To think a fecking washing machine should last longer than a year?

[WendyWasherWoman]

Washing machine has broken down due to the concrete counterweight snapping and breaking into pieces. It’s unfixable as it’s damaged the drum. It’s never been overloaded but has always been noisy when it spins.

It is 14 months old so out of one year warranty but surely it should last longer than that! Argos are saying ‘tough’ basically!

I’m so pissed at having to shell out for a new one when we’re already financially shafted due to CV. Really don’t want to use a laundrette at the moment so am currently stomping on washing in the bath which I can’t continue for long.

Is there anything I can do?

Look for a 2nd hand washing machine on gumtree

Doesn’t EU law state your must have a 2 year guarantee?

I guess if it is out of warranty there is nothing you can do but it does sound like it was faulty to begin with.
Could you look to get one second hand for now?

Yeah I reckon you should get at least 5 years out of a machine.
I hope it was not expensive to start with!
What brand was it?

Contact trading standards. It has to be fit for purpose and 14 months is ridiculous.

I feel your pain ,I have never had much luck.with washing machines, ,I got a,second hand one before Xmas for £60 from a,local buy and sell group after yet another one broke, fingers crossed it's still going strong.

Complain to the manufacturer, it should have a 2 year manufacturers warranty minimum.

Warranty for new items is 2 years according to EU law, and if a retailer has excluded it in their T&C's that clause is void. europa.eu/youreurope/business/dealing-with-customers/consumer-contracts-guarantees/consumer-guarantees/index_en.htm

Is it a hoover one? Ours had 4 faults in the first 6 months then conveniently after the warranty of a year expired it started turning itself off and on at random. AO told me that having had it for 18 months I could expect it to start wearing out I mean what the fuck? My mum has had her machine for well over ten years, had it fixed once. Try their social media, retailer and brand of machine, see if they'll at least give you a years free additional warranty.

The repair guy did say that if they try to claim
it was being used incorrectly, ie overloaded, that it would still take longer than a year to snap the counterweight and it’s probably that the bolts were faulty as it was noisy to begin with but I thought it was due to the flooring.

They keep cancelling the chat facility when I’m speaking to them and are not answering their phone lines, probably due to not having enough staff.

I am so pissed off and wasted all of today trying to get through to them.

I don’t want a 2nd hand one. I can get one on a credit card but why should I have to after a year .

What brand is it? (So I can avoid)

Read Which? Website about your statutory rights. That will guide you through.

That is ridiculous OP! I would "advertise" their shitty customer response on all channels - FB, Twitter, also write to BBC Watchdog.

If you do get a new one get an LG with ‘Direct Drive’ motor.

Why oh why thought the noise the old one made was normal I don’t know.

Second what pp are saying about 2 years being expected of white goods.

Money saving expert Website should have good consumer advice on the matter.

www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/advice/what-do-i-do-if-i-have-a-faulty-product

Here.

OP just out of interest, do you live in a flat? Something similar happened to an Indesit washing machine I had years ago (the spring on the block broke) the repair man suggested it was because the machine had basically been bounced up the stairs to our maisonette on a standard sack trolley rather than the three wheeler variety?

I think appliances are supposed to last 5 or 6 years. And actually British law requires them to last longer than EU law. They may not have to replace it when it's no longer new, but they do have to repair it.

What brand is it and how many people are you washing for?

FOJN If it was damaged by the delivery company Argos is still liable.

I feel your pain OP. I got utterly fed up replacing washing machines and tumble dryers and in the end I forked out big money for miele replacements which have never given me a thing to worry about for the last 3 years I've had them. My own experience now is to buy really good expensive stuff and get the company to deliver and install - that way, if it isn't installed correctly, it isn't your fault.

TooGood2BeTrue

I agree, we were lucky that ours was repaired FOC because of the way the machine was handled getting it into the property.

FOJN That's good to know! Agree with PP that the best thing is to invest in a good make. Our Miele is 6.5 years old and has never had issues. My mum's Miele broke this year for the first time in 27 years, but she managed to fix it, so it's still going.

It is a Bush machine. Reasonably cheap at £289 but still!

It’s a 9kg drum with 1400 spin which strangely they don’t seem to sell anymore. I can only see 1200 spin ones. Maybe other people had problems with them.

We don’t live in a flat. I have been on at DH to have a look at it as it’s so noisy. Didn’t really notice too much before lockdown as it would be put on and I’d normally be in and out while it was washing. Then yesterday the sound was horrendous so we stopped it then found bits of concrete on the floor, opened it up and saw the weight was broken.

There are 6 of us in the house, probably use the machine twice a day, 3 if doing beds, 6 days a week.

That's a lot of washing. I think that ages the machine faster. I use mine less than half that. I think manufacturers work on a lower average (5 or 6 washes a week? Don't know where I picked that up though) which means your machine has worked twice as hard as expected.

@WendyWasherWoman
The machine is not fit for purpose but I am not surprised it hasn’t lasted. You spent under £300 on a washing machine, it’s not right and you should complain but you cannot have good and cheap. You also purchased a brand that is not well known for washing machines, other electrical goods yes but not washing machines. I have been in the white goods industry for 22 years. If you complain enough about this they will offer you something eventually but the manufacturers bank on you not having the time or patience to do this. It will take ages and you need to be dogged about it. When purchasing a new appliance please do your research first.