If you buy a £1000 television and it blows up at 1yr 1 month the law states you are still covered and could in fact reasonably expect it to last six or more years, the same applies to many items, if you bought a £90 bike from Argos and it lasted a year the law would claim that would be reasonable, however a £1000 would be expected to be better engineererd and as long as it had been used "reasonably" and not ridden round the world you could legally claim years on.

Check this out with consumer direct it is a fact. Though little known.

By the way my father was a solicitor and this was his area.

lerouleur

TY Jeremy
Always good to get the collective brain going!
safe roads

RufusA

Jeremy, good point BUT I think the cycle to work scheme will complicate matters.

In effect you have two transactions - Employer buying new bike from shop; business to business, unlikely to be covered by full force of Sales of good act.

A year later, employee buying 2nd hand bike off employer - some consumer protection but any issues with the bike will be between employer (seller) and employee (buyer), the manufacturer and bike shop are out of the picture for this transaction. At best the employee can hope for is their 5-25% FMV refunded!

Would be interesting to hear your father's take on this!

Rufus.

lerouleur

it's a pity that the powers that be when instigating these schemes don't ensure these issues about warranties/replacement schemes are made clear or are rectified.

maybe they'll sit-up and take note.

I have passed it on to the scheme coordinator in the Trust I work for . . . . . watch this space.

If anybody has an occupational bike scheme and reads this maybe you could badger your powers that be for fairer regulations.

If you don't get what you want, VOTE WITH YOUR FEET!

Thanks again gents

The Rookie

I vote with my feet, C2W doesn't make sense for me, I have a perfectly good bike that's cost me about £350, so I'll stick with it.

Simon