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Original poster

Anyone else outraged by the handling of Hotpoint/Whirlpool dryer fire safety concerns?

42 replies

VicsterB · 26/05/2016 13:46

So this is following the Whirlpool announcement, Nov 2015, that engineer visits would be arranged to fix the fire risk in some of their models of tumble dryer.

We have one of the models affected, so registered for an engineer in November and in Jan 2016 rec'd an email with an estimated engineer visit date of June 2016. A further email today has given an eta of May 2017.

Both emails very cheekily offered me the 'chance' to buy a new machine from them at a special price.

I think a further 11 month delay is unreasonable.

Anyone else had this nonsense?

And, does anyone know how this works with the Consumer Rights Act 2015? Can I return this faulty machine?

Please and thank you very much
Vic

OP posts:
CatsCantFlyFast · 26/05/2016 13:54

Watching

cheekymonkeyears · 26/05/2016 14:01

You need to complain very loudly and say that is not acceptable. Got a similar email a couple of months ago saying an engineer's visit wouldn't be until Jan 2017. After complaining and a bit of negotiation I got a brand new tumble dryer free of charge that is of equal if not better spec.

AlbusPercival · 26/05/2016 14:06

It is completely disgusting

Surprised Which or similar have not started a class action against them,

FYI, the reason you are being made to wait longer is they are coming sooner for those who shout loudest. Which in itself is pretty shit

Original poster
VicsterB · 26/05/2016 14:38

Wow, thank you, I'll get on the blower to them. 😃

OP posts:
cheekymonkeyears · 26/05/2016 15:01

If you don't get anywhere on the phone (I couldn't) try facebook or emailing their ceo. Grin
A good question to ask them is whether they accept liability if it causes a fire as your house insurance probably won't as it is a known problem.

Lots of Wine and don't give up! Good luck

Original poster
VicsterB · 26/05/2016 15:29

After 3 phone calls, the engineer team are calling me in the next few days to discuss a visit date. ...tentatively hopeful.

Thanks again for the advice! Flowers

OP posts:
AlbusPercival · 26/05/2016 15:29

I second cheeky, go nuts on facebook

worriedandafraid · 26/05/2016 15:32

I registered last Oct and was given a date of December 2016. Since then all they send is emails asking if I want to buy a new one for £99. ! Why should I spend my money to fix their error?!

Tequilamockinbird · 26/05/2016 15:37

I got a brand new one from them too after being given ridiculous long lead times for an engineer visit. I emailed and asked them to confirm in writing that they would accept liability for any damage to my property and possessions should a fire break out, as it wouldn't be covered by my house insurance.

20 minutes later I received a phone call asking if I'd be willing to accept a new machine. It was delivered 3 days later Smile

Rafflesway · 26/05/2016 16:00

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Rafflesway · 26/05/2016 16:01

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Janefromdowntheroad · 26/05/2016 17:09

Mine got fixed yesterday. The engineer said they have 1000 a WEEK to fix, he can do 6 a day

wowfudge · 26/05/2016 18:46

I had to get on to them via Messenger to get an engineer's visit even though I signed up on the day the issue was announced.

I believe that there isn't much of an issue for the majority of the tumble dryers if you regularly empty the lint trap.

AndersArms · 26/05/2016 18:49

Suggest you contact them on social media. We were told an engineer couldn't be with us until March 2017. DH took a pic of DS "fixing" the tumble dryer with his toy tools and tweeted it to Hotpoint. They sent an engineer round the next week...

ohidoliketobe · 26/05/2016 18:56

It's a shambles isn't it. I managed to get an earlier fix date by claiming an additional fault on warranty which was close to expiring. Engineer did both fixes at the same time. It's not the lint trap emptying that's the issue, it's actually a design fault which means lint doesn't get caught in the trap. All they do is put a new back panel on with enhanced protection between where the lint is building up and the heating element.
It's still broken from the fault I claimed under warranty. It doesn't dry anything ny more. That fault aside I'd probably still thunk twice about using it following the recall fix due to the stories circulating about fires occurring later on.
Getting a new one in autumn and there's no way hotpoint/ whirlpool are getting my custom again

Floralnomad · 26/05/2016 19:04

We had a provisional date for May 2016 and then got the email this week which said May 2017 , DH spoke to them today and they said it's still on for the next week or so and they will ring us shortly. We don't want to buy a new dryer from them as the ones they're offering are not as good as my current model ( only a couple of years old) ,

HoggleHoggle · 26/05/2016 19:25

It's driving me mad, so unacceptable. I'd be less annoyed if they weren't actually TRYING TO MAKE MONEY out of their fuck up. No I do not want to buy a new machine!

Would anyone mind sharing the email address? I've been looking for one but can only find Twitter/phone. Thanks

TondelayaDellaVentamiglia · 26/05/2016 19:32

ours has been done, but i chased them through twitter and fb...annoyingly it was not old enough to feel the discounted model would be a good enough deal, or new enough to kick up a huge stink about

I do know people who have been given replacements so it's worth a littl e extra effort

And don't be reassured that emptying the lint filter is going to work...i am SCRUPULOUS about that and was horrified at the amount of fluff building up on the drum and insides of the machine!

MairyHoles · 26/05/2016 19:36

I was told in November mine would be fixed in March 2016, heard nothing more until about 2 weeks ago when a local firm, one man outfit, called to say he would be coming out.

I spoke to the guy while he was here and he said that they're desperate to get these fixed and so anytime he knows he has a spare afternoon he can phone at the start of the week and pick up as many as he can manage. I got the impression it was quite lucrative, he came out at 4.30pm, I think he was doing one each night after his normal working day.

I say local but the man was based 30 miles away due to living in rural Scotland, so I suspect it would have been more cost effective to give me a new dryer to be honest- I thought they were trying hard to get them fixed but perhaps where there are local hotpoint engineers they aren't outsourcing the work so have big waiting lists!

NewLife4Me · 26/05/2016 19:36

We had ours done a few weeks back. They have millions to replace or repair.
my dsis works in the warehouse where they all are.
She says every week they have more and more to deliver, hardly any new orders going out, just replacements that cost £70 or there abouts.

Missingsleepandthecat · 26/05/2016 20:58

Watching with interest.
DS2 had (its sat in our garage now!) a Swan (made by indesit) condenser dryer bought in November 2014, initially when the recall was issued he checked the model and serial numbers on it online and whilst the model wasnt recognised, the serial was and it was listed as safe, as he is a worrier (and rightly so in this case!) he sent Indesit company a message via facebook where they said the recall didnt affect swan dryers, he was a bit Hmm about this as the dryers all are internally the same and the dryer fell into the recall dates. In February he asked me to contact the catalogue about it because he had seen posts about the Indesit branded version of his Swan dryer on facebook which had caught fire and did not feel safe using it. I contacted Littlewoods who told me to contact Indesit, they still claimed it was safe so I entered the model and ser. no. into their online checker to double check, to my dismay and DS2's anger, it was recalled and he was using a potentially dangerous appliance which could have caught fire and damaged our home and back garden. I contacted Littlewoods who took all the details and said Indesit would be in touch soon, but, its been 3-4 months since!
He's saved and got a Miele but we still dont know whats going on with the Swan one...

cheekymonkeyears · 27/05/2016 13:36

Hoggle the email address for the MD of Whirlpool and Indesit in Europe is [email protected].

I got a positive response within a couple of hours.

Good luck!

InternationalHouseofToast · 27/05/2016 13:42

I was told may 2016 which has now become May 2017. Will be getting DH on twitter then, so get a better date for this..

HoggleHoggle · 27/05/2016 14:19

Thanks cheeky!

Haffdonga · 27/05/2016 14:46

Watching with interest.

I got the May 2017 email too with the chance to buy a new one. Hmm

Thing is, the email shows a click and collect replacement new tumble for £20. This for us seems a good deal as our current dodgy tumble is nearly five years old. But on closer reading the twenty quid offer is not available in our area.

We do not live in a submarine or a treehouse so I can't see why we have to pay 40 quid for a delivery we could do ourselves. I'd be interested to know where exactly is this mythical area where you can click and collect.

Does it actually exist or is the twenty quid replacement a lie exaggeration.