New law to make white goods more eco friendly
Why is it that your washing machine packs in a week after the warranty runs out? Or your fridge gives up the ghost just when the guarantee expires?
I’m often asked how businesses ‘fix’ machines, phones and other goods so they pack in just after the point when a repair is free. Well, much as businesses don’t really have ‘kill switches’ to shut down your property so you have to buy items all over again, the fact remains that, from white goods to electronics, things just don’t last as long as they used to.
Yet what’s even more frustrating is many of these white goods are virtually impossible to repair. So to counter that, the ‘right to repair’ law has just come into force, bringing us in line with the EU’S similar legislation.
The new rules
Manufacturers will have to make sure that appliances like washing machines, fridges and other white goods last for up to 10 years. It also applies to things like lighting and televisions – but not your smart phones or other tech devices.
The new rules have been introduced as part of the drive to make the things we use more eco-friendly and part of a wider system of changes around energy efficiency and make spare parts available for similar periods. The law also means that things like washing machines have to be accessible for repairs too, rather than sealed in such a way you can’t get to key components.
Now all this sounds lovely, but nothing is ever perfect. So this doesn’t mean ‘free’ repairs. You’ll still need to be within warranty or guarantee for those.
But even if you have to pay cash, the rules mean manufacturers must make sure that the goods have to be fixable using ‘commonlyavailable tools and without damaging the product’. They also have to make sure that spare parts and replacement bits are available to ‘professional repairers.
What are your rights now?
You do have a number of rights already if your goods pack in, depending on when that happens and why.
The Consumer Rights Act gives you the bulk of your shopping rights. The act covers goods and services (including digital goods) and whether they are ‘satisfactory quality, as described or fit for purpose’. If the goods you buy don’t fit in to these categories you can seek a refund, replacement or repair depending on when things go wrong.
If the item was bought online or on the phone, then you have 14 days to return it under the Consumer Contract Regulations 2013. In-store is different though and will depend on the shop’s policy.
The rules say that you have 30 days from the date the goods were purchased to return the item, if it’s wonky or isn’t as described. You’re entitled to a full refund if the goods are returned within 30 days.
If goods are faulty you have up to six months to return the items – and the burden of proof is on the retailer to prove the item wasn’t wonky or refund you. They are allowed to have one attempt at a repair or replacing the item, but after that, you can ask for a refund.
The end of machine mountains?
In recent years, teetering towers of fridges and washing machines have pricked at the conscience of many people.
So the new rules should go so way towards turning back the tide on electronic waste. If goods covered by the new law do pack in, then shop around to find the best quote for the repairs. There is a range of websites bringing together local tradespeople or sharing recommendations for businesses. If you find someone who provides a great service, make sure you recommend them.
And if something you own has given up the ghost once and for all, check your local council website to find out how you can recycle or dispose of it.