Faulty white goods putting tenants lives at risk

Recent figures show that fires involving white goods have cost the economy more than £118 million over the last five years and are putting tenants’ safety at risk.

Related topics:  Landlords
Warren Lewis
6th February 2017
white goods
"Many landlords provide white goods in rental properties, including fridges and freezers that are switched on 24 hours a day"

Since 2011, London Fire Brigade firefighters have attended 2,072 white-goods-related fires - almost one blaze a day. A notorious fire in Shepherd’s Bush in August of last year was caused by a faulty Indesit tumble dryer.

As a part of its company recall policy, major home appliance manufacturer Whirlpool maintains that customers may continue to use the affected dryers while they are waiting for them to be modified, as long as they are not left unattended. The Brigade strongly disagrees and urges anyone with one of the models in question to immediately unplug the machine and stop using it.

The average success rate of an electrical product recall in the UK is just 10-20%. As a result, there are potentially millions of recalled electrical items still in UK rental property. As most of these products have been recalled because they offer a risk of electric shock or electrical fire, they present a serious risk.

Jax Kneppers, founder and CEO of Imfuna explains: “Many landlords provide white goods in rental properties, including fridges and freezers that are switched on 24 hours a day. Landlords and agents should check to see if their fridges and freezers have been recalled and immediately advise tenants of any issues.

Landlords and agents should also ensure their properties have fully working smoke alarms. Landlords are legally required to fit smoke alarms in rented homes, as well as offer protection against carbon monoxide poisoning. They are also required to check all alarms are working when a new tenancy starts - with potential penalties of up to £5,000 if they don’t comply. Thorough property reports which flag items in need of repair are an essential part of ensuring that tenants remain safe in rented accommodation and that landlords avoid paying heavy fines.”

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