Stained stainless steel sink

Q: About a year ago, I bought a stainless steel sink. I was abroad for most of the time since the sink was installed, so I did not use it. When I came back and used it, I noticed it had stains and the water did not drain away.

When I got in touch with the shop I bought the sink from, the seller said he couldn’t do anything about it as he was not the sink’s manufacturer.

I argued that since I had bought the sink from him, it was his problem. I was then asked to send photos of the stains and a video to show that the water was not draining.

The local shop had to report the problem to the company abroad. After this was done, the foreign suppliers said that an abrasive cleaner had been used to clean the sink, so they are refusing to replace it. This is not true. Since I was not in Malta, I did not even use the sink, let alone clean it.

Furthermore, the supplier did not even given an explanation as to why the water is not draining well.

Could you guide me as to what I should do next?

A: When we purchase a product, it is the seller who is responsible to provide us with a solution should a problem crop up. So you were right to insist with the local seller to have the sink checked.

Another legal right we are entitled to is that the goods we buy should be of satisfactory quality, fit for their purposes and as described or agreed with the trader. Hence, if you did not cause the damage to the sink, then the seller is obliged to provide you with a solution to the stains.

The company can either try to fix the problem or replace the sink. If neither repair nor replacement are possible, or if opted for may cause you a significant inconvenience, you may request a part or full refund.

As to the water draining problem, if this problem is due to a fault in the sink, then the remedies mentioned above apply.

If you do not manage to obtain an amicable solution from the company that sold you the sink, your next move is to file a complaint with the Office for Consumer Affairs.