Washing machine AIBU

[WellAlwaysHaveParis]

Posting for traffic - sorry!

I’m living with the relatives at the moment, and last week they left to go on holiday to a long-haul destination (very far away) for two weeks.

The night before they left, they put a wash on. When the wash finished, they couldn’t open the washing machine to get the clothes out, so the clothes are still in there.

They asked me to try to open the machine door again after they left, and I couldn’t get the door open. The door handle sort of detaches from the machine, if that makes sense, and doesn’t hold firm when I try to open the door.

I spoke to them about it, and they’ve said they don’t want me to call anyone out to have a look at the machine as it’ll be complicated for them to arrange, and expensive. That’s fair enough, but I’ll be without a washing machine for the whole next two weeks.

I put another wash cycle on now, just to see if the door might open after the cycle finished, but I still couldn’t get it open. It’s an Indesit washing machine, if that’s makes any difference.

I can of course take my clothes to a laundrette, but it’ll cost £15. I’ll probably have to.

AIBU to:
a) feel a bit frustrated at my relatives?
b) ask you for your advice on what i should do?

Kick it.

Try cleaning out the filter. Download the manual online for the specific machine.

look up the manual on the internet.
most mashines can be opened manually with a cable binder.

Have you tried YouTube etc?

www.justanswer.com/uk-appliance/5oq3k-door-indesit-washing-machine-wont-open-please-help.html

If it’s going to cost you £15 every time you do a wash for the next two weeks I’d be tempted to just call someone out to get it fixed (I’m guessing £50 ish) and then just pay for it yourself. Probably cheaper than endless trips to the laundrette. And then I just wouldn’t say anything and pretend I’d fixed it myself.. but that’s just me!

Depends.

Are you paying rent that includes the use of a washing machine? If so then yes you have every right to be frustrated. If you are staying there rent-free or for just a token amount of rent then you are being unreasonable.

If you are paying rent that includes use of a washing machine then I think it's a difficult issue. On the one hand if they were any other landlord it would be reasonable to tell them you expect it repaired asap. On the other hand they are family and it would be mean to ruin their holiday.

If you are staying there rent free or for just a token amount of rent then pay for the washing machine to be repaired as a way of saying thank you to them.

Can't see why you would be mad at them it's not exactly their fault. And tbh it's probably cheaper to buy a new one then call someone out.

Google the make and model. There can often me a back up way to open it for safety reasons. Sometimes a pulley thing indeed a flap

I had the same with my old machine. I pulled it out and unscrewed the lid and was able to use a screwdriver to hook the mechanism to get the door open. A replacement handle was about £20. But that is frustrating for you.

Can't you ask a friend or neighbour to do a load for you?

Ask one of your friends husbands if they can have a look at it.

@Julie8008 ask a friends husband?? Because only a man would know what to do?? 🙄

Try turning the machine off at the plug and see if it resets.

Because only a man would know what to do?

No I am not saying that, I am saying that they tend to be the ones doing that sort of stuff, just a fact of life. And OP doesn't know what to do, so need to ask someone else.

Julie I really hope that's a joke

Thanks for your suggestions, everyone. It really seems like the door handle is the problem. It just detaches when I try to get a grip on it, and doesn’t let me open the door at all.

Dh is useless at stuff like that Julie, he tries but he just makes it worse and is easily frustrated. I have a much more logical and rational mind than him so in my house I would be the one to fix it. I'm sure plenty of women are the same.

Echo suggestions to google it, these things are nearly always simpler than people assume they will be

If it was me on my own I'd just hand wash things for a week or two. A family of 4+ would be a bit more tedious.

Lovely mouldy clothes at the end of two weeks...

Be cheaper to get someone out.

Have you googled the name and model for a manual yet? It’s def worth a try x

Google the problem and the specific make, someone has usally had the same problem.

I’m not sure how to find the machine make, as it looks like it’s behind the doit (which I can’t open).

*door

Please do not try to fix their washing machine without their permission. If a relative - who didn't know what they were doing - tried to fix my washing machine after I had told them to leave it, and they then turned a cheap-to-fix problem into an expensive one then I would be very cross.

Getting a professional in to fix it at your own expense is one thing. Messing about with someone else's washing machine without their agreement when you don't know what you are doing is something entirely different.

Oooh actually I’ve just found the model number. It’s an Indesit IWDE126.