Goods Return Policy
1. Our Commitment
Valve Distributors Pty Ltd want you to be completely satisfied with our products and that they are fit for the purpose you intended. If not, our Returns Policy will address any concern you have with your purchase, particularly if it is defective or faulty.
The benefits given to you by our Returns Policy either reflect our obligations to you under the Australian Consumer Law or are otherwise in addition to the rights and remedies you may have under the Australian Consumer Law.
Your statutory rights are not affected by our Goods Return Policy. To the extent that any provision in our Policy conflicts with your statutory rights, your statutory rights will prevail and the particular offending provision in our Returns Policy will be deemed inapplicable.
2. Returning Product
With Proof of Purchase
A copy of Valve Distributor’s Tax invoice or delivery docket you received with the Product at point of sale is the best proof of your purchase (although it is not necessarily the only one).
Without Proof of Purchase
If we cannot be satisfied that you purchase the Product from us then, under the law, we are entitled to elect whether or not to accept your product for return and refund the purchase price.
How long is expected to remedy?
Your rights to a remedy under the Australian Consumer Law are not limited by a defined time. However, the Australian Consumer Law does recognize that the relevant time period can vary from product to product, depending on factors such as the nature of the product and the price. Valve Distributors adopts the same approach. As you can appreciate. This type of remedy we can offer may also vary on how long it takes you to return the product to us. At Valve Distributors we will always take a fair and reasonable approach.
Timescale for returns
In accordance with our warranty terms:
All products supplied are warranted against defects of material or workmanship for a period of 18 months from the date of despatch or 12 months from commissioning, whichever is sooner, when used within the design ratings for which they are designed. This warranty is limited to replacement, without charge, of parts found by us to be defective in material or workmanship and does not extend to claims for labor, expenses or other loss or damage occasioned by such defect. Valve Distributors liability to the purchaser, except as to title arising out of the supplying of said equipment or its use, whether based upon warranty, contract, strict liability, or negligence, shall not exceed the cost of correcting defects in the equipment as herein provided, and shall terminate upon expiration. This warranty does not cover incompatibility of material with process fluid, deterioration by corrosion, erosion or any cause of failure other than defect in material or workmanship. Valve Distributors Pty Ltd makes no other warranties whatsoever, specifically disclaims any legally implied warranties of merchantability and fitness.
It is the responsibilty of the buyer to ensure that the Valve specification offered is suitable for the intended duty, as acceptance of this offer is entirely the user’s responsibility. It is the responsibility of the buyer to ensure conformance of the Manufacturer Installation, Operating & Maintenance instructions including storage recommendations. Manufacturer IOM’s are available on Valve Distributors website or upon request. Warranty is deemed to be invalid due to misuse, wilful damage, inappropriate handling, negligence, alterations including dismantling, abnormal use outside its design pressure and temperature ratings. Warranty does not extend in any way to parts, material or equipment not manufactured by the OEM.
3. Have you simply Changed Your Mind?
Under the Australian Consumer Law, the seller is not obliged to provide a refund or exchange if you simply change your mind, found it cheaper somewhere else, decided you did not like the purchase or had no use for it. For further information refer our cancellation policy:
https://www.valvedistributors.com.au/cancellation-policy/
4. Your Statutory Rights
“Our Goods come with guarantees that cannot be excluded under the Australian Consumer Law. You are entitled to a replacement or refund for a major failure and for compensation for any other reasonably foreseeable loss or damage. You are also entitled to have the Goods repaired or replaced if the Goods fail to be of Acceptable quality and the failure does not amount to a major failure”,
In addition, we note that:
If the problem with a product or service is minor,, you must accept a free repair.
If we are unable to provide you a free repair within a reasonable time or cannot fix your problem, you can either:
- get it done elsewhere and pass on costs ask for a replacement
- ask for a refund
Where a failure does not amount to a major failure, Valve Distributors is entitled to choose between providing you with a repair, replacement or refund.
If you suffer losses as a result of our failure to comply with a guarantee, you may be ab le to recover those loses from us. To obtain compensation, you would need to provide documentary evidence of the loss or damage suffered, and documentary evidence that such loss or damage was a reasonably foreseeable consequence of our failure to comply with a consumer guarantee under Australian Consumer Law. Such evidence may include photographs, statutory declarations, receipts or reports, depending on the loss or damage.
We are not obliged under the Australian Consumer Law to give you a refund, replacement or arrange for a Manufacturer’s repair in all circumstance – the Australian Consumer Law provides for some exceptions.
For example, your use of goods can affect their durability and the guarantee of acceptable quality will not apply if you:
- Use the goods abnormally;
- Cause the quality of the goods to become unacceptable
- Fail to take reasonable steps to avoid the quality becoming unacceptable.
Abnormal Use is not specifically defined in the Australian Consumer Law, however an example of abnormal use might be using the product contrary to manufacturer’s instructions.
5. Product Repairs and Service
Where you wish to have your Product repaired or serviced in circumstances where the Product has not suffered failure that would amount to a breach of one of the consumer guarantees under the Australian Consumer Law, we can refer you to the Manufacturer for
repairs and service of the Product, often at your own cost. For example, you may require a repair due to:
- The Product suffering from normal wear and tear;
- The Product having a problem that occurs after the expiry of the Product’s expected life (having regard to quality, price and other similar factors); or
- The Product having a problem that arises because of excessive use or failure to take reasonable care to maintain the Product in good working order and condition; or
- The Product require a repair due to Abnormal Use (see paragraph 3 above).
While we are not obliged to offer you a repair free of charge in such circumstances, you should be aware that you can choose to have such repairs or product servicing performed at your own cost.
To assist you in doing so, the Australian Consumer Law provides that the Manufacturer of a Product should have, for a reasonable period of time and having regard to the expected life of the product, facilities to repair the Product and/or have adequate spare parts.
6. Returning Product and Assessment
Once we have established proof of purchase, we will need to assess the product to determine the nature of the issue and how we can help you, be it a refund, repair or exchange.
The consumer is generally responsible for returning the product if it can be easily returned. You are entitled to recover reasonable postage or transportation costs if the product is confirmed as a manufacturing fault.
When a product is too large, too heavy or too difficult to remove, then we are responsible for shipping costs and collecting within a reasonable time.
If the product has suffered a major failure (as defined in the Australian Consumer Law) and you wish to reject the product and obtain a refund or replacement, we will collect the product at our expense.
We may need to send your Product to the Manufacturer for an assessment of any repair work required to be done and/or the nature of the Product’s problem.
If the Product is assessed as failing to meet on of the consumer guarantees under the Australian Consumer Law (e.g., it is defective or faulty), repair work will not be at your cost.
Depending on whether the defect or fault is assessed as either major or minor in nature then you may either get the Product repaired or be entitled to a refund or replacement.
As you will appreciate, it can take some time, often 6 weeks or more, to assess a product fault, undertake repair work and return the product to you.
If the Manufacturer concludes that the Product has not failed to meet one of the consumer guarantees under the Australian Consumer Law, we will contact you to ask whether you would still like the repair or product servicing work to be carried out by the Manufacturer or their servicing facilities. Such repair or product servicing would be at you own cost.
If the product is found not to have a problem or the problem is considered as a result of being mistreated by a third party, you may be required to pay all transportation costs and inspection costs. An estimate of these costs will be provided to you before product is returned.