If you did not share your volume of use initially, then that could look like normal wear and tear to them. But, it is not normal for just 10 weeks of clean street riding. How did the retailer respond when you said it was only 10 weeks on clean, dry streets? It sounds like a bearing cap came loose or the axle bolts were not tight. The crap front wheel on my Felt IA16 did that to me. LBS took care of it.

Absolutely not.
Wear and tear doesn't explain missing bearings.
Are they cartridge bearings or cup and cone?
It only explains total absence of grease if they were relatively unsealed bearings and you were blasting them with a power washer regularly, perhaps after applying degreaser. I don't suppose that's what you mean by washed after every ride?

I'm just retiring a set of wheels I got in 2014 and that have been used for a good proportion of my riding since then. I ride in all weather conditions (except icy roads and strong winds) and I've never serviced the bearings. The bearings are still fine and the only reason I'm retiring them is the rims are wearing a little thin from braking. They must have well over 15,000km+ on them.

No chance of clean or dry streets here in the uK🤣. So fair amount of wet weather riding. That’s why I’m asking really, if they’re being reasonable then I’d just except it.

Well, nix the "dry." And, it would take rain ingress to cause grease egress.

Still, not normal for just 10 weeks of riding. It could be normal for cheap wheels under months of heavy wet use. So, if they told you "normal" before they knew volume, they are probably OK. But, if they are standing by normal after learning that they have only seen a few hundred miles of outdoor use, then not OK.

I'm in Ireland so I'm probably not used to weather significantly better or worse than you. If the hubs are in that shape after 10 weeks they are either not fit for use, special purpose and should have come with special care instructions, or defective IMO.

I'm in the UK too.
What you describe didn't really surprise me with cheapo wheels. But that's no to say its acceptable - it depends on what mileage (unless you're using a jet wash to clean the bike in which case all bets are off).
With fairly nasty wheels I've got a 1-2 thousand miles in before the hubs are bhuggered (on cup and cone bearings) - them have got then working with some grease and cleaning, albeit a tad rough (if brg surfaces have corroded or worn it'll be rough sounding) .

Usually expect further on cartridge brgs as usually better sealed even if load capacity is lower.
And I ride on a lot of shiiiiity roads to avoid main roads.
Also same off road.

(I did go to basic wheels but with Hope hubs a while ago to get around this problem, albeit it was still £350-400 for a pair with mavic open pro rims. Bomb proof. )

So... what distance have you out on them in the 10 weeks ? If you're in 4 figure miles, i think it's just the nature of shite not-fit-for-purpose cheapo wheels.
But 3-400 miles id be miffed and would defo bitch and send back.

Probably in the region of 600 miles. I ride 4 times per week, one or two of which are indoors (not with this wheel).

How did you wash the bike?

What type of bearings do the wheels have?

If you are in UK then you are covered by some really good consumer legislation. Step back from the bubble of slowtwitch, and go into the real world, and it's clear that it is totally unreasonable for a product that is designed to be used outside to wear out in 15 weeks regardless of rain. 100% they should repair/replace or refund. Go on the consumer website and then use a few selected quote about legislation to the 'well known retailer'. Only thing to be careful of is if that retailer is in Ireland and so not covered directly by the same UK legislation as the one based in Portsmouth. You still have rights, but I don't believe the laws apply directly in the same way,

Oh, and I had a pair of very basic shimano wheels that came on my first road bike, a UKP700 giant. Somehow those wheels got moved around various bikes as training wheels. Never serviced them at all. Bought in 2000, front spoke broke last month. I dread to think how many KMs they have done, and probably need to take into account soemhow the 4000km I did on that front on zwift in terms of wear too...

Oh, note that none of the above counts if you've been using road wheels on a gravel bike / MTBing on them and so used for a purpose that they weren't designed for. That's on you.

Thanks. I’ve used some of the required ‘phrases’ re consumer rights and the company have contacted the wheel company again. Just waiting for an update. I just wanted to know if people felt I was being totally unreasonable. In 32 years of cycling I’ve never had a wheel fail soo badly and so quickly!

How did you wash the bike?

What type of bearings do the wheels have?

I use a spray on detergent and rinse it off with a hose set on a low pressure.
Have tried uploading an image of the bearings/hub but not sure if it has worked.