Waterside MC350 Reviews
Latest Reviews
“Very good bit of kit”
Written on: 09/04/2013
I've had an MC350 for about 7 years now and it has just sat there and done its thing. First fault last month when the O ring between the valve head and the resin cylinder started leaking. Got a set of two O rings form Wrekin Water Softeners, followed their instructions and replaced it no problems. Other than that it's been a good bit of kit and I'd certainly have another one. The secret with this, as with all appliances is not to be afraid of it - its just plumbing after all and easily... (read more)
“Broken down 4 times in 5 years, time to put it in the skip”
Written on: 08/03/2013 by CWSC
I only wish that I would have read reviews prior to purchasing. Whilst I would not now be without a water softener the MC350 was a poor choice of product. If I add up the cost of the original purchase + 4 service calls in 5 years it was indeed a poor purchase. The last time it was fixed 10 months ago and another £120, engineer had trouble convincing himself, let alone me that it's the norm to have a yearly service on the MC350 given the mechanical nature of the device.. At that time I said... (read more)
“Waterside MC350 - Don't waste your money”
Written on: 05/03/2013 by goldingggg
I thought Culligan was a good make so bought their MC350 water softener about 5 years ago. It has never worked properly, uses lots of salt one month, none the next although our water consumption is stable. It has leaked for the last year, needed a new circuit board after 2 years. The salt alert sound randomly, whether it has salt or not and yesterday the head section blew off from its base, spraying mains water pressure until we isolated the unit. If it had not been located in the garage it... (read more)
Hello12's Response to goldingggg's Review
Written on: 07/03/2013
Have had the same problems...im about to replace the circuit board again within 5 yrs....usless
Reply to this comment
Bwtuk's Response to goldingggg's Review
Written on: 21/03/2013
Dear Goldinggg
I am very disappointed to hear that you have not been satisfied by the performance of your water softener. I have logged your comments onto our complaints register using the unique reference number C0372. Would you be so kind as to email BWT on enquires@bwt-uk.co.uk quoting the reference number C0372 along with your contact details, this would enable us to review your water softeners service history prior to contacting you to discuss the nature of the problem and how we could help to resolve the current issue and also offer reassurance that BWT respond to all customer complaints and offer customers a high level of back up and service support.
Reply to this comment
“A completely worthless piece of junk.”
Written on: 15/10/2012
The general builders who were completely renovating a house for us got this unit fitted in response to our requests for a water softener. Literally 2 weeks after the year's warranty ran out the unit started recycling constantly, it absolutely *age* salt (an entire 25kg bag in one week!) and the salt hopper kept flooding. The manufacturers came out to fix it (a bill of £180!) and fixed it...'up-selling' another year's warranty. The second warranty ran out a week ago...and guess what, the... (read more)
Mwhitehair's Comment
Written on: 15/10/2012
I have a mc350 hi flo and guess what you are totally right, what a load of rubbish, had it for two years and of course stopped working after a year, service engineer came out and fixed and this lasted 2 weeks and broke again, not been working since and engineer not answering calls. This is not one off stuff as my friend had one fitted at the same time by the same plummer and he has exactly the same problems, you cant keep paying repair bills so only option is to junk. Be warned stay clear of waterside softeners.
Reply to this comment
Bwtuk's Comment
Written on: 14/03/2013
Dear Customer
I am very disappointed to hear that you have not been satisfied by the performance of your water softener. I have logged your comments onto our complaints register using the unique reference number C0374. Would you be so kind as to email BWT on enquires@bwt-uk.co.uk quoting the reference number C0374 along with your contact details, this would enable us to review your water softeners service history prior to contacting you to discuss the nature of the problem and how we could help to resolve the current issue and also offer reassurance that BWT respond to all customer complaints and offer customers a high level of back up and service support.
Regards
BWT Service
Reply to this comment
“THIS IS AN UNRELIABLE MACHINE WHICH BREAKS OFTEN. ”
Written on: 02/10/2012
THIS IS AN UNRELIABLE MACHINE WHICH BREAKS OFTEN. Furthermore the manufacturer's guarantee is not worth the paper it is written. I have such a machine installed in my house and broken in less than 2 years, upon calling their service, they are asking for a call out charge and cost of repairs. It has also been using salt in excess in comparison with a previous system I had. Most faults are due to its electrical timer and motor. My older system had a mechanical timer and is still working at... (read more)
“Try installing it somewhere outside”
Written on: 04/09/2012 by wiggrat (1 review written)
We've had the MC350 for about 6 yrs now. There's been a damp patch below where the overflow exits the building for the last 5 yrs. Constant dripping from the overflow has been the least of our problems though. About 2 yrs ago there was water in the lid area (thankfully dripping into the main salt container through the small drain hole). This was being caused by the PLASTIC!!? blend valve starting to fail: the 'screw-on' black plastic retainer had started to break down & was cracking. Phoned... (read more)
Wiggrat's Response to wiggrat's Review
Written on: 05/09/2012
I've arrived home now to the mess that has been caused by the MC350. On closer inspection the blend valve (yes, the PLASTIC blend valve- the plumber we called out to isolate the unit was baffled at the "dinky-toy" choice of material for this vital component). If you've got one of these water softeners, GO AND CHECK IT NOW. Look for hairline cracks in the black retaining nut that holds the green blend valve knob in position. If there are any:- isolate the softener straight away! - believe me, the consequences if (when) that thing goes are catastrophic. Because of the saturated carpets the whole house now smells of wet dog; not pleasant, and considering one of my kids suffers from asthma, potentially bad for your health.
----------------------------------------AVOID.-----------------------------------------
Reply to this comment
“Waterside MC350 / MC250 Problems?”
Written on: 05/03/2012
These countless reviews based upon the Waterside MC350 / MC250 are very interesting and only seem to confirm my own findings based upon my 12 years experience with these machines. I must however be up-front and say that I have been in the water softener industry for many years and have sold and installed many hundreds of different manufacturers machines over the years from North Somerset, through Wiltshire, Hampshire, Berkshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Suffolk, Norfolk, Essex and... (read more)
Guest's Comment
Written on: 06/04/2012
iam a water softner engineer been doing this for 16 years , and i have to say the mc250 and the mc350 are very poor in construction made with a cheap plastic that is brittle a motor that just about good for a toy has no way of shutting off water if in a regeneration and the power goes off it just keeps filling usally over the top then threw the over flow , its very cheap they flooded the market , if you want good softners harveys block eco water just dont buy cheap,
Reply to this comment
Bwtuk's Comment
Written on: 13/06/2012
Dear Customer,
As the manufacturer of the MC range of water softeners, I have read your review and would like to take this opportunity to say that I am disappointed to hear about your experiences with BWT and our MC range.
As the largest manufacturer of domestic water softeners in the UK, we will always stand by the quality of our products. Our confidence in our products is reflected in the fact that the MC Range of water softeners have since July 2010 been supplied with an industry leading free 5 years parts and 2 year on–site labour warranty.
I hope you can appreciate that no range of domestic appliances can be perfect all of the time, and would advise anybody that has experienced a problem with one of our products to contact our customer service team on 01376 334200. Your call will be dealt with promptly and if at the end of the call you are not satisfied with the outcome, please ask for your call to be passed to the senior manager on duty. We take all customer calls seriously and will ensure any issues are resolved quickly.
Yours Sincerely,
Ian Fraser
Marketing Manager
Reply to this comment
Willp's Comment
Written on: 21/06/2012
As the first person to review this product (in 2008) on this site and say how badly it performed, I was concerned that I might have got it wrong. Apparently not, and it seems that it has taken the manufacturer (Waterside/Culligan) several years to wake up to the fact that many people have problems with the MC350. Since having the head replaced with a Fleck in 2008 all has been OK but I wish the boiler installer had put in a more reliable softener in the first place. Good luck if you've just bought one. [willp]
Reply to this comment
“Don't buy this Culligan MS 350 , Faulty Seals”
Written on: 25/02/2012
Bought one new in may 2008 . After 15 months constantly overflowing . Spent £180 to fix with one year warrenty , after fault on a seal causing water to ingress into electronic circuit board . 16 months later same fault with water on printed circuit board , seal gone again . Not worth spending any more , and have purchased another make with 7 year warrenty (read more)
Bwtuk's Comment
Written on: 13/06/2012
Dear Customer,
As the manufacturer of your MC350, I have read your review and would like to take this opportunity to say that I am disappointed to hear about your experience. As part of Europe’s leading water technology group, we stand firmly by the quality of our products and are so confident in the MC range of water softeners that since July 2010, they have been supplied with a no quibble 5 year parts and 2 year on-site labour warranty.
In the last ten years, we have manufactured over 70,000 water softeners, and unfortunately, from time to time, despite rigorous quality control, an odd few do not perform in the way in which we would like. When and if these situations are brought to our attention, we always aim to act quickly to resolve the issue. Owners, plumbers and installers can contact our customer service department on 01376 344200 where their call and any issues can be dealt with promptly. We take all customer calls very seriously and encourage customers that feel less than satisfied with the service they receive to ask to speak to the senior manager on duty.
Yours Sincerely,
Ian Fraser
Marketing Manager
Reply to this comment
“Overflowing problems”
Written on: 07/11/2011
Same as the alot the other comments, had this water sofener for about 4 years but now overflowing all the time- will have to replace. Though reasonably priced at the time- it was a false economy as having to replace. (read more)
Bwtuk's Comment
Written on: 13/06/2012
Dear Customer,
As the manufacturer of your MC350, I have read your review and would like to take this opportunity to say that I am disappointed to hear about your experience. As part of Europe’s leading water technology group, we stand firmly by the quality of our products and are so confident in the MC range of water softeners that since July 2010, they have been supplied with a no quibble 5 year parts and 2 year on-site labour warranty.
In the last ten years, we have manufactured over 70,000 water softeners, and unfortunately, from time to time, despite rigorous quality control, an odd few do not perform in the way in which we would like. When and if these situations are brought to our attention, we always aim to act quickly to resolve the issue. Owners, plumbers and installers can contact our customer service department on 01376 344200 where their call and any issues can be dealt with promptly. We take all customer calls very seriously and encourage customers that feel less than satisfied with the service they receive to ask to speak to the senior manager on duty.
Yours Sincerely,
Ian Fraser
Marketing Manager
Reply to this comment
“This unit is the worst water softener I have come...”
Written on: 25/02/2011
This unit is the worst water softener I have come across, avoid at all cost. I had another softener for 15 years and never failed, I have had 3 MC350's every one has failed and the suppliers says it needs servicing every year for £180 a go?? Buy another make because this is cr@p (read more)
Bwtuk's Comment
Written on: 13/06/2012
Dear Customer,
As the manufacturer of your MC350, I have read your review and would like to take this opportunity to say that I am disappointed to hear about your experience. The MC350 requires no more servicing than other comparable units, but like all similar appliances, it will benefit from regular servicing to ensure that it operates efficiently and effectively.
As the largest manufacturer of domestic water softeners in the UK, we always stand by the quality of our products. Our confidence in our products is reflected in the fact that since July 2010, the MC Range of water softeners have been supplied with an industry leading free 5 years parts and 2 year on–site labour warranty.
I hope you can appreciate that no range of domestic appliances can be perfect all of the time. We do encourage feedback from our customers and would advise you to contact our customer service team on 01376 334200 if you feel that there are unresolved issues. Your call will be dealt with promptly and if at the end of the call you are not satisfied with the outcome, please ask for your call to be passed to the senior manager on duty.
Yours Sincerely,
Ian Fraser
Marketing Manager
Reply to this comment
See next 10 reviews
Showing 1 - 10 of 36 Reviews
“Bought a Waterside MC350 just over 2 years ago while...”
Written on: 12/01/2011
Bought a Waterside MC350 just over 2 years ago while extending the house.
Despite spending £12,000 with our plumber he insisted that we buy this direct as he did not want anything to do with it. So we did.
Everything seemed OK until after 13 months it would keep recyling.
Then leaks started from the top, followed by constant overflow (there are 2 overflows piped in) Then the electronic timer display packed up followed by some very bizarre noises and finally a significant flood in the...
(read more)
Bwtuk's Comment
Written on: 14/06/2012
Dear Customer,
As the manufacturer of your MC350, I have read your review and would like to take this opportunity to say that we are disappointed to hear about your experience.
As the largest manufacturer of domestic water softeners in the UK, we always stand by the quality of our products. Our confidence in our products is reflected in the fact that since July 2010, the MC Range of water softeners have been supplied with an industry leading free 5 years parts and 2 year on–site labour warranty.
I hope you can appreciate that no range of domestic appliances can be perfect all of the time, and would advise anybody that experiences a problem with one of our products to contact our customer service team on 01376 334200. Your call will be dealt with promptly and if at the end of the call you are not satisfied with the outcome, please ask for your call to be passed to the senior manager on duty. We take all customer calls seriously and will ensure any issues are resolved quickly.
Yours Sincerely,
Ian Fraser
Marketing Manager
Reply to this comment
“Looking at these reviews, I seem to have been really...”
Written on: 04/11/2010 by jlhalstead1 (1 review written)
Looking at these reviews, I seem to have been really lucky. Mine lasted about 10 years before it went wrong. I could not get any technical support from Culligan and the answerphone was full and would not take any more messages. I wonder why!
I took the advice I read here and contacted Wrekin Water Softners. Excellent and knowledgable advice and service. I purchased a replacement head and fitted it myself. The cost was £185 inclusive of delivery. I also changed the resin at an extra...
(read more)
Bwtuk's Response to jlhalstead1's Review
Written on: 14/06/2012
Dear Customer,
As the manufacturer of your water softener, I have read your review and would like to take this opportunity to say that we are disappointed to hear about your experience. As part of Europe’s leading water technology group, we stand firmly by the quality of our products and our service team. With many years of experience, our engineers can normally solve most issues in a single visit. When this isn’t possible for whatever reason, we always aim to keep you informed as to the reasons why. Our engineers are friendly and approachable, but if you would prefer to speak to our Customer service team, then they can be contacted on any working day between 8.30 and 5pm on 01376 334200. At the end of a call or engineers visit, if you feel less than satisfied with the service you have received, please ask to speak to the senior manager on duty who will personally deal with any remaining issues you have.
Yours Sincerely,
Ian Fraser
Marketing Manager
Reply to this comment
Jlhalstead1's Response to jlhalstead1's Review
Written on: 20/06/2012
Dear Mr Fraser,
Thank you for your contact. Since I fitted the new head, the softener has been fine. In fact I am using much less salt than before because the old one filled the salt resevoir with water from leaking seals. It did this from new, and not knowing any differently, I thought this was normal.
I am glad to hear you have improved your customer service.
I would be happy to recommend the new head to anyone.
Best regards
John Halstead
Reply to this comment
“manufactures offer nil support just want to charge...”
Written on: 14/10/2010
manufactures offer nil support just want to charge call out constantly overflowed found solution myself technical support very unhelpful would never buy another product from them
solution i found for overflowing was to take pump apart and turn o rings over
two in particular one shaped as a figure of 8 and the one on the end of plunger {white plastic bit with spring }
(read more)
Bwtuk's Comment
Written on: 14/06/2012
Dear Customer,
As the manufacturer of your water softener, I have read your review and would like to take this opportunity to say that we are disappointed to hear about your experience. As part of Europe’s leading water technology group, we stand firmly by the quality of our products and our service team. With many years of experience, our engineers can normally solve most issues in a single visit. When this isn’t possible for whatever reason, we always aim to keep you informed as to the reasons why. Our engineers are friendly and approachable, but if you would prefer to speak to our Customer service team instead, then they can be contacted on any working day between 8.30 and 5pm on 01376 334200. At the end of a call or engineers visit, if you feel less than satisfied with the service you have received, please ask to speak to the senior manager on duty who will personally deal with any remaining issues you have.
Yours Sincerely,
Ian Fraser
Marketing Manager
Reply to this comment
“We purchased a MC-350 about six years ago. It was...”
Written on: 04/10/2010 by Roger Cull (1 review written)
We purchased a MC-350 about six years ago. It was expensive for what it is and it has been problematic ever since, where one has to continually reset it and regenerate the system to keep it softening. Its economical on salt because its so inefficient.
I've just phoned Culligan for a servicing quote and I was astounded at their prices. Option 1. £80 + parts + VAT. Option 2. £150 all inclusive! Bloody expensive especially when you compare it to say Dyson Ltd whose charges are aorund £60...
(read more)
Bwtuk's Response to Roger Cull's Review
Written on: 14/06/2012
Dear Roger Cull,
As the manufacturer of your water softener, we have read your review and would like to take this opportunity to say that we are disappointed and saddened to hear about your experience. As part of Europe’s leading water technology group, we stand firmly by the quality of our products and our service team. With many years of experience, our engineers can normally solve most issues in a single visit. When this isn’t possible for whatever reason, we always aim to keep you informed as to the reasons why. Our engineers are friendly and approachable, but if you would prefer to speak to our Customer service team instead, then they can be contacted on any working day between 8.30 and 5pm on 01376 334200. At the end of a call or engineers visit, if you feel less than satisfied with the service you have received, please ask to speak to the senior manager on duty who will personally deal with any remaining issues you have.
Yours Sincerely,
Ian Fraser
Marketing Manager
Reply to this comment
“As a previous owner of a MC250 for many years, I...”
Written on: 26/08/2010
As a previous owner of a MC250 for many years, I upgraded to this softener when the MC250 packed up.
This review is for the MC350 softener, not Culligan as a company (they're awful though Waterside (now Culligan) engineer excellent).
At first it would not regenerate on time and seemed to be missing by about four days for the hardness in our area, so we got hard water for that period. After five engineer visits and lots of spares/upgrades etc. It now works perfectly. This was all done under...
(read more)
Bwtuk's Comment
Written on: 14/06/2012
Dear Customer,
As the manufacturer of your water softener, we have read your review and would like to take this opportunity to say that we are disappointed to hear about your experience. As Europe's leading water technology group, we stand by our products and our service team. We are so confident in our products that since July 2010, the MC350 has been supplied with a no hassle 5 year parts and 2 year on-site labour guarantee
With many years of experience, our engineers can normally solve most issues in a single visit but when this isn’t possible, we always aim to keep you informed as to the reasons why. Our engineers are friendly and approachable, but if you feel as though there are unresolved issues, I would advise you to call our customer service team who can be contacted on any working day between 8.30 and 5pm on 01376 334200. At the end of a call or engineers visit, if you feel less than satisfied with the service you have received, please ask to speak to the senior manager on duty who will personally deal with any remaining issues you have.
Yours Sincerely,
Ian Fraser
Marketing Manger
Reply to this comment
“I inherited a Waterside 350 water softener with a...”
Written on: 09/08/2010
I inherited a Waterside 350 water softener with a house move. It has been nothing but trouble and because the manufacturer only allows Culligans to service and repair the item it costs a fortune for repairs. I have spent several hundred pounds over the last few years getting parts replaced. Eventually it again broke down this month with water constantly running down the overflow and it was estimated to cost £400 for repairs. I made Culligans take the damn thing out and I am looking for a... (read more)
Bwtuk's Comment
Written on: 14/06/2012
Dear Customer,
As the manufacturer of your MC350, we have read your review and would like to take this opportunity to say that we are disappointed and saddened to hear about your experience. As the largest manufacturer of domestic water softeners in the UK, we always stand by the quality of our products and service team. Our confidence in our products is reflected in the fact that since July 2010, the MC Range of water softeners have been supplied with an industry leading 5 years parts and 2 year on–site labour warranty.
In the last ten years, we have manufactured over 70,000 water softeners, and unfortunately, from time to time, despite rigorous quality control, an odd few do not perform in the way in which we would like. When this situation occurs, our dedicated engineers are able to normally solve most issues in a single visit. When this isn’t possible for whatever reason, we always aim to keep you informed as to the reasons why. Our engineers are friendly and approachable, but if you would prefer to speak to our Customer service team instead, then they can be contacted on any working day between 8.30 and 5pm on 01376 334200. At the end of a call or engineers visit, if you feel less than satisfied with the service you have received, please ask to speak to the senior manager on duty who will personally deal with any remaining issues you have.
Kind regards,
Ian Fraser
Marketing Manager
Reply to this comment
“had the mc 350 installed 2 years ago,has been nothing...”
Written on: 26/07/2010
had the mc 350 installed 2 years ago,has been nothing but trouble since day one.overflowing the main problem.culligan mending in 1st year under warranty.I cannot find an independant company to now srvice it as they cannot get parts from culligan and most of these companies say it is a "rogue machine".going to cut my losses and buy a different make.Definitely not recommended.I wish i had seen this site 2 years ago. (read more)
Bwtuk's Comment
Written on: 15/06/2012
Dear Customer,
As the manufacturer of your MC350, I have read your review and would like to take this opportunity to say that I am disappointed to hear about your experience. As part of Europe’s leading water technology group, we stand firmly by the quality of our products and are so confident in the MC range of water softeners that since July 2010, they have been supplied with a no quibble 5 year parts and 2 year on-site labour warranty.
In the last ten years, we have manufactured over 70,000 water softeners, and unfortunately, from time to time, despite rigorous quality control, an odd few do not perform in the way in which we would like. When and if these situations are brought to our attention, we always aim to act quickly to resolve the issue. With many years of experience, our engineers can normally solve most issues in a single visit. But when this isn’t possible for whatever reason, we always aim to keep you informed as to the reasons why. Our engineers are friendly and approachable but if you would prefer to speak to our Customer service team, then they can be contacted on any working day between 8.30 and 5pm on 01376 334200. At the end of a call or engineers visit, if you feel less than satisfied with the service you have received, please ask to speak to the senior manager on duty who will personally deal with any remaining issues you have.
Yours Sincerely,
Ian Fraser
Marketing Manager
Reply to this comment
“I have a Waterside softener which I have to say is...”
Written on: 19/07/2010
I have a Waterside softener which I have to say is fantastic as it has given my husband a great relief with his eczema.
I have also found that I no-longer need to clean the bathroom after every use as there is no scale builds up.
We contacted the technical department during set up and found them to be very helpful and informative.
Great product and great service.
(read more)
Bwtuk's Comment
Written on: 15/06/2012
Dear Customer,
We would just like to take this opportunity to thank you for taking the time to write a review on the MC350. Your feedback is important to us and if you have any further comments, please do not hesitate to contact me. If in the future, if you require service any technical information, please contact our customer service team on 01376 334200 where your call will be dealt with promptly.
Yours Sincerely,
Ian Fraser
Marketing Manager
Reply to this comment
“I wish someone told me about the MC350 before I bought...”
Written on: 20/06/2010
I wish someone told me about the MC350 before I bought it over two years ago as it has proven to me a most unreliable piece of kit.
To give it credit, it worked fine during the first year and then its started falling apart. As the call out fees were so high I was forced to carry out the repairs myself, althoguh not with any help from Culligans who were completely unhelpful and refused to offer any advice or provide any reasonably priced spares (to replace one of the control wires I would...
(read more)
Bwtuk's Comment
Written on: 15/06/2012
Dear Customer,
As the manufacturer of your water softener, we have read your review and would like to take this opportunity to say that we are disappointed to hear about your experience. As part of Europe’s leading water technology group, we stand firmly by the quality of our products and our service team. We are so confident in our products that since July 2010, the MC350 has been supplied with a 5 year parts and 2 year labour warranty.
With many years of experience, our engineers can normally solve most issues in a single visit but when this isn’t possible for whatever reason, we always aim to keep you informed as to the reasons why. Our engineers are friendly and approachable but if you would prefer to speak to our customer service team, then they can be contacted on any working day between 8.30 and 5pm on 01376 334200. At the end of a call or engineers visit, if you feel less than satisfied with the service you have received, please ask to speak to the senior manager on duty who will personally deal with any remaining issues you have.
Yours Sincerely,
Ian Fraser
Marketing Manager
Reply to this comment
“This unit was installed April 2008 it lasted 12 months...”
Written on: 10/06/2010
This unit was installed April 2008 it lasted 12 months before failing by not drawing water out of unit at the end of the cleaning process. The company attended ( free of charge ) and repared it finding a housing nut cracked. 13 months later its failed again with over flow water running. This time they want £176 to repair, service and give 12 month warranty. I have no faith in this unit and will buy a differant make. The first call out i waited four weeks this time its seven days. (read more)
Bwtuk's Comment
Written on: 15/06/2012
Dear Customer,
As the manufacturer of your water softener, we have read your review and would like to take this opportunity to say that we are disappointed to hear about your experience. As part of Europe’s leading water technology group, we stand firmly by the quality of our products and our service team. We're so confident in our products that since July 2010, the MC350 has been suppplied with a 5 year parts and 2 year labour warranty.
With many years of experience, our engineers can normally solve most issues in a single visit. When this isn’t possible for whatever reason, we always aim to keep you informed as to the reasons why. Our engineers are friendly and approachable, but if you would prefer to speak to our Customer service team, then they can be contacted on any working day between 8.30 and 5pm on 01376 334200. At the end of a call or engineers visit, if you feel less than satisfied with the service you have received, please ask to speak to the senior manager on duty who will personally deal with any remaining issues you have.
Yours Sincerely,
Ian Fraser
Marketing Manager
Reply to this comment
See next 10 reviews
Showing 11 - 20 of 36 Reviews
“Bought Waterside MC350 in Jan 08 and installed by...”
Written on: 16/03/2010
Bought Waterside MC350 in Jan 08 and installed by plumber at same time as complete newly plumbed house. After 12 months, softener started constantly overflowing, fixed under warranty after much debate. 12 months later, and constantly overflowing again- now Culligan want a call out charge (£80) to look at it, and parts if necessary. If a plumber can not fix it, will probably ditch it even though it cost several hundred pounds to buy. Very disappointed with quality and definitely not... (read more)
Bwtuk's Comment
Written on: 15/06/2012
Dear Customer,
As the manufacturer of your water softener, we have read your review and would like to take this opportunity to say that we are disappointed to hear about your experience. As part of Europe’s leading water technology group, we stand firmly by the quality of our products and our service team. We are so confident with our products that since July 2010, we have been supplying the MC350 with a 5 year parts and 2 year labour warranty.
With many years of experience, our engineers can normally solve most issues in a single visit but when this isn’t possible for whatever reason, we always aim to keep you informed as to the reasons why. Our engineers are friendly and approachable, but if you would prefer to speak to our Customer service team, then they can be contacted on any working day between 8.30 and 5pm on 01376 334200. At the end of a call or engineers visit, if you feel less than satisfied with the service you have received, please ask to speak to the senior manager on duty who will personally deal with any remaining issues you have.
Yours Sincerely,
Ian Fraser
Marketing Manager
Reply to this comment
“I had a MC350 fitted to my plumbing system 3 years ago...”
Written on: 07/03/2010
I had a MC350 fitted to my plumbing system 3 years ago when we refurbished our house as we live in an area of very hard water.
Just over a year later the salt reservoir started filling up with water but then it was not emptying - re-set the system with no change, had it serviced, the performance improved for a while but then back to the same problem. Contacted Culligan for further advice - they recommend changing the head at a cost of around £250 + VAT.I then had the system looked at again...
(read more)
Bwtuk's Comment
Written on: 18/06/2012
Dear Customer,
As the manufacturer of your MC350, I have read your review and would like to take this opportunity to say that I am disappointed to hear about your experience. As part of Europe’s leading water technology group, we stand firmly by the quality of our products and are so confident in the MC range of water softeners that since July 2010, they have been supplied with a no quibble 5 year parts and 2 year on-site labour warranty.
In the last ten years, we have manufactured over 70,000 water softeners, and unfortunately, from time to time, despite rigorous quality control, an odd few do not perform in the way in which we would like. When and if these situations are brought to our attention, we always aim to act quickly to resolve the issue. With many years of experience, our engineers can normally solve most issues in a single visit. When this isn’t possible for whatever reason, we always aim to keep you informed as to the reasons why. Our engineers are friendly and approachable, but if you would prefer to speak to our customer service team instead, then they can be contacted on any working day between 8.30 and 5pm on 01376 334200. At the end of a call or engineers visit, if you feel less than satisfied with the service you have received, please ask to speak to the senior manager on duty who will personally deal with any remaining issues you have.
Yours Sincerely,
Ian Fraser
Marketing Manager
Reply to this comment
“I have read through these reviews on the MC350 & MC250...”
Written on: 28/01/2010
I have read through these reviews on the MC350 & MC250 with much interest! I must however be up-front right away and say that I have been in the water softener business since 1995 and have sold and installed literally hundreds of many different manufacturers machines over the years from North Somerset, through Wiltshire, Hampshire, Berkshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Suffolk, Norfolk, Essex and Cambridgeshire.
Always being an independent (like a Free House Pub) gives you the advantage...
(read more)
Bwtuk's Comment
Written on: 18/06/2012
Dear Customer,
As the manufacturer of the MC range of water softeners, I have read your review and would like to take this opportunity to say that I am disappointed to hear about your experiences with our water softeners.
As the largest manufacturer of domestic water softeners in the UK, we will always stand by the quality of our products. Our confidence in our products is reflected in the fact that the MC Range of water softeners have since July 2010 been supplied with an industry leading free 5 years parts and 2 year on–site labour warranty.
I hope you can appreciate that no range of domestic appliances can be perfect all of the time, and would advise anybody that has experienced a problem with one of our products to contact our customer service team on 01376 334200. The call will be dealt with promptly and if at the end of the call, the caller is not satisfied with the outcome, we would advise them to ask to be passed to the senior manager on duty. We take all customer calls seriously and will ensure any issues are resolved quickly.
Yours Sincerely,
Ian Fraser
Marketing Manager
Reply to this comment
“Purchased first softener Culligan Waterside MC350 in...”
Written on: 26/01/2010
Purchased first softener Culligan Waterside MC350 in Dec 2005. In first year 2 callouts. Product not using salt, water overflowing, not regenerating properly, hard water etc. New turbines fitted, new timer fitted, new cable fitted. Told to regenerate manually and 5 hours later the brine cabinet overflowed. Eventually the softener was replaced in 2006. This has worked intermittantly, displaying the same problems as the first. I have phoned Technical on more than one occasion and they... (read more)
Bwtuk's Comment
Written on: 18/06/2012
Dear Customer,
As the manufacturer of your water softener, we have read your review and would like to take this opportunity to say that we are disappointed to hear about your experience. As part of Europe’s leading water technology group, we stand firmly by the quality of our products and our service team.
In the last ten years, we have manufactured over 70,000 water softeners, and unfortunately, from time to time, despite rigorous quality control, an odd few do not perform in the way in which we would like. When and if these situations are brought to our attention, we always aim to act quickly to resolve the issue.
With many years of experience, our engineers can normally solve most issues in a single visit. Our engineers are friendly and approachable, but if you would prefer to speak to our Customer service team instead, then they can be contacted on any working day between 8.30 and 5pm on 01376 334200. At the end of a call or engineers visit, if you feel less than satisfied with the service you have received, please ask to speak to the senior manager on duty who will personally deal with any remaining issues you have.
Yours Sincerely,
Ian Fraser
Marketing Manager
Reply to this comment
“MC350: One month out of guarantee (but only after 3-4...”
Written on: 25/11/2009 by geophysic (1 review written)
MC350: One month out of guarantee (but only after 3-4 months' use) the rotator would stop at a random position and depending on the angle, could be running water continuously into the outflow. Traced this to failure of the infra-red position sensor on the rotator, and fixed by purchasing a new pair of sensors (both the transmitter and receiver) from Maplin. A bit fiddly to fix, but problem solved.
Then, after another 6 months, the left-hand side of the display is dead, so the time...
(read more)
Bwtuk's Response to geophysic's Review
Written on: 18/06/2012
Dear Geophysic,
As the manufacturer of your MC350, we have read your review and would like to take this opportunity to say that we are disappointed to hear about your experience. As the largest manufacturer of domestic water softeners in the UK, we always stand by the quality of our products. Our confidence in our products is reflected in the fact that since July 2010, the MC Range of water softeners have been supplied with an industry leading free 5 years parts and 2 year on–site labour warranty.
In the last ten years, we have manufactured over 70,000 water softeners, and unfortunately, from time to time, despite rigorous quality control, an odd few do not perform in the way in which we would like. When and if these situations are brought to our attention, we always aim to act quickly to resolve the issue. Owners, plumbers and Installers can contact our customer service department on 01376 344200 where their call and any issues can be dealt with promptly. We take all customer calls very seriously and encourage customers that feel less than satisfied with the service they receive to ask to speak to the senior manager on duty.
Yours Sincerely,
Ian Fraser
Marketing Manager
Reply to this comment
“Our Waterside MC350 has been nothing but trouble,...”
Written on: 20/11/2009
Our Waterside MC350 has been nothing but trouble, unfortunately all outside of warranty. It recharged far too often and then started overflowing and finally I gave up after three floods! I turned it off for a year and then recently decided to have another go. I phoned Waterside and they told me to do a manual regeneration and then all should be OK. Did this and then the keypad brokedown and now they want £100+ for a new keypad which I have to fit myself! Our previous watersoftener from... (read more)
Bwtuk's Comment
Written on: 18/06/2012
Dear Customer,
As the manufacturer of your MC350, I have read your review and would like to take this opportunity to say that I am disappointed to hear about your experience. As part of Europe’s leading water technology group, we stand firmly by the quality of our products and are so confident in the MC range of water softeners that since July 2010, they have been supplied with a no quibble 5 year parts and 2 year on-site labour warranty.
In the last ten years, we have manufactured over 70,000 water softeners, and unfortunately, from time to time, despite rigorous quality control, an odd few do not perform in the way in which we would like. When and if these situations are brought to our attention, we always aim to act quickly to resolve the issue. Owners, plumbers and Installers can contact our customer service department on 01376 344200 where their call and any issues can be dealt with promptly. We take all customer calls very seriously and encourage customers that feel less than satisfied with the service they receive to ask to speak to the senior manager on duty.
Yours Sincerely,
Ian Fraser
Marketing Manager
Reply to this comment
“Waterside MC350 - A box of crap would be too kind a...”
Written on: 09/08/2009 by Stoday (1 review written)
Waterside MC350 - A box of crap would be too kind a description for this junk. At 13 months after installation in a new house (and after 6 months use) the programmer failed. Replaced at a cost of £75. After another 12 months it continually overflows.
I have now decided to replace it with another manufacturer's product. I shall not even give it away; my conscience wouldn't allow me to inflict such a millstone on anyone.
(read more)
Bwtuk's Response to Stoday's Review
Written on: 19/06/2012
Dear Stoday,
As the manufacturer of your MC350, we have read your review and would like to take this opportunity to say that we are disappointed to hear about your experience. As the largest manufacturer of domestic water softeners in the UK, we always stand by the quality of our products. Our confidence in our products is reflected in the fact that since July 2010, the MC Range of water softeners have been supplied with an industry leading free 5 years parts and 2 year on–site labour warranty.
In the last ten years, we have manufactured over 70,000 water softeners, and unfortunately, from time to time, despite rigorous quality control, an odd few do not perform in the way in which we would like. If and when these situations are brought to our attention, we always aim to act quickly to resolve the issue. Owners, plumbers and Installers can contact our customer service department on 01376 344200 where their call and any other issues can be dealt with promptly. We take all customer calls very seriously and encourage customers that feel less than satisfied with the service they receive to ask to speak to the senior manager on duty.
Yours Sincerely,
Ian Fraser
Marketing Manager
Reply to this comment
“Purchased Waterside MC350 in December 05. By October...”
Written on: 26/07/2009
Purchased Waterside MC350 in December 05. By October 06 had 2 call outs because it didnt work - scum round the bath, not using salt, brine tank kept filling with water. A new turbine was fitted and 2 new timers. The unit was then replaced. Since then it has worked periodically but now the brine tank is full of water again and keeps overflowing. Very disappointed. (read more)
Bwtuk's Comment
Written on: 19/06/2012
Dear Customer,
As the manufacturer of your MC350, I have read your review and would like to take this opportunity to say that I am disappointed to hear about your experience. As part of Europe’s leading water technology group, we stand firmly by the quality of our products and are so confident in the MC range of water softeners that since July 2010, they have been supplied with a no quibble 5 year parts and 2 year on-site labour warranty.
In the last ten years, we have manufactured over 70,000 water softeners, and unfortunately, from time to time, despite rigorous quality control, an odd few do not perform in the way in which we would like. When and if these situations are brought to our attention, we always aim to act quickly to resolve the issue. Owners, plumbers and Installers can contact our customer service department on 01376 344200 where their call and any issues can be dealt with promptly. We take all customer calls very seriously and encourage customers that feel less than satisfied with the service they receive to ask to speak to the senior manager on duty.
Yours Sincerely,
Ian Fraser
Marketing Manager
Reply to this comment
“I wish I'd have read some reviews before I bought the...”
Written on: 02/07/2009
I wish I'd have read some reviews before I bought the waterside MC350 as it hasn't worked properly since it was installed 2 years ago. The first engineer had to change all the main circuits etc as it was an out of date model which shouldn't have been sold in the firstplace and it's been completely unreliable since then. I've just been through the best period of operation (7 months) and it's having the same problem and Culligan want to charge me an extortionate £92 call out. Not happy and... (read more)
Bwtuk's Comment
Written on: 19/06/2012
Dear Customer,
As the manufacturer of your water softener, we have read your review and would like to take this opportunity to say that we are disappointed to hear about your experience. As part of Europe’s leading water technology group, we stand firmly by the quality of our products and our service team. Our confidence in our products is demonstrated by the fact that since July 2010, the MC range of water softeners have been supplied with a 5 year parts and 2 year on-site labour warranty and our engineers can normally solve most issues in a single visit. When this isn’t possible for whatever reason, we always aim to keep you informed as to the reasons why. Our engineers are friendly and approachable, but if you would prefer to speak to our Customer service team instead, then they can be contacted on any working day between 8.30 and 5pm on 01376 334200. At the end of a call or engineers visit, if you feel less than satisfied with the service you have received, please ask to speak to the senior manager on duty who will personally deal with any remaining issues you have.
Yours Sincerely,
Ian Fraser
Marketing Manger
Reply to this comment
“Sadly I have to concur with the poor reviews. I have...”
Written on: 29/06/2009 by CoojeBear (1 review written)
Sadly I have to concur with the poor reviews. I have now had to replace the computer/display unit on my Waterside MC350 after it broke down at 16 months. Now it permanantly overflows. After having a good experience in a previous house (with a waterside 250 which lasted at least 10 years without fault) I chose the MC350 for this house. However, I will not be buying a waterside again. (read more)
Bwtuk's Response to CoojeBear's Review
Written on: 19/06/2012
Dear CoojeBear,
As the manufacturer of your MC350, I have read your review and would like to take this opportunity to say that we are disappointed to hear about your experience.
As the largest manufacturer of domestic water softeners in the UK, we always stand by the quality of our products. Our confidence in our products is reflected in the fact that since July 2010, the MC Range of water softeners have been supplied with an industry leading free 5 years parts and 2 year on–site labour warranty.
I hope you can appreciate that no range of domestic appliances can be perfect all of the time, and would advise anybody that has experienced a problem with one of our products to contact our customer service team on 01376 334200. Your call will be dealt with promptly and if at the end of the call you are not satisfied with the outcome, please ask for your call to be passed to the senior manager on duty. We take all customer calls seriously and will ensure any issues are resolved quickly.
Yours Sincerely,
Ian Fraser
Marketing Manager
Reply to this comment
See next 10 reviews
Showing 21 - 30 of 36 Reviews
“All I can say is that within 14 months of...”
Written on: 15/03/2009 by Hardwater (1 review written)
All I can say is that within 14 months of installation: The programming buttons died, the salt tank ended up with water to the top of it pertinently, it decided to do its own re-generation whenever which resulted in the salt low alarm going off at odd times like 3.00am ! Then it started demanding salt when the unit was full, and finally it decided not to regenerate automatically at all. Currently, until I can afford a new one, it ' s plugged into a manual time switch and using its start-up... (read more)
Bwtuk's Response to Hardwater's Review
Written on: 19/06/2012
Dear Hardwater,
As the manufacturer of your MC350, I have read your review and would like to take this opportunity to say that I am disappointed to hear about your experience. As part of Europe’s leading water technology group, we stand firmly by the quality of our products and are so confident in the MC range of water softeners that since July 2010, they have been supplied with a no quibble 5 year parts and 2 year on-site labour warranty.
In the last ten years, we have manufactured over 70,000 water softeners, and unfortunately, from time to time, despite rigorous quality control, an odd few do not perform in the way in which we would like. Our experienced engineers can normally solve most issues in a single visit but when this isn’t possible for whatever reason, we always aim to keep you informed as to the reasons why. Our engineers are friendly and approachable, but if you would prefer to speak to our Customer service team instead, then they can be contacted on any working day between 8.30 and 5pm on 01376 334200. At the end of a call or engineers visit, if you feel less than satisfied with the service you have received, please ask to speak to the senior manager on duty who will personally deal with any remaining issues you have.
Yours Sincerely,
Ian Fraser
Marketing Manager
Reply to this comment
“The Waterside MC350 is very easy to install, does not...”
Written on: 06/02/2009
The Waterside MC350 is very easy to install, does not seem to have to refill with salt so often thus giving me better value for running costs. I have seen a drop in costs of my cleaning products as the soft water has cut down how much is used. (read more)
Bwtuk's Comment
Written on: 21/06/2012
Dear Customer,
We would just like to take this opportunity to thank you for taking the time to write a review on the MC350. Your feedback is important to us and if you have any queries in the future, please do not hesitate to contact our customer service team on 01376 334200 where your call will be dealt with promptly.
Yours Sincerely,
Ian Fraser
Marketing Manager
Reply to this comment
“Would not recommend this Waterside MC350 to anyone....”
Written on: 14/10/2008
Would not recommend this Waterside MC350 to anyone. Personally I think it should be taken of the market by the manufactures. Have had service engineer out to fix 5 times in 12 months, also had a new unit but it still keeps breaking down (read more)
Bwtuk's Comment
Written on: 21/06/2012
Dear Customer,
As the manufacturer of your MC350, I have read your review and would like to take this opportunity to say that I am disappointed to hear about your experience. As part of Europe’s leading water technology group, we stand firmly by the quality of our products and are so confident in the MC range of water softeners that since July 2010, they have been supplied with a no quibble 5 year parts and 2 year on-site labour warranty.
In the last ten years, we have manufactured over 70,000 water softeners, and unfortunately, from time to time, despite rigorous quality control, an odd few do not perform in the way in which we would like. Our experienced engineers can normally solve most issues in a single visit but when this isn’t possible for whatever reason, we always aim to keep you informed as to the reasons why. Our engineers are friendly and approachable, but if you would prefer to speak to our Customer service team instead, then they can be contacted on any working day between 8.30 and 5pm on 01376 334200. At the end of a call or engineers visit, if you feel less than satisfied with the service you have received, please ask to speak to the senior manager on duty who will personally deal with any remaining issues you have.
Yours Sincerely,
Ian Fraser
Marketing Manager
Reply to this comment
“Like ALL softeners they do play up from time to time....”
Written on: 07/10/2008 by Peterholland (2 reviews written)
Like ALL softeners they do play up from time to time. I used to have a Kinetico and when I changed to a mega flow heating system, it would not cope with the flow rate...let hard water through.
I purchased an MC350, and at first it played up, the engineer called and fixed it (Plumber had set it up wrong!!) and now working perfectly. Uses a lot less salt too!!!
(read more)
Bwtuk's Response to Peterholland's Review
Written on: 21/06/2012
Dear Peter Holland,
We would just like to take this opportunity to thank you for taking the time to write a review on the MC350. Your feedback is important to us and if you have any problems in the future, please do not hesitate to contact our customer service team on 01376 334200 where your call will be dealt with promptly.
Yours Sincerely,
Ian Fraser
Marketing Manager
Reply to this comment
“I have installed five of these mc350 softeners in 2...”
Written on: 23/09/2008 by garywoodley (1 review written)
I have installed five of these mc350 softeners in 2 years and all but one failed within 18 months even after talking to Culligans they refuse to accept there is a fault with them and they are charging a call out fee or repair fee of between £85 and £165. I don't recommend their products in my experience they have a major problem but will not do the decent thing and repair the units free of charge. (read more)
Bwtuk's Response to garywoodley's Review
Written on: 21/06/2012
Dear Gary Woodley,
As the manufacturer of your MC350, I have read your review and would like to take this opportunity to say that I am disappointed to hear about your experience. As part of Europe’s leading water technology group, we stand firmly by the quality of our products and are so confident in the MC range of water softeners that since July 2010, they have been supplied with a no quibble 5 year parts and 2 year on-site labour warranty.
In the last ten years, we have manufactured over 70,000 water softeners, and unfortunately, from time to time, despite rigorous quality control, an odd few do not perform in the way in which we would like. Our experienced engineers can normally solve most issues in a single visit but when this isn’t possible for whatever reason, we always aim to keep you informed as to the reasons why. Our engineers are friendly and approachable, but if you would prefer to speak to our Customer service team instead, then they can be contacted on any working day between 8.30 and 5pm on 01376 334200. At the end of a call, an engineers visit or at anytime if you feel less than satisfied with the service you have received, please ask to speak to the senior manager on duty who will personally deal with any remaining issues you have.
Yours Sincerely,
Ian Fraser
Marketing Manager
Reply to this comment
Garywoodley's Response to garywoodley's Review
Written on: 25/06/2012
Nice of you to write a response to my product review, but quite frankly as a company your response to the failing MC350 was absolute rubbish.
I did contact you customer service team on many occasions and escalated the call to a senior manager who was less helpful than their junior !
The bottom line is if this was a motor vehicle the product would have been recalled and your company can not just sit back and say the cases were isolated, the reviews on this site say it all.
I have 2 of the 5 still sat in my shed as i out of goodwill fitted another manufactures softener out of my own pocket as i think my customers should be looked after correctly.
Reply to this comment
Bwtuk's Response to garywoodley's Review
Written on: 29/06/2012
Dear Mr. Woodley,
Thank you for taking the time to comment on the previous review.
If you could contact me at ianfraser@bwt-uk.co.uk sending in your contact number, I will get a senior manager to contact you with a view to discussing the difficulties you have experienced, assuring you of best attention at all times.
Kind regards,
Ian Fraser
Reply to this comment
“The computerised water usage system on my Waterside...”
Written on: 28/07/2008 by willp (1 review written)
The computerised water usage system on my Waterside MC350 gave up after 3 months so regeneration had to be turned on manually, negating the whole point of the computerisation. After a year it started switching itself on at random, wouldn't turn off, the drainage system didn't work, and only the overflow prevented a major flood. The display disappeared so the whole thing couldn't be programmed - i.e. you couldn't set the clock or the water hardness or manually regenerate. Put simply, it... (read more)
Bwtuk's Response to willp's Review
Written on: 21/06/2012
Dear Willp,
As the manufacturer of your MC350, we have read your review and would like to take this opportunity to say that we are disappointed to hear about your experience. As the largest manufacturer of domestic water softeners in the UK, we always stand by the quality of our products. Our confidence in our products is reflected in the fact that since July 2010, the MC Range of water softeners have been supplied with an industry leading free 5 years parts and 2 year on–site labour warranty.
In the last ten years, we have manufactured over 70,000 water softeners, and unfortunately, from time to time, despite rigorous quality control, an odd few do not perform in the way in which we would like. When and if these situations are brought to our attention, we always aim to act quickly to resolve the issue. Owners, plumbers and Installers can contact our customer service department on 01376 344200 where their call and any issues can be dealt with promptly. We take all customer calls very seriously and encourage customers that feel less than satisfied with the service they receive to ask to speak to the senior manager on duty.
Yours Sincerely,
Ian Fraser
Marketing Manager
Reply to this comment
overview
Top 5 Water Softeners
To calculate the top 5's we take the following factors into account:
• All the star ratings the company/product has received,
• The number of reviews
• How recent the reviews are
As rated by real users
-
1. Harveys Water Softeners
282 reviews read latest review -
2. Kinetico 2020c
145 reviews read latest review -
3. TwinTec S3
34 reviews read latest review -
4. JM Softeners Ltd - www.jmsofteners.co.uk
11 reviews read latest review -
5. MiniMax M2
8 reviews read latest review
Latest Reviews in Water Softeners
-
Kinetico 2050c
"Hawker Softners ltd" Read More
-
Kinetico 2020c
"Get one now" Read More
-
TwinTec S3
"It does the job, brilliantly w..." Read More
-
JM Softeners Ltd - www.jmsofteners.co.uk
"Recently replaced ancient wate..." Read More
-
Harveys Water Softeners
"Holiday skin and hair 24/7 365!" Read More
Latest items in Water Softeners
See more ▼
Bwtuk's Response to CWSC's Review
Written on: 20/03/2013
Dear CWSC
I am very disappointed to hear that you have not been satisfied by the performance of your water softener. I have logged your comments onto our complaints register using the unique reference number C0373. Would you be so kind as to email BWT on enquires@bwt-uk.co.uk quoting the reference number C0373 along with your contact details, this would enable us to review your water softeners service history prior to contacting you to discuss the nature of the problem and how we could help to resolve the current issue and also offer reassurance that BWT respond to all customer complaints and offer customers a high level of back up and service support.