Samsung customers are pushing back and demanding the company fully compensate them for defective and dangerous washing machines that were recalled earlier this year.
A Trail, B.C. man has launched a class action lawsuit over Samsung's washing machine recall, calling it inadequate, and a Langley woman feels the company is actually making money off its response to the faulty products.
Samsung has recalled more than three million top loading washing machines in North America after hundreds of reports of the machines exploding, and several reports of injuries.
Brandy Robertson says her machine wasn’t even two years old when the recall was announced. Samsung offered to repair her machine or give her a $410 rebate towards another Samsung product.
Robertson felt compelled to buy a new machine. But the money Samsung was offering up, fell far short of the $900 it cost her. Coupled with the delivery fee she had to pay, she’s out almost $600 on a machine she thought would last for years.
"They should be replacing full cost of the top loaders. I shouldn't have to be out money," she said, “"I think they are making money off of their recall."
London lawyer Matthew Baer represents the Trail man who has filed a class action lawsuit against Samsung Canada which stated the company failed to ensure that the affected machines were safe and that the compensation is wholly inadequate to cover the damages suffered by the plaintiff.
"You have these people who have washing machines which in a lot of instances are one and two years old and now they're being offered a fraction of what they paid for it and they need to buy a replacement washing machine," said Baer, "We've had some people say haven't been given an option to get any money other than if they didn't buy a Samsung product."
On its website Samsung is offering a free in-home repair and warranty extension or a rebate towards the purchase of a new Samsung washer, including a loyalty incentive.
A customer service representative confirmed the restrictions of the rebate to CTV News.
Samsung has not filed a response to the lawsuit and told CTV News is a statement that "we aren't able to comment on an ongoing legal matter."
In the meantime, Robertson’s new front loader isn't even a month old but already needs a replacement seal. She says she will definitely be joining the class action lawsuit.
A class action lawsuit has also been filed against Samsung in the U.S. CTV News pressed Samsung for more answers on replacing the machines with other brands and getting full replacement value but haven't received a response.
