HUNDREDS of thousands of faulty Whirlpool tumble dryers are still believed to be in homes two months after they were recalled.
The manufacturer finally issued a recall for up to 800,000 fire-risk tumble dryers in July following government intervention.
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It’s been four years since concerns were first raised over the safety of the machines.
Whirlpool say that 65,000 more machines have been either been replaced or modified since the notice was issued in July.
At the time, bosses said between 500,000 and 800,000 potentially dangerous tumble dryers could still be in people’s homes.
It means that up to 735,000 faulty machines may still be being used.
Is your dryer on the faulty list?
HERE’S how to know if your dryer is on the faulty list:
Whirlpool, which owns the Hotpoint brands, says it has identified a potential concern with two types of tumble dryers manufactured between April 2004 and September 2015.
The affected brands are:
- Hotpoint
- Indesit
- Creda
- Swan
- Proline
Non-affected machines will have a green sticker on the inside of the dryer door or reverse of the machine.
If your machine doesn’t have a green sticker, you need to check if it’s faulty. You can do this by locating the serial code and model number (found on the back of the dryer or on the back of the dryer door) and entering it onto the online checkers at safety.hotpoint.eu or safety.indesit.eu or safety-swan.eu.
The issue relates to more than 600 models of vented and condenser tumble dryers made by Hotpoint, Indesit, Creda, Swan and Proline – all part of the Whirlpool brand – between 2004 and 2015.
The fault is caused by excess fluff coming into contact with the heating element, which cause the machine to set alight.
Anyone with an affected dryer must unplug it immediately and stop using it and contact the manufacturer “as a matter of urgency”.
Customers can choose to have their machine either replaced or have their existing machine modified.
It is still offering the modification options despite an investigation by consumer group Which? that revealed that it had spoken to 30 people who said their “fixed” tumble dryers caught fire, produced smoke or the smell of burning.
How does the recall work?
SINCE the recall was launched, customers no longer have to settle for having their machine modified. You can choose from the following:
- Free modification: A Whirlpool engineer will visit your home to carry out a free-of-charge safety upgrade. The appointment takes about an hour and you can schedule the engineer visit for a date and time that is convenient to you, including evenings and weekends.
- Free replacement: You can choose between a new vented or condenser dryer, provided free-of-charge.
- “Heavily discounted upgrade”: You can return your affected dryer and upgrade to a “superior model” for what Whirlpool says will be a “fraction of the retail price”. For example, it will cost £59 for a vented model or £99 for a condenser dryer. There are more than 10 models to choose from, which normally cost up to £349.
- Refund: You can return your affected dryer and receive a refund up to £150, although how much you’ll get depends on the age of the appliance.
We even spoke to mum-of-four Jemma Spurr who was forced to flee her home when her modified Hotpoint tumble dryer caught fire.
Whirlpool vice president Jeff Noel said: “Nothing matters more to us than people’s safety, so it’s absolutely vital that we can identify where these affected dryers are and resolve the issue.
“We can assure consumers that we are doing everything we can, and that we can quickly provide a remedy as soon as they get in touch.”
Since launching a safety campaign four years ago, it says it has modified or replaced 1.7million of the 5.3million potentially deadly units.
Caroline Normand from Which? says that the swift progress shows that the recall should have been called earlier to prevent dozens of lethal fires.
She adds: “The government must continue to closely monitor the progress of Whirlpool’s recall as thousands of people remain at risk while these faulty machines are in their homes.
“The government’s product safety regulator must urgently investigate whether Whirlpool’s modification for these fire-risk dryers is safe.
“If there is any doubt, the business secretary must step in and ensure that all potentially dangerous machines are removed from people’s homes.”
As of November 2015, 3.8million were still believed to have been in use with the rest either having been disposed of by customers or are so old they’re no longer in use.
People can instantly check if their dryer is one of those affected by calling 0800 151 0905 or by visiting www.whirlpool.co.uk/dryerrecall.
If your dryer has already been replaced or modified by Whirlpool you don’t need to do anything.
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