Understanding Catering Equipment Warranties

Commercial warranties are a ‘must-have’ element when purchasing any commercial catering equipment. All equipment supplied will include some form of warranty, be it semi-commercial, parts only or full cover and will be valid for a specified term typically ranging from 1 to 5 years. There may also be options to purchase additional warranty cover with some products. The level of cover and the options available will vary between equipment and from manufacturer to manufacturer.

For Warranty Quick Facts and customers frequently asked questions please click here.

Explaining Warranty Types

With so many options available it’s vital to fully understand exactly what you need and what you are actually getting included with your equipment.

Parts only warranty

A ‘Parts only’ warranty covers the cost of replacement for any mechanical components which fail (due to manufacturer fault) within the warranty period, causing breakdown or compromised performance.

Should any part/s be deemed unfit for use upon engineer attendance, we will arrange for replacements parts to be sent to the original delivery address of the equipment, free of charge. For the warranty to be valid, all diagnosis and subsequent repair must be carried out by a qualified engineer.

Any costs incurred for engineer’s visit, diagnosis and replacement of malfunctioning parts will be wholly payable by the customer.

In some cases, it will be necessary to send malfunctioning components back to the manufacturer, a cost that the customer is liable to pay.

Upon engineer attendance, should any part/s be found to be compromised due to misuse (or anything other than technical failure), all costs incurred for replacement parts and engineer’s services will be payable by the customer.

Engineers will be arranged by the manufacturer, if a customer arranges their own engineer, this is not covered by the warranty and the customer will be liable to pay.

Parts and labour warranty (full warranty)

A ‘Parts & Labour’ or ‘full’ warranty means that should any mechanical components fail (due to manufacturer fault) causing break down or performance issues with your equipment, within the term of the warranty, the cost of replacement parts will be covered by the manufacturer. Any engineer charges incurred through a site visit, diagnosis and replacement of malfunctioning parts will also be covered.

Should any part/s be deemed unfit for use by the attending engineer, we will arrange for like replacements to be sent to the original delivery address of the equipment free of charge and an engineer supplied to replace the part/s in question, also free of charge.

Upon engineer attendance, should any part/s be found to be compromised due to misuse (or anything other than technical failure), costs incurred for replacement parts and engineer’s services will be payable by the customer. 

Engineers will be arranged by the manufacturer, if a customer arranges their own engineer, this is not covered by the warranty and the customer will be liable to pay.

A full warranty guarantees that if a product is found to be defective due to a manufacturer fault within the warranty period, it will be repaired at no cost to the customer.

Please Note that if a commercial product is purchased with a full warranty for use at a domestic address or in a catering van, certain manufacturers will not honour any labour cover.

Semi-commercial warranty

A semi-commercial warranty is typically only applicable to smaller catering equipment that is stipulated for light duty use only in semi-commercial or domestic settings.

If fault occurs when equipment is only in occasional use then the warranty will cover any minor repairs. Where fault is due to overuse or misuse in high production areas, repair costs will not be covered by the warranty.

Edge chip warranty

Applicable to certain crockery items, edge chip warranties offer cover should edges become chipped in normal food service conditions. This warranty often covers breakage through everyday use including storage, service, washing and refrigeration. Damage due to misuse, heavy handedness or the dropping of items will not be covered. 

What Components Do Warranties Cover?

Commercial warranties offer cover within the stated period for any mechanical component failing due to manufacturer fault.

This does not include perishable, ‘wear and tear’ items such as bulbs, handles, knobs or hinges due to the repetitive high use that these parts are subjected to.

External damage such as glass can only be replaced if the damage occurred during delivery. Equipment should be checked at time of delivery, before being signed for. When this isn’t possible, equipment should be signed for as ‘unchecked’, any subsequent claims must be logged and the supplier notified within 24 hours of delivery. Any claim made after this will not be covered.

Please note, warranties will only apply if the equipment is situated in the UK mainland.

If you are purchasing equipment for use in a domestic setting or for positioning in an outbuilding, please check with your supplier if the warranty will still be upheld by the manufacturer. As the equipment we supply is for commercial use, not all manufacturers will offer warranty cover in a domestic environment. Also notify your supplier if you are intending to purchase equipment for a mobile setting such as snack vans etc. This may also affect the level of warranty cover supplied by the manufacturer.

Back to Base or On Site

Warranties will generally be available either on a ‘back to base’ term or as an ‘on site’ warranty.

Back to base warranties typically offer full cover and are associated with smaller pieces of equipment. Where there is a breakdown, equipment must be returned to the manufacturer for diagnosis and repair where applicable. Equipment will be collected and returned only from and to the original primary delivery address. Transport may be covered by the manufacturer depending on items purchased. Where the fault is deemed to be due to misuse or anything other than technical failure, the customer will be liable to cover the cost of repair.

The majority of catering equipment will be supplied with an on-site warranty, available with either a part’s only or parts and labour cover. This means that should a fault occur, whether on a part’s only or full warranty, the equipment remains on site for repair. An engineer visit will be required (whether covered by warranty or not).

Making a Warranty Claim

The first step when making a warranty claim, either parts only or full parts and labour, is to ascertain the level of cover held on the equipment and whether it is still under warranty.

Parts only warranty

Step 1: Contact the supplier to log the issue. Your supplier will usually be able to recommend an engineer in your area.

Step 2: During the engineers visit, they will ascertain the cause of the problem and complete a report detailing any issues. The call-out fee will not be covered by your warranty.

Step 3: The engineers report must be submitted to the supplier. Where the problem is deemed to be an electro-mechanical issue by the manufacturer, replacement parts will be dispatched to the original delivery address. The cost of this will be covered by the warranty.

Step 4: A qualified engineer should return to site to fit replacement parts. The cost of this call-out, again, will not be covered under warranty.  

Step 5: Some manufacturers will require faulty parts to be returned, the cost of which may need to be covered by the customer. In this situation, customers are given the option of either returning the faulty part and, once received by the manufacturer, the replacement part is sent out or paying a refundable deposit of £250. When a deposit is paid, replacement parts will be dispatched immediately, the deposit held until the manufacturer is in possession of the faulty part, at which point it will be returned in full. 

Please Note: Replacement part/s will not be dispatched by the manufacturer without a valid engineer’s report. The cost of any replacement part/s deemed to be damaged through misuse or anything other than manufacturer fault, will not be covered under warranty and the customer will be liable to cover costs.

Parts and labour warranty (full warranty)

Step 1: Contact the supplier as soon as an issue arises. A £250 refundable deposit will be taken until the engineer has visited site and determined the cause of the problem.

Step 2: An engineer will be dispatched to site and a report completed.  If deemed to be a manufacturing fault the full total of the deposit will be returned. Should the engineer deem any problem to be caused by user error, this will be classed as a 'non-warranty' callout. This is chargeable and not covered by warranty. In this instance the deposit will be retained, and additional costs may be invoiced to the customer to cover the engineer callout.

Step 3: Where issues are deemed to be due to electro-mechanical manufacturer fault the correct parts will be ordered where necessary and the engineer will return to site to fit the new parts.

Step 4: Sit back and let the warranty take care of costs.

Please Note: Should the attending engineer determine that the issue has been caused through misuse or anything other than manufacturer fault, the total cost of replacement parts, engineers call-outs and labour will be chargeable to the customer.

Semi-commercial warranty

Step 1: Contact your supplier to make them aware of any issue. 

Step 2: Whether the warranty is on-site or back to base, a £250 deposit will be taken until the issue has been diagnosed by an engineer. 

Step 3: If an engineer has determined the problem to be an engineering fault the full deposit will be returned. In cases of back to base warranties, the equipment will be repaired and shipped back to the original delivery address.

Please Note: Should the engineer deem any problem to be caused by user error, whether on-site or in back to base cases, this will be classed as a 'non-warranty' callout. Any repairs will be chargeable and not covered by warranty. The deposit will be retained and additional costs may be invoiced to the customer to cover the engineer charges. If the customer does not wish to go ahead with the repair, the product can be returned to the original delivery address in back to base situations, whereupon the customer must arrange for responsible disposal. Alternatively we can quote for a recycle service.

Edge chip warranty

Step 1: Inform your supplier of the issue who will then contact the manufacturer on your behalf.

Why Is A Refundable Deposit Required?

Commercial warranties only cover the cost of issues caused by manufacturer and/or electro-mechanical fault. As we are unable to determine the cause of the issue until an engineer has attended site and submitted a full report we require a fully refundable deposit prior to arranging any site visit. If the problem is a valid fault covered under the manufacturers warranty then this deposit is refunded in full.

Where the problem is deemed to be due to user error or misuse then the deposit will be used to cover all or partial payment of the engineer call-out. In the case of parts only warranties, the deposit ensures that faulty parts are sent back to the manufacturer.

Unfortunately, we have experienced customers who have refused to cover non-warranty call-out charges or have failed to return faulty parts as requested. As this has become an increasing and costly issue for us, we must request a deposit to cover any potential charges we may incur dependent on the engineers report.

Length of Cover

By law every piece of commercial equipment must have at least a 12 months parts only warranty. The length of the warranty supplied as standard will vary between equipment and manufacturer, generally ranging from 1 to 5 years.

In order to make sure you get the level of cover you require, we offer a wide range of warranties, available with varying lengths and types. There may also be options available to extend both the length of the warranty and the level of cover, however this will incur an additional charge.

e.g. A 24 months parts only warranty is included as standard.

            Option 1: Increase to 24 months parts and 12 months labour warranty.

            Option 2: Increase to 24 months full parts and labour warranty.

It is always advised to choose the highest level of warranty cover available to prevent any additional costs should a mechanical error occur.

Terms and Conditions

All warranties are subject to terms and conditions, all of which you should be aware of before making a purchase. This avoids any unwelcome surprises after purchase, should an issue arise.

Your warranty, whether parts only or parts and labour will only cover problems arising through manufacturer fault and will not cover factors out of the control of the manufacturer or distributor e.g. incorrect installation, misuse, lack of maintenance or natural wear and tear etc.

It is the responsibility of the customer to ensure that recommended cleaning, maintenance and service is carried out regularly. Equipment must only be used for what it was designed for with the suitable air flow around the exterior and interior of the appliance. Correct installation must have been carried out by a qualified engineer and any recommended additional equipment should be used e.g. a water filter.

Please refer to section 7.18 of our terms & conditions.

Who is a Commercial Warranty Held By?

All warranties are held with the manufacturer not the supplier/company you purchased the equipment from. As a supplier, we understand that time is of the essence and that any down-time of equipment is inconvenient and, in some cases costly, however while we will liaise on your behalf with the manufacturer and handle the paperwork, the time frame for the scheduling of engineers visits or shipping of replacement parts is out of our hands. 

When Does Warranty Begin?

Warranties commence as soon as you receive delivery and will end on completion of the specified term. There is no interim period; cover will finish on the exact date whether one, two, three, four or five years down the line.

Know your Warranty Details

Where possible, you will be given warranty options at the point of purchase, and it’s up to you to decide the level of cover that bests suits your requirements. Always be aware of the length of warranty cover you have selected and what you are covered for. Manufacturers will not cover labour costs under any circumstances if the equipment was only purchased with a part’s only warranty.

If you purchased equipment from FFD Catering Equipment and are unsure about your warranty details, what you’re covered for and whether warranty is still valid, give us a ring and we can give you the relevant information.