Whirlpool admits faulty tumble dryers should NOT be used – are you one of the MILLIONS still using one?
Over 2.5million households in the UK may still have a faulty tumble dryer in their home
WHIRLPOOL has backtracked on its advice to customers with potentially dangerous tumble dryers.
More than 15 months after Whirlpool first issued safety warning for faulty dryers under the Indesit, Hotpoint, Creda and Proline brand names, it has now changed its guidance to tell customers they SHOULD NOT use the appliance until after it has been fixed.
The Sun Online can reveal that over 2.5million households in the UK may still be using a faulty tumble dryer in their home.
The company is in the process of repairing and replacing 3.8 million faulty machines in the UK.
Of this number, only 1.5million people have registered their machines as faulty with the firm. Around 1.3million machines have either been fixed or repaired, Whirlpool said.
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The machines are dangerous because excess fluff can catch in the heating element and cause a fire.
It first issued safety warnings to customers in October 2015 that machines may need to be repaired or replaced.
But it continued to advise customers that the machines were safe to use as long as they weren’t left unattended.
On its website, Whirlpool now says: “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”.
IS YOUR MACHINE ON THE FAULTY LIST?
If you bought a Indesit, Hotpoint, Creda, Swan or Proline dryer that was manufactuered between April 2004 and September 2015 then you need to check if its faulty.
You can do this by locating the serial code and model number (found on the back of the dryer) into the online checkers at , and Affected customers can also call 0800 151 0905 for the UK or 1800 804320 for Ireland.
For more information read our guide to faulty tumble dryers.
The change comes after Whirlpool was handed two enforcement notices from Peterborough trading standards.
The London fire brigade, safety experts and consumer group Which? all urged Whirlpool to change its safety advice to customers, following a string of blazes in homes around the UK - including a blaze in an London tower block in August last year - as a result of faulty machines.
In September, The Sun Online revealed how millions of families were still being told to use faulty machines despite warnings being issued to customers in Australia with exactly the same fault.
In December last year, research by Which? found that some customers were waiting up to a year for repairs.
But campaigners say that Whirlpool need to go one step further and issue a full recall of affected appliances.
We now believe that a full recall is necessary and the Government must urgently address the issues with the product safety system.
Alex Neill, Which?
Alex Neill, from Which?, said: “We now believe that 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.
“Despite updating the safety notice on its websites, Whirlpool still needs to do a lot more. 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.”
Andy Slaughter, MP for Hammersmith, said: “I am pleased that Whirlpool have finally changed their safety advice to consumers and are now advising them to unplug and stop using the faulty tumble dryers.
“It is clear that we need to maintain the pressure on Whirlpool to recall all faulty machines, and to make a concerted effort to reach consumers who have not yet registered their machines.”
A spokesperson from Electrical Safety First said: “We would like to have seen this advice issued sooner.”
London Fire Brigade’s assistant commissioner for Fire Safety, Dan Daly said: “This change of advice could save lives and we are extremely relieved that, after six months of campaigning by the Brigade, Whirlpool has finally brought its advice in line with our own.
“We attend nearly one fire a day involving white goods and strongly believe that if your appliance is subject to a safety or recall notice or you think there is something wrong with it you should unplug it immediately and contact the manufacturer or a qualified repair technician.”
We attend nearly one fire a day involving white goods and strongly believe that if your appliance is subject to a safety or recall notice or you think there is something wrong with it you should unplug it immediately and contact the manufacturer or a qualified repair technician.
Dan Daly, London fire brigade
A spokesperson from Whirlpool said: “Trading Standards confirmed, following an internal review by independent experts, that the modification programme remains the most effective way of resolving this issue.
“Since the launch of this campaign, safety has been our number one priority. We have consistently responded to the advice of Trading Standards and continue to do so.
“Trading Standards have now notified us that updated usage advice should be communicated to consumers and we are implementing this. Trading Standards have confirmed that our actions to date in this campaign have been undertaken diligently and responsibly.”
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