Recent news about dangerous tumble dryers shows the importance of product recall insurance. People who own a Hotpoint, Indesit and Creda could be at risk and have been told to unplug their machines until they’ve been repaired.
The announcement comes after Whirlpool received enforcement notices from trading standards officers in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire. Fire chiefs warned people in October that owners of the faulty dryers must stop using them immediately.
Whirlpool has not issued a product recall and told those who have been affected that they could receive a free modification instead. It also stated that machines were safe to use in the meantime as long as they weren’t left on unattended.
The company’s upgraded warning comes after Which? had formally requested a judicial review of trading standards department’s handling of the alert in December.
The Whirlpool website states “Trading standards confirmed, following an internal review by independent experts, that the modification programme remains the most effective way of resolving this issue. As a result, we will continue with our efforts to provide consumers with a free of charge modification as quickly as possible. If your tumble dryer is affected by this issue then you should unplug it and do not use it until the modification has taken place.”
It is thought that around 5.3 million machines have been affected. The alert came after one of the machines caused a blaze in an 18-storey tower block in Shepherd’s Bush, west London in August. The fire risk is said to come from excess fluff coming into contact with the heating element.
Alex Neill, Which?’s managing director of home and legal services, said: “Fundamentally, we now believe a full recall is necessary and the Government must urgently address the issues with the product safety system as it shouldn’t require the threat of judicial review to ensure that consumers are protected from dangerous products.
“Our advice is to go straight to Whirlpool to demand your machine is fixed, but also try speaking to the retailer you bought it from.”
Whirlpool announced in March 2016 that they had recruited 650 extra staff to deal with the modifications which it said it expected to finish by January.
If you’re looking for product recall insurance, then click here or email a member from Todd and Cue info@toddcue.com or call 0191 482 0050.
