Households urged to unplug appliances

PRODUCTS: Whirlpool prepares to recall fire-risk washing machines

More than half a million households using Hotpoint and Indesit washing machines have been urged to immediately unplug the appliances as Whirlpool prepares to recall them over a fire-risk flaw.

The firm said as many as 519,000 washing machines sold under the Hotpoint and Indesit brands in the UK between October 2014 and February 2018 could be affected by the flaw with the door-locking system that could lead to them overheating and potentially catching fire.

It urged owners of appliances bought since 2014 to contact Whirlpool immediately to check if their washing machine is one of the models affected, acknowledging that the timing of the alert would cause “inconvenience and concern” to hundreds of thousands of consumers over the Christmas period.

Whirlpool said it was working at “full speed” as it prepares to officially begin the recall in early January.

In the meantime, it advised consumers to unplug their washing machines and not use them.

Those who chose to continue using their machines should only use cold water cycles of 20C or lower as this significantly reduces the risk, Whirlpool said.

This is because the issue is associated with the washing machine’s heating element being activated during washing cycles above 20C.

Under the recall, all affected customers will have the choice of either a free-of-charge like-for-like replacement washing machine, or a free-of-charge in-home repair of their existing appliance.

Whirlpool Corporation vice-president Jeff Noel said: “We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience and concern this may cause to our customers, particularly over the Christmas period, but we hope people will understand that we are taking action because people’s safety is our top priority.

“Preparing for a recall of this scale is a complex operation and we are working tirelessly to ensure we are ready to start offering replacements or repairs to our customers from early January.”

Sue Davies, strategic policy adviser at consumer group Which?, said: “This safety alert will cause huge disruption for millions of people who will have no washing machine over Christmas, and following the tumble dryer scandal, leaves Whirlpool’s reputation as a company that can be trusted on product safety in tatters.

“People will rightly be asking what Whirlpool knew about these fire-risk machines and when, so there must now be a thorough investigation into this public safety issue.

“We know the company has a track record for appearing to put corporate reputation ahead of public safety in its disgraceful handling of the unsafe tumble dryer crisis.”

Consumers can check if their washing machine is affected by visiting washingmachinerecall.whirlpool.co.uk. This site includes an online model checker tool, as well as a full list of model numbers.

Alternatively, customers can call Whirlpool’s freephone hotline 0800 316 1442 where an adviser can assist with checking their model and providing further information.

To check if a washing machine is potentially affected, customers will need both the model number and the serial number of the appliance.

Whirlpool said the issue was identified by its safety team, adding that “no serious injuries have been reported”.

“We are taking action because people’s safety is our top priority. WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION VICE-PRESIDENT JEFF NOEL