Expert Product Liability Lawyers At Irwin Mitchell React

White goods manufacturer Whirlpool have modified its advice on the use of Hotpoint, Indesit and Creda tumble dryers.

Expert product liability lawyers at Irwin Mitchell have reacted by ‘calling the modification long overdue, and frankly unacceptable’ that it has taken this long for Whirlpool to get to this point. 

Tumble dryers sold under the brand names Hotpoint, Indesit and Creda manufactured between April 2004 and September 2015 are the subject of a safety notice because of an increased fire risk.

According to Whirlpool, excess fluff can come into contact with the heating element and present a risk of fire.

Rather than recalling the products, Whirlpool have initiated a system of repairs, which is ongoing. Until now, Whirlpool’s advice to customers awaiting repair has been that the dryers are safe to use, provided they are not left unattended.

The advice has been widely criticised by bodies such as Electrical Safety First, Which and the London Fire Brigade, all of whom have called for a recall of the products.

Owners of the products have also complained about the time taken to arrange repairs.

Since the safety notice was issued, a number of fires have been attributed to the products. In August 2016, one of the affected dryers was blamed for a fire in an 18 storey residential tower block in Shepherds Bush, which took 120 firefighters to bring under control. No injuries were sustained in the blaze. 

When serious incidents do occur, consumers can face a complicated battle with the seller of the product or the manufacturer. The law applying to defective products is very complex and can leave those individuals affected with no clear right of redress.

Irwin Mitchell is running their Safety As Standard campaign in response to the risk which consumers are exposed to by the current system.

Whirlpool’s advice now reads:’ If your tumble dryer is affected by this issue then you should unplug it and do not use it until the modification has taken place.’ 

Expert product liability lawyer Matthew Newbould reacted to the latest developments

Expert Opinion

“This modification is long overdue, and it is frankly unacceptable that Whirlpool have taken so long to get to this point. <br/> <br/>“The safety notice was first issued in November 2015. Since then, the owners of these dryers have been specifically assured by the manufacturer, that they are safe to use provided they are not left unattended. <br/> <br/>“However, that seems to assume that the Whirlpool customers will be able to safely deal with an electrical fire should it develop. This advice potentially increased the risk for consumers by placing them in harm’s way. <br/> <br/>“Product recalls protect consumers from risks by removing potentially dangerous products from the domestic environment. Whirlpool should have recalled and replaced these products from the outset and compensated their customers for the inconvenience associated with that. Instead, they have magnified the risk with irresponsible advice and no recall has been issued. <br/> <br/>“Whilst it is good news that Whirlpool have now modified their advice, there are clearly lessons to be learned from their actions. We hope in future that manufacturers of products with identified safety risks will take the necessary steps to protect consumers promptly and effectively.” Matthew Newbould - Associate