Do you have a deadly fridge freezer or washing machine in your home? MILLIONS of households have recalled white goods
MILLIONS of fire risk appliances are still being used in homes around the UK.
These include tumble dryers, washing machines, and fridges - like the one which the police have confirmed started the fire at Grenfell Tower.
How many white goods have been recalled recently?
Fires are often caused by a fault in an appliance or when water comes into contact with a socket or switch, according to experts.
Around 15 per cent of blazes are caused by faulty appliances and leads, while cookers are the source of 50 per cent of accidental fires.
Hundreds of electrical gadgets have been recalled in recent years, including a total of 61 in 2016.
As there is no central register for recalled appliances, manufacturers rely on customers registering their details when they buy an item.
If they don’t there is no direct way to contact a customer and many find out about unsafe items by reading about it in the media.
Worryingly, only 10 to 20 per cent of items that are recalled are ever returned or repaired, according to Electrical Safety First.
It means that potentially millions of recalled and unsafe electrical items are still being used in homes around the UK.
HOW TO CHECK IF AN APPLIANCE IS FAULTY
A tool by Electrical Safety First allows you to check if your appliance has been recalled since 2007.
The Chartered Institute of Trading Standards has a list of recent product recalls on its site.
You should also register your details with a manufacturer as soon as you buy an item.
You can do this directly or register with the Association of Manufacturers of Domestic Appliances service and they will tell you when a product is recalled or a safety alert is issued.
Is there an official body for reviewing safety recalls?
An official review of the recall system, which was published in February last year, called for a new body to coordinate safety recalls and a need for an official website with a recalls list in one place.
But since the publication of the report, nothing has changed.
Consumer champion and author of the government report, Lynn Faulds Woods, told The Sun Online: “The recall system in this country is broken.
“Why should the onus be on people to register to find out if there is a fault. It’s terrible.”
Yesterday, The Sun Online reported on how householders can pick the right smoke alarm and ensure that their appliances are safe.