To have expected a verbal warning that our tumble dryer was unsafe (subsequent fire)

[clarkykitten]

Hi, just looking for a bit of perspective on things.

We had a house fire on Thursday, caused by a defect in our tumble dryer. Have since found out that it was a fault with the model of the tumble dryer and a warning was issued quite soon after we bought the tumble dryer, in November last year.

We have spoken to our insurance company, so everything seems to be getting sorted - the fire basically wrecked our lean to, but we had a very lucky escape as I was in the house at the time and noticed it so called the fire brigade before it got too out of hand, though still lots of damage and smoke damage. I have had a phone call today from who we bought it from - he said that an email was sent late last year with a warning about not using the tumble dryer. I have just looked back at my emails (we don't use the email address any more) and can see that an email was sent, but that it was entitled 'important information regarding your tumble dryer' - no warning in the title and it wasn't issued as high importance.

Our next door neighbour, who had the same appliance, has now told me that she received a phone call from the company she bought hers from (different company) - warning her not to use it.

So, aibu to expect a phone call when it is something so life threatening, or do you think they were right in that they sent a round robin email? Either way I am sure we'll get it sorted, I just feel anxious for other people who may not have realised that an email has been sent round and are sitting on a potential fire hazard. :(

I think an email is fine. And perhaps a listing in the newspaper.

That's what they do in the US. They regularly place recall and safety information in the newspapers.

Perhaps you could list the make and model of your machine here, in case others have not had the warning?

How awful, glad no-one was hurt.

YANBU and the company might be legally liable. I expect the insurance company will look into that.

Yep, it is a Beko Condenser Tumble dryer, our model was a DCU6130W, though I believe a few models are affected.

Scary isn't it. We had the same with a zanussi dishwasher. It was just out of its year warranty but I was furious it had caught fire and emailed zanussi. They sent an engineer round and it turned out there was a faulty part with a recall on it. They'd never contacted us and we'd registered the dishwasher.

They did repair the dishwasher free of charge and we had no damage to the house as I'd been standing beside it when I smelt smoke so unplugged and put it out before there were actual flames.

Funnily enough I met someone at the weekend who's house was wrecked by a tumble dryer fire. She was also in the House and smelt smoke before the smoke alarm went off so found it quickly. She opened the tumble dryer and the clothes were on fire in there. She ran out and called the fire brigade and within five minutes there was thick black smoke pouring out under the door and she could see big flames inside the house. With hers it turns out there was a crack in the drum, lint had fallen through the crack and caught fire. The company said a cracked drum wasn't their fault and washed their hands of it.

Hope your house is sorted soon.

They sent you an email that you didn't read, and that is their fault?

They tried to warn you, you didn't pay attention.

I do think letters might be more appropriate or at least an email with a warning in the title. I get 40plus emails a day, 99% of which are spam. It's easy to miss a genuine email especially if it looks like spam.

Completely agree Viva I start my day by deleting around 30 emails. It would be very easy to miss something like this, or to assume they're trying to sell you an upgraded warranty and delete it.

OP, I'm so glad you were in! Could have been so much worse.

KobayashiMaru I didn't once say it was their fault. I just asked if a phone call may be a more appropriate way of warning someone that something they have supplied is potentially life threatening. Funny how Curry's managed to warn my neighbours via a phone call.

If ibu, fair enough, just wanted to get opinions.

YANBU
They should have sent a letter.
I know someone who received a letter form Beko about a fridge freezer and the need to come round and replace a faulty part.

We had the same dryer, but they sent us a letter rather than an email. Probably depends where you bought it from. But its not their fault you didn't read the email I'm afraid.

We had a letter too about the Beko tumbledryer and a phone call from Curry's as well to book an appt for an engineer to come round.

It wasn't a White Knight one was it ?

I think a letter or phone call would have been better, we have a few email accounts and get lots if spam and junk mail etc, i may not have checked it either.

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2284119/Beko-accused-dragging-feet-faulty-goods-company-linked-ELEVEN-deaths.html

If someone called me to tell me an appliance I had had a fault, I'd likely think it was a spam call and hang up.

They emailed you, you didn't read it. Not their fault.

Glad noone was hurt and hope insurance payout is quick.

another Beko fire!

I have just read and article (think it was sunday times) about becko appliance fires - particularly their fridge freezers. the fire brigade got so fed up with the company not issuing warnings they took the unprecedented step of issuing warnings themselves.