Second Hand Or New?

[jacobm]

Hi,

I am living on my own in rented accommodation, and am likely to only be here for maybe 3 months or so. It seems like a waste of money to buy a brand new washing machine, as I may end up moving into shared housing in a few months (or another rental property with a washing machine already provided).

Am I right in thinking I'm best off just picking up a cheap second hand machine to tide me over? There are a few that come up on Gumtree Bristol, but its hard to assess their quality/reliability. They are normally around £80, but you get the odd one for £30 or reconditioned ones for more... But as most washing machines don't seem to be built to last anymore I don't really know if they are even worth it? Would I be better off getting a new machine and reselling?

What do you think?

Thanks for any advice,

Jacob

[Whitegoodshelp (Andy)]

It's a shame the property doesn't have a washing machine, I can see your dilemma. If you buy a cheap second hand one the risk is that it goes wrong leaving you with a potentially expensive repair. If it's in good working order it should be ok but the risk is there. If you get one from a local repairer it should at least be guaranteed. Ideally if you could rent one just for the 3 months ago that might be preferable but rental companies want a longer minimum period so unless you can arrange something with a local shop you are going to have to buy something.

I have some advice on buying second hand from a trader and privately looking at your rights here - What are my consumer rights buying second hand washing machine?

Buying a new machine then trying to sell it means you'll be likely to lose a fair bit of money as it would lose a lot of value even in 3 months. I'd try to get one as cheap as possible from a local repairman or shop who understands your situation.

[jacobm]

Thanks Andy, I appreciate the advice. Will see if I can pick up something cheap with a guarantee.