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| Faulty tumble dryers: More than 40,000 sign recall petition | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| More than 40,000 people have signed a parliamentary petition to force Whirlpool to recall three million potentially dangerous tumble dryers. | |
| The manufacturer has advised millions of owners to unplug their machines, but has refused to issue a safety recall. | The manufacturer has advised millions of owners to unplug their machines, but has refused to issue a safety recall. |
| The dryers, sold under the Hotpoint, Creda and Indesit brands, have been blamed for a number of fires, including one in a London tower block. | The dryers, sold under the Hotpoint, Creda and Indesit brands, have been blamed for a number of fires, including one in a London tower block. |
| The government must respond to petitions that get 10,000 signatures. | The government must respond to petitions that get 10,000 signatures. |
| If the total reaches 100,000, there has to be a debate in parliament. | If the total reaches 100,000, there has to be a debate in parliament. |
| Truth, fires and tumble dryers; are our home appliances safe? | Truth, fires and tumble dryers; are our home appliances safe? |
| Whirlpool has insisted that its offer to repair all the affected machines is the most effective way to solve the problem. | Whirlpool has insisted that its offer to repair all the affected machines is the most effective way to solve the problem. |
| The dryers subject to the Whirlpool repair programme were manufactured between April 2004 and September 2015 under the Hotpoint, Indesit, Creda, Swan and Proline brands. | The dryers subject to the Whirlpool repair programme were manufactured between April 2004 and September 2015 under the Hotpoint, Indesit, Creda, Swan and Proline brands. |
| But consumer group Which? is demanding that all the machines are recalled, with customers being given a refund. | But consumer group Which? is demanding that all the machines are recalled, with customers being given a refund. |
| It has started legal action against Trading Standards in Peterborough, which has backed Whirlpool's position. | It has started legal action against Trading Standards in Peterborough, which has backed Whirlpool's position. |
| In addition, 75,000 people have signed Which's own petition asking Whirlpool to do more. | In addition, 75,000 people have signed Which's own petition asking Whirlpool to do more. |
| Is your dryer affected? | Is your dryer affected? |
| Hotpoint - Online checker | Hotpoint - Online checker |
| Indesit - Online checker | Indesit - Online checker |
| Swan - Online checker | Swan - Online checker |
| Whirlpool freephone helplines: 0800 151 0905 for the UK, or 1800 804320 for the Irish Republic | Whirlpool freephone helplines: 0800 151 0905 for the UK, or 1800 804320 for the Irish Republic |
| In the meantime, owners have been left wondering what to do about the machines they can no longer use. | In the meantime, owners have been left wondering what to do about the machines they can no longer use. |
| Many are in the queue to receive a free repair, but waiting lists are said to be up to a year. | Many are in the queue to receive a free repair, but waiting lists are said to be up to a year. |
| Ben Ebdon, who bought a dryer in John Lewis, said he could not get his repaired because the serial number is not being recognised. | Ben Ebdon, who bought a dryer in John Lewis, said he could not get his repaired because the serial number is not being recognised. |
| "I think our dryer may be very dangerous - but Whirlpool say they don't recognise it, so can't repair it," he told the BBC. | "I think our dryer may be very dangerous - but Whirlpool say they don't recognise it, so can't repair it," he told the BBC. |
| "Scary! We are totally in limbo." | "Scary! We are totally in limbo." |
| Don Kiddle, from Bidford on Avon, said Whirlpool had refused to replace his Indesit dryer until he wrote to his MP. | |
| "I contacted my local MP, Nadhim Zawalhi. He in turn wrote to the chief executive and surprisingly enough we were contacted by the company who delivered a brand new tumble dryer and took the old one away. The item was at zero cost too." | "I contacted my local MP, Nadhim Zawalhi. He in turn wrote to the chief executive and surprisingly enough we were contacted by the company who delivered a brand new tumble dryer and took the old one away. The item was at zero cost too." |
| The Local Government Association (LGA), which represents 48 Fire Brigades in England and Wales, said Whirlpool should begin a "mass publicity" campaign to warn people not to use their dryers. | The Local Government Association (LGA), which represents 48 Fire Brigades in England and Wales, said Whirlpool should begin a "mass publicity" campaign to warn people not to use their dryers. |
| Whirlpool has written to 3.8 million owners of the affected dryers, offering repairs, but as many as 2.4 million have not responded. | Whirlpool has written to 3.8 million owners of the affected dryers, offering repairs, but as many as 2.4 million have not responded. |
| The LGA repeated warnings that faulty tumble dryers are causing three fires a day, although not all of these are Whirlpool machines. | The LGA repeated warnings that faulty tumble dryers are causing three fires a day, although not all of these are Whirlpool machines. |
| "For needless months, consumers have been playing 'Russian roulette' with at-risk tumble dryers prone to bursting into flames and destroying homes, and with firefighters attending three fires a day caused by the appliances," said Cllr Simon Blackburn, chair of the LGA's safer and stronger communities board. | "For needless months, consumers have been playing 'Russian roulette' with at-risk tumble dryers prone to bursting into flames and destroying homes, and with firefighters attending three fires a day caused by the appliances," said Cllr Simon Blackburn, chair of the LGA's safer and stronger communities board. |
| The London Fire Brigade alone said it was attending a tumble dryer fire once a day on average. | The London Fire Brigade alone said it was attending a tumble dryer fire once a day on average. |
| Which? said that dryers were the second biggest cause of house fires, causing 12% of them. | Which? said that dryers were the second biggest cause of house fires, causing 12% of them. |