Consumer advice - washing machines
- How to connect a washing machine (Includes how to check your connection is legal)
- Special offers on washing machines and other appliances (Goes to my Whitegoodshelp.co.uk site)
Consumer buying rights
"Where goods bought after 31 March 2003 prove defective within six months of purchase, there's a presumption that they were defective when they were bought, in which case the seller is in breach of contract (Section 14 Sale of Goods Act)." [ Source BBC Consumer - your rights ]
The above statement sounds pretty clear cut, but it isn't. Much of the UK consumer law is ambiguous and at times contradictory. The same Sale of Goods Act also gives retailers the right to reject a claim for a replacement washing machine (or other product) if replacing it would be "disproportionately expensive compared to carrying out a repair". This often leads to conflict between the customer and a retailer and sometimes needs a small claims court to decide.
Washing machines (and other white goods appliances) under guarantee
- I don't want my washing machine repaired - I want it exchanged
- My repair company say I must wait in all day for their engineer, can they do this ?
- My (under guarantee) washing machine repair company can't send an engineer until next Wednesday and it's Thursday - can they do this?
- My washing machine is under guarantee, but my repair company say they'll charge me if their engineer can't find any fault. Can they do that?
- The repair company say the washing machine fault is not covered under the guarantee and I have to pay
- My washing machine is now out of guarantee, but I don't think I should have to pay for a repair
- If I take time off work and an engineer doesn't turn up, can I claim compensation?
Compensation, taking seller or repairer to court
- I want to claim compensation from the repair company or the washing machine seller
- I'm thinking of taking them to the small claims court
- The company I bought my washing machine from has gone out of business, what are my rights?
Free advice on washing machine and appliance consumer issues (UK)
Ignorance of consumer rights relating to washing machines causes much confusion. Many washing machine owners either fail to insist on their consumer rights, or conversely have an inflated opinion of the extent of their rights. This can put them into stressful conflict with the company they bought their washing machine from, or with their washing machine repairer. This section aims to clarify our rights as consumers.
There are many links to external consumer web sites and to downloadable consumer booklets from respected sources run by the Government and consumer groups. Although consumer advice on Washerhelp is written to specifically relate to washing machines it should equally apply to other products and services.
Which? Online special offer
Which? are a great source of independent consumer advice and product reviews and you can benefit from their highly respected opinions and experience online - Which? Online 1 month trial for just £1Consumer rights washing machine repairs
Consumer rights covering washing machine repairs come under the buying services rights section where the main expectations are that the work should be carried out with "reasonable care and skill, finished within a reasonable time and (if chargeable) at the cost agreed beforehand, or at a reasonable cost if you were unaware of a cost before".
Unfortunately the definition of reasonable is somewhat flexible to say the least so conflict arises when the customer and retailer or engineer disagree on what is reasonable.
Other consumer issues
- If I buy a washing machine online, what are my rights?
- I bought a second hand washing machine from a trader, what are my rights?
- I bought a second hand washing machine in a private sale, what are my rights?
- The repair company only gives a 3 month guarantee on repairs. Is this reasonable / Challengeable?
Broken links?
Please report any links that go to the wrong place or don't work at all. I spent weeks researching these links and unfortunately the consumer sites I link to often break my links when they redesign or reorganise their sites.
If you find a link no longer goes to where it should do please report it to me so I can try to fix it.
All reports will be very welcome - please contact me
UK Consumer Law resources
Free downloadable booklets from The Office of Fair Trading website
Remember, if you are buying your washing machine from home, perhaps over the internet or through a mail-order catalogue, you have additional rights.
Shopping from home? Know your rights
Free downloadable booklets from The Citizens Advice Bureau website
Your rights, buying goods guide - (Free downloadable (pdf) booklet from Citizens Advice Bureau)
Guarantees - (Free downloadable (pdf) booklet from Citizens Advice Bureau)
Services - your rights - (Free downloadable (pdf) booklet from Citizens Advice Bureau)
Find your local consumer advice centre
Use these links to find the contact information for all the Consumer Support Networks operating in your area of the UK
Find your local Citizens Advice Bureau in England, Wales and Northern Ireland
Find your local Scottish bureau
The Department of Trade & Industry
The Department of Trade & Industry have produced a downloadable (pdf) guide - for traders. It's very useful to see because it's what the sellers (should) go by.
The Law Relating to the Supply of Goods and Services - A TRADER'S GUIDE: