Calor Fiasco

[stevecw]

Can I suggest that the magazine gets a statement from Calor regarding the fiasco with its Calor Lite gas bottles.
I took my cylinders in in January to my local dealer and both needed replacing. It is now the end of March and all the update I can get is "we hope to get more in in 2-3 weeks" and I expect that I am not the only person in this boat.
At present I have paid for a Caravan Club seasonal pitch at St Agnes which will have to stand idle until I can get some gas so we can stay in our van. Our local dealer has offered the solution of me paying for a steel cylinder and then returning it when they get some lite cylinders in. This is all well and good but would mean a 600 mile round journey to do so and who pays for the fuel and wear & tear on my vehicle as well as will I be reimbursed for the remaining unused gas?
In addition to the seasonal pitch my wife and I are keen year round vanners but again we have a valuable asset just sitting on our drive which we have not been able to use for what is going to end up as a third of the year.
Perhaps we should look to a class action case against Calor for loss of use compensation. In doing so it might give Calor the kick up the backside they so richly deserve.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Hello Steve,
I can appreciate your frustration with the situation. Whilst I'm sure PC could try to get a statement from Calor, but have you contacted Calor directly, not their dealer but their head office to complain.? or even trading standards who are supposed to be monitoring the recall.

 

[stevecw]

Hi Prof

Yes email has wizzed its way to Calor.
I understand that the dealer is powerless and nowhere at fault.
Just thought the Mag might have more chance of a detailed answer from Calor rather than little old me.
Regards
Steve

 

[Royston]

can fully understand your frustration waiting for Calor Lite bottles, according to a survey in the technical section, their are approx. 105.000 bottles in system where people have not returned them to their Dealers , I to had the same problem but I keep onto my original bottles and exchanged them at another Dealers. I would use a normal steel gas bottles rather than loose valued caravan holiday time, looks like its going to be a long haul before its finally sorted.
Royston

 

[12colmore]

At the end of last summer i checked both of my calor-lites and they were all on the recall list. I figured then it might take a while so went to my local CC site (Chapel lane), who did seem to be the only place (South Birmingham) where I could get calor-Lites. Though they would only change one at a time due to supply issues, I changed one around October last year and the other in February all at the Chapel Lane CC site.
I think its a bit daft not to think there wouldn't be supply and demand issues especially now coming into the spring thats why i pre-empted it.

 

[FrintonMike]

As Royston says Calor have approx 155,000 Calor lite cylinders but approx 50,000 have not been returned for checking.
How many people are not aware of the recall as they do not read magazines and only visit a calor dealer maybe once a year or more when they need a new cylinder ? Halfords and many car accessory shops now sell toilet chemicals and the like so the need for many to visit a caravan dealer is reduced.

 

[dolii45]

I understand that the dealer is powerless and nowhere at fault.
Read more at

___________________
doli

 

[Surfer]

Is there any issue with getting a bottle from the caravan park or from a local agent? You could also try Gasdeal (http://www.gasdeal.co.uk/product/6kg-propane-cylinder/) who will deliver to your door and a 6kg bottle costs you only £14.99.

 

[ProfJohnL]

....................
Perhaps we should look to a class action case against Calor for loss of use compensation. In doing so it might give Calor the kick up the backside they so richly deserve.

Hello steve I should have commented on this point also,

Such an action would almost certainly fail. As yet no-one has actually suffered an unmitigatable loss as a direct result of Calor's action or inaction there is no case to be answered. The fact is you could swap allegiance to a different size of bottle or even a different gas supplier, so Calor have not stopped you using your caravan.

 

[Grahamh]

I see there is a piece in this months Cc magazine. Whilst staying in Malvern recently I tried to change one of my bottles. The site had the bottles but would not exchange mine. said I had to go to a dealer to exchange it. the bottles are quite easy to get hold of here in Dorset.

 

[Damian]

Quote " Perhaps we should look to a class action case against Calor for loss of use compensation"

Typical "Americanism" response, and indicative of todays Blame and Claim subculture.
I think suggesting such a move is reprehensible and totally over the top.

Calor have identified a possible problem and have done all they can with the cylinders they have available whilst other cylinders undergo safety checks.
The blame lays mainly at the door of users who have for one reason or another not returned their suspect cylinders.
I emphasise "SUSPECT" as not all will have a problem, but Calor are going out of their way to ensure they are safe.
For goodness sake let them do what they have to without stupid "Lets take them Court" reactions.
If you don't like Calor, switch to one of the other LPG suppliers, you are not tied hand and foot to them.

 

[Gafferbill]

.......simple mathematics dictates that a mass recall involving an exchange of cylinder was never going to work as the exchanged cylinder has to be removed from circulation for checking.
People are reluctant to give up their cylinder without a full one in exchange.......they cannot use a voucher to provide gas in their caravan!

Calor has discovered that in practise it needed an increased supply of new cylinders for the recall to function.
According to the Caravan Club a large order for new cylinders was delivered to Calor recently and the situation is expected to ease.

Personally I have never used CalorLite.

 

[ProfJohnL]

.......simple mathematics dictates that a mass recall involving an exchange of cylinder was never going to work as the exchanged cylinder has to be removed from circulation for checking.
People are reluctant to give up their cylinder without a full one in exchange.......they cannot use a voucher to provide gas in their caravan!

Calor has discovered that in practise it needed an increased supply of new cylinders for the recall to function.
According to the Caravan Club a large order for new cylinders was delivered to Calor recently and the situation is expected to ease.

Personally I have never used CalorLite.

Hello Gaffer,
I don't know the exact figures, but the the recall did not involve ALL the Calorlite cylinders in service. Consequently there was some flexibility in the process but equally there could have been some bottlenecks.

Operating a recall rarely runs perfectly smoothly, but on this one, there are so many mixed messages, On the one hand Calor issue a safety recall which should be managed with considerable care and attention to detail. |Yet in November correspondence I had with with Calor, I was told, no cylinders so far deteriorated to the extent of being a safety hazard. I got the distinct impression they were not giving it all the attention they could have done, witnessed by the poor knowledge that some of their dealers seem to have on the subject, and their obligation to remove any suspect cylinders from service.

I have been noting the trickle of comments since November and it dismays me that even now there are still problems with supply of fully tested cylinders, and it seems some dealers are still not honouring Calor's recall T&C.

We are now 4.5 months further on, and it seems the dealers still do not have adequate supplies.Its hardly surprising that the matter is raising its head again, as the new season has just started.

Come on Calor! you must try harder.

 

[Damian]

I have contacted Calor and am awaiting a reply regarding the situation.
As soon as I have any news I will post it.

 

[spardoe]

Afternoon, we have received a press release from Calor today on this matter which I thought would be of interest.
Paul Downes, Calor’s National Account Manager for the Leisure Sector explains:

“The cylinder recall was publicised widely in the caravan press, online and via social media channels and we would like to thank our customers for their help in returning over 60,000 cylinders for inspection. “The recall affects all 6kg Calor Lite® cylinders manufactured in 2008, 2009, 2010 or 2011 which must be returned to a 6kg Calor Lite® retail outlet immediately. Cylinders manufactured outside of this date range are unaffected
and safe to use.“We have now checked over a third of the affected cylinders and returned them to the supply chain. However, there are still over 100,000 cylinders still to be handed in and we are concerned that customers are hanging on to them – in some cases just to use the remaining gas in the cylinder. “This is obviously counterproductive as we need the cylinders back to have them inspected and returned to the marketplace as soon as possible.“In the meantime we are working around the clock to test the cylinders which have been returned, but we urgently need more to be handed in. We have 30,000 new Calor Lite® cylinders arriving in the course of the next monthwhich should ease the position, but we are calling on our customers to help to return the remaining affected cylinders as soon as possible.”All customers are entitled to receive a full free of charge replacement cylinder in return. Where a replacement is not immediately available, due to a lack of stock, customers will be issued with a voucher to be redeemed once replacement cylinders are available.
Customers can find their closest 6kg Calor Lite® retail outlet by using the ‘Find A Stockist’ facility at www.calor.co.uk/recall. Further information can be found at www.calor.co.uk/recall or by calling our dedicated 6kg Calor Lite® team on 0800 783 4141.

 

[RayS]

Mr Downes figues indicate that if you return a cyliner you have about a 1 in 3 chance of an immediate replacement. No data is given on how long it may take for an exchange voucher to be redeemed against a new cylinder.. Clarification required please.

 

[Thingy]

Where a replacement is not immediately available, due to a lack of stock, customers will be issued with a voucher to be redeemed once replacement cylinders are available.

And what earthly use is that. Do they really think if we are away and run out of gas, we will be happy with a voucher? Somebody needs to pull his digit out of a dark place and get this mess sorted out. They have 30,000 cylinders arriving within a month, but just how long has this been going on??? Talk about bolting stable doors.