MSE News: Hotpoint tumble dryer help: 3 extra tricks to get you a refund

cairndog

stokesley wrote: »

My tumble was modified last week. It took half an hour (including a coffee and quick chat), normal apparently, but the chap who did it told me that they were allocated an hour to do each one. He finished at 2.30, and had completed his jobs for the day, so was going home; perhaps that's why everyone is waiting so long.

Well maybe yours was an easier job ie; not vented?.
Mine has just been done by a very careful and efficient man and it took over an hour He had to work in a very restricted space in my utility room and I was pleased to see all left clean and tidy.
Hopefully I don't have to worry now, but I always clear the filter every time anyway.

dexterlivi

I only finally checked my tumble drier after seeing Martin Lewis on this morning last week. The comment about insurance companies not paying up is what got me off by backside to check. Mine is one of the fire risk models.Registered with hotpoint. Got the default response of we will be in touch within 10 weeks to tell you what month we will modify.I cant wait that long and I am trying to go through their complaints process. I have already had a response from them and they have tried to phone me. I have also phoned my insurance company and even after the modification they could not guarantee that they would pay out in the event of a fire linked to the drier. I also have asked Hotpoint to clarify whether there advice to supervise the drier whilst it is on actually reduces the risk of it catching fire or if it simply allows me to try and extinguish any fire or evacuate the house in time. I am sure they will not confirm that the risk of fire is less by watching it so there advice is reckless in my view. Anyway here's hoping I have some success but I won,t hold my breath.

Poppie68

dexterlivi wrote: »

I only finally checked my tumble drier after seeing Martin Lewis on this morning last week. The comment about insurance companies not paying up is what got me off by backside to check. Mine is one of the fire risk models.Registered with hotpoint. Got the default response of we will be in touch within 10 weeks to tell you what month we will modify.I cant wait that long and I am trying to go through their complaints process. I have already had a response from them and they have tried to phone me. I have also phoned my insurance company and even after the modification they could not guarantee that they would pay out in the event of a fire linked to the drier. I also have asked Hotpoint to clarify whether there advice to supervise the drier whilst it is on actually reduces the risk of it catching fire or if it simply allows me to try and extinguish any fire or evacuate the house in time. I am sure they will not confirm that the risk of fire is less by watching it so there advice is reckless in my view. Anyway here's hoping I have some success but I won,t hold my breath.

Tumble dryers should always be supervised while on as should washing machines and dishwashers.

Rotti

Poppie68 wrote: »

Tumble dryers should always be supervised while on as should washing machines and dishwashers.

Rubbish! They are labour saving devices that should allow you to be elsewhere in the house while they do their work although preferably not in bed asleep.

Zandoni

Rotti wrote: »

Rubbish! They are labour saving devices that should allow you to be elsewhere in the house while they do their work although preferably not in bed asleep.

They are also fitted with delayed start buttons so you can take advantage of cheap electricity.

AJXX

dexterlivi wrote: »

I only finally checked my tumble drier after seeing Martin Lewis on this morning last week. The comment about insurance companies not paying up is what got me off by backside to check. Mine is one of the fire risk models.Registered with hotpoint. Got the default response of we will be in touch within 10 weeks to tell you what month we will modify.I cant wait that long

Why not? You've already said you've been sitting on your backside so far - not sure why you now feel that you "can't wait that long"?

and I am trying to go through their complaints process. I have already had a response from them and they have tried to phone me.

Okay so you complained and they've reacted quickly by getting back in contact with you (or trying) - not sure I see the issue?

I also have asked Hotpoint to clarify whether there advice to supervise the drier whilst it is on actually reduces the risk of it catching fire or if it simply allows me to try and extinguish any fire or evacuate the house in time. I am sure they will not confirm that the risk of fire is less by watching it so there advice is reckless in my view.

Eh? Of course it doesn't reduce the risk anyone can tell you that - but if you catch it in the early stages it may mean you can sort it out quicker. Remember you need to wash the filter after every use as well, that's more likely to reduce the risk.

Anyway here's hoping I have some success but I won,t hold my breath.

I've failed completely to understand your point. You raised a complaint with Hotpoint, and they've tried to contact you "already" (so I'm assuming quickly) - obviously you've not got back to them yet.... so not sure how you can really say "I won't hold my breath" - you haven't even given them a chance...

AJXX

Rotti wrote: »

Rubbish! They are labour saving devices that should allow you to be elsewhere in the house while they do their work although preferably not in bed asleep.

Zandoni wrote: »

They are also fitted with delayed start buttons so you can take advantage of cheap electricity.

Since everyone on here is keen to throw around the advice from fire bodies saying not to use Hotpoint machines at all, I'm very surprised at you two for having a go at Poppie68 for suggesting to always supervise the machine.

After all, these same fire bodies that everyone is so keen to point out as saying not to use Hotpoint machines AT ALL, ALSO clearly state never to leave *any* tumble dryer unsupervised or unattended, period.

So is this a case of we ignore the advice when it suits us or what?

Zandoni

AJXX wrote: »

Since everyone on here is keen to throw around the advice from independent fire bodies saying not to use Hotpoint machines at all, I'm very surprised at you to for having a go at Poppie68 for suggesting to always supervise the machine.

After all, these same fire bodies that everyone is so keen to point out as saying not to use Hotpoint machines, ALSO clearly state never to leave any tumble dryer unsupervised or unattended, period.

So is this a case of we ignore the advice when it suits us or what?

Poppie68 was suggesting thal all tumble dryers, dishwashers and washing machines should be supervised.

Manufacturers like Hotpoint build machines to be left unattended. Then suddenly after a 11.5 year production run they suggest you should be present during their use.

To be honest though I personally would not leave the house with any appliance like this in use. Most people do though and that's why they buy them with the delay feature.

AJXX

Zandoni wrote: »

Poppie68 was suggesting thal all tumble dryers, dishwashers and washing machines should be supervised.

Manufacturers like Hotpoint build machines to be left unattended. Then suddenly after a 11.5 year production run they suggest you should be present during their use.

To be honest though I personally would not leave the house with any appliance like this in use. Most people do though and that's why they buy them with the delay feature.

I know but that's not the point I'm making.

The advise from fire bodies to not use any Hotpoint machine until it has been modified gets chucked around on here an awful lot.

Yet these same fire bodies also clearly state to never leave machines unattended, regardless of brand.

So I find it somewhat hypocritical that some posters (and I'm not pointing fingers) are quick to point out "well fire bodies say you shouldn't use the machine at all as it's such a risk"

Yet then moan about being unable to use delayed start etc...

So it seems like the advice from fire bodies is very much cherry picked.

Zandoni

AJXX wrote: »

I know but that's not the point I'm making.

The advise from fire bodies to not use any Hotpoint machine until it has been modified gets chucked around on here an awful lot.

Yet these same fire bodies also clearly state to never leave machines unattended, regardless of brand.

So I find it somewhat hypocritical that some posters (and I'm not pointing fingers) are quick to point out "well fire bodies say you shouldn't use the machine at all as it's such a risk"

Yet then moan about being unable to use delayed start etc...

So it seems like the advice from fire bodies is very much cherry picked.

Advice probably does get cherry picked with the degree of risk.

But you must realise that people can be very lazy with filter cleaning and a tumble dryer should be designed to allow for this.

The scary thing for me is how do you put out a tumble dryer fire even if you are there when it starts. I've had some experience with fires where dust was involved they can be very nasty.