Zehnder Charleston warranty set at 10 years for products purchased from this date

Zehnder Group UK Ltd has published warranty terms stating that its Steel Multicolumn radiator, sold under the Zehnder Charleston name, carries a 10 year warranty for products purchased from 1 October 2024¹. The terms appear on the company's Delivery, Returns & Warranty page, which sets out warranty periods across its decorative radiator, ventilation and ceiling product ranges¹.

The company's own wording on the Charleston period is:

"Steel Multicolumn (Zehnder Charleston): 10 years (for products purchased from 1 st October 2024)"

The same page lists warranty periods for other decorative radiators, which differ by material and range¹:

Zehnder states that warranty is applicable from the date of delivery, and that periods can be extended for businesses reselling to end users under specific conditions¹. The warranty covers goods that, upon delivery, align with their description, technical specifications and any samples provided, and are free from material defects¹. Exclusions listed include wear and tear, misuse, exposure to abnormal conditions, unauthorised alterations, colour variations and issues arising from incorrect installation¹.

The page also sets out delivery and returns terms. Stocked decorative radiators are delivered within 3 to 5 working days, made to order items between 4 and 6 weeks, and bespoke items within 8 weeks, with the delivery window for bespoke products beginning from the date templates are received and validated by manufacturing¹. Returns of radiator products are accepted within 8 weeks of delivery, and ventilation products within 6 months¹. A restocking fee of 25 per cent of the price of the returned good applies where no replacement is ordered; where replacements are ordered at the same time, the fee is the lesser of £40 per item or 25 per cent of the price of the returned goods¹.

The announcement does not state whether the 10 year period represents a change from a previous term for the Charleston, and no previous warranty length for that product is given on the page. It has not been reported whether the change affects orders placed before 1 October 2024.

Why it matters for households

A radiator is a long lived fixture in a home, and the length of its warranty affects how far a household is protected if the unit fails or is found to be defective. For a steel column radiator, a 10 year period is longer than the 5 years Zehnder lists for its steel radiators and other central heating products generally, and considerably longer than the 2 years it lists for electric radiators¹. Households weighing up a heating upgrade, including those considering a heat pump or other changes to a central heating system, may look at warranty length as one indicator of how long a manufacturer expects a product to last in normal use.

The terms attach conditions that matter in practice. Warranty runs from the date of delivery rather than the date of installation, and exclusions cover incorrect installation, unauthorised alterations and abnormal conditions¹. That places weight on the quality of the installation and on keeping to the manufacturer's guidance. The returns terms also set out what happens if a household changes its mind: radiator returns are accepted within 8 weeks of delivery, but non-stock items cannot be returned, and a restocking fee applies¹. Further detail on how manufacturers position their products is available in the manufacturers hub.

What happens next

The 10 year Charleston warranty applies to products purchased from 1 October 2024¹. No further dated steps are given on the page.

Sources2 cited

1. Delivery, Returns & Warranty | Zehnder Group UK Ltd, zehnder.co.uk
2. Delivery, Returns & Warranty | Zehnder Group UK Ltd, zehnder.co.uk