The fatal fire, caused by a faulty Beko fridge-freezer in 2010, has led the manufacturer to visit 580,000 homes and modify over 197,884 units. But there still remains an estimated 80,000 fridge-freezers unaccounted for, which pose a potential fire risk to tenants across the UK.
Recent figures from Which? also reveal that 3,700 fires are caused every year by faulty kitchen appliances, wrecking lives and destroying homes.
There have been at least ten deaths associated with home appliances in recent years, some caused by carbon monoxide poisoning and others by fires.
According to Which? manufacturers are putting families at risk by failing to ensure products such as washing machines and fridge-freezers are safe. At the same time, the recall system for faulty appliances is unable to reach all the home owners who may be in danger.
Electricity remains a major cause of accidental fires in UK homes and faulty appliances alone cause £41.6 million of damage per year with electric cookers (£24m) and lighting (£13m) among the largest contributors.
Jane Morris, Managing Director of Property Let By Us comments: “Although manufacturers issue product recalls via national advertising and make phone calls to consumers, there are difficulties tracing the purchases, particularly if tenants have moved address or the landlord has appointed an agent.
Landlords and agents should check that any electrical appliances they provide to tenants are safe. They should also have the appropriate insurances, for both the structure of the building (that includes fixtures and fittings) and contents. Even if landlords and agents are letting an unfurnished property, they should arrange cover for limited contents such as carpets, curtains, and white goods which will also come with cover for liability to the public and injury to tenants.”
Affected Beko Models
The Beko frost free fridge freezer models affected were manufactured between January 2000 and October 2006. These have a serial number that begins with either 00, 01, 02, 03, 04, 05 or 06. and this information can be found on a label inside the fridge. Beko is making a free of charge modification to all affected models, this modification takes approximately 30mins.
Other Beko branded models and all Beko frost free fridge freezers manufactured after this date are unaffected.
