We just got our faulty tumble dryer replaced by Hotpoint Indesit, and here is how we did it.
No apologies for the long post, if you are affected, it's worth reading this to the end.
The way in which Hotpoint Indesit are dealing with the tumble dryer fire risk issue beggars belief. Homes and lives are being put a risk and it's time they did the decent thing and recalled and replaced all the affected appliances, but we all know they won't.
So read this, then stick it to them.
Current advice from Hotpoint says if you have one of the affected tumble dryers, it's safe to use so long as you clean the filter and don't leave it unattended whilst in use. This is rubbish, peoples' houses have burned down and lives are being put at risk. The London Fire Brigade is saying, if you have one of the affected tumble dryers, it is not safe to use it.
Ask yourself who you would rather believe.
Also, consider whether your insurance company will pay out in the event of a fire when you already know that your tumble dryer is one of the ones affected by the fire risk.
Hotpoint Indesit have probably offered you a modification that will take place at some vague point in the future. And, there are reports on here and in the media that the modifications don't work. It's known that the modifications are not being verified by independent engineers so this has implications for your home insurance as well.
Don't go back to the store where you bought the faulty appliance; why should retailers who are already hard-pressed foot the bill for Hotpoint Indesit's negligence.
Don't waste your valuable time trying to get a refund through your credit card company.
Don't bother ringing their customer services department to ask for a replacement. They will tell you that it is not their policy to replace the affected tumble dryers. They will tell you to post a complaint via their website to 'escalate' the issue. We did this and after four weeks we had received no response.
So, here is what you do.
Email the chief executive on this email address
[email protected]
Tell his office that you don't want the modification because there are reports they don't work and these modifications are not verified by an independent engineer. Tell them you will not go back to the store where you bought it for a refund as what store will refund you when this issue is all over the media. Tell them you want a replacement appliance for the following reasons.
They manufactured the appliance that you bought and it is now known that it is faulty. Under consumer law you have a right to a replacement (or a refund if that's what you want). More to the point, the appliance is not only faulty, it poses a significant fire risk to you, your family and your property.
Tell them that your home insurance is invalidated by using the tumble dryer because the issue is now well-known in the public domain and your insurance company will, therefore, treat that as a 'material fact' in the event of a fire and subsequent claim.
Use everything that's in the media to make your point. Then ask for a prompt and satisfactory response from the Chief Executive's Office.
This is what we did and it took them just under two hours to call us.
They will try to tell you that the modifications are verified, but when you press them they will say the modifications are only verified by their own engineers. They will try to tell you that some insurance companies are still prepared to cover your house and contents and ask if you have rung your insurers to ask them. This is not true, of course it's not.
Keep telling them you want a replacement or a refund and eventually they will relent and offer it to you.
If you want to accept a replacement, make sure the model they offer you is clear of the safety issue. You must ask them for the model number and for confirmation by email that the model they are offering you will come with a green sticker. This is their way of indicating the appliance is not affected by the safety issue.
Finally, make sure to look the model up while they are on the phone, and if it is not of the same value as the faulty one you purchased, tell them you want a like for like replacement.
Our new, fire-risk free tumble dryer was delivered just a week after we spoke to them. And they took the old one away.
Please share this as widely as you can. Hotpoint Indesit must be made to do the right thing and if enough of those affected follow what we did, at least it will be costing them significantly.