New Fridge Freezer delivered with a 2 pin plug

Bubbles19680102

I've recently bought a new american style fridge freezer from an online retailer (based in the uk) delivered to myself in the UK.  When it was delivered it was fitted with a 2 pin European plug. When i have contacted their customer services all they have advised is that i purchase an adaptor.  After researching running a fridge freezer 24/7 with an adaptor being an increased risk of fire i have declined and asked them to send someone out to fit a UK 3 pin plug. They have refused to action this.  If i return the item it will be at my expense and considering it is a very large fridge freezer it will be costly. Can anyone advise my rights on this matter? Or if ai pay for a qualified electrician to remove the 2 pin socket and fit a UK approved 3 pin socket will it cancel any warranty??? Thank you for any advice. 

HillStreetBlues

Can you link to product,  if you can't link then make and retailer.

kazwookie

Bubbles19680102 said:

I've recently bought a new american style fridge freezer from an online retailer (based in the uk) delivered to myself in the UK.  When it was delivered it was fitted with a 2 pin European plug. When i have contacted their customer services all they have advised is that i purchase an adaptor.  After researching running a fridge freezer 24/7 with an adaptor being an increased risk of fire i have declined and asked them to send someone out to fit a UK 3 pin plug. They have refused to action this.  If i return the item it will be at my expense and considering it is a very large fridge freezer it will be costly. Can anyone advise my rights on this matter? Or if ai pay for a qualified electrician to remove the 2 pin socket and fit a UK approved 3 pin socket will it cancel any warranty??? Thank you for any advice. 

What did the sales blurp says about the plug and electrical wires?

eskbanker

I was under the impression that all domestic appliances sold in the UK must have three-pin plugs*?  If this is the case, then one sold without these isn't compliant with the relevant regulations and you'd have the right to reject it accordingly (at no cost) - if it's still within the 14 day window you'd have the right to cancel a distance sale without having to give a reason anyway, but might be on the hook for return costs only if this has been specified correctly.

* except electric shavers, toothbrushes, etc.

km1500

I believe any plug must conform to BS1363

user1977

eskbanker said:

I was under the impression that all domestic appliances sold in the UK must have three-pin plugs*?  If this is the case, then one sold without these isn't compliant with the relevant regulations and you'd have the right to reject it accordingly (at no cost) - if it's still within the 14 day window you'd have the right to cancel a distance sale without having to give a reason anyway, but might be on the hook for return costs only if this has been specified correctly.

* except electric shavers, toothbrushes, etc.

Well, yes, you could reject it. Or you could just chop off the plug and fit a new one, like all consumers were deemed capable of doing themselves until the 1990s...

molerat

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1994/1768/contents/made

The Plugs and Sockets etc. (Safety) Regulations 1994

12.—(1) Subject to the following provisions of this regulation, no person shall supply, offer for supply, agree to supply, expose for supply or possess for supply any appliance unless that appliance is correctly fitted with a standard plug which–

(a)complies with the requirements of regulation 8 above; and

(b)is fitted with a fuse link which conforms to BS 1362 and is rated in accordance with the appliance manufacturer’s instructions, provided that in the absence of such instructions the fuse link may be rated in accordance with Table 2 of BS 1363.

(2) Paragraph (1) above shall not prohibit any person from supplying, offering to supply, agreeing to supply, exposing for supply or possessing for supply any appliance which does not comply with the requirements of that paragraph but which–

(a)is correctly fitted with a non–UK plug which complies with the safety provisions of IEC 884–1; and

(b)is fitted with a conversion plug which complies with the requirements of paragraph (3) below and which encloses the fitted non–UK plug and can only be removed by the use of a tool.

Bubbles19680102 said:
Or if ai pay for a qualified electrician to remove the 2 pin socket and fit a UK approved 3 pin socket will it cancel any warranty???

There may not be a UK manufacturer warranty on the product as a non UK compliant item should not be supplied to a UK retailer so it could be a grey import.  That said I purchased an aquarium filter that came with a 2 pin plug but did have the compliant adaptor in the box but not fitted.  I also have a few items that I have fitted the compliant adaptors to which I purchased when I lived in Germany.

A compliant adaptor should not present a fire risk.  They are readily available and not expensive so how hard do you want to fight this ?.  The company should be reported to Trading Standards though. https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/get-more-help/report-to-trading-standards/

Alderbank

eskbanker said:

I was under the impression that all domestic appliances sold in the UK must have three-pin plugs*? 

Nearly, but not quite.

All domestic electrical appliances sold in the UK are required to have either a British 13A plug (BS 1363) or conversion plug. 
The retailer was wrong to advise that you purchase an adaptor, they should have provided a conversion plug.

A conversion plug looks like a three pin plug on steroids. You plug the fridge into it and screw the cover down. It costs about £2.
https://www.google.com/search?q=eu+plug+converter+to+uk&sca_esv=601107417&rlz=1C1VDKB_enGB1030GB1030&sxsrf=ACQVn08llWRiEGq3d1_3ior8fUNNi-NXhw%3A1706113677446&ei=jTqxZZrVGt3d7_UP1PqFkAo&ved=0ahUKEwjaz8LduPaDAxXd7rsIHVR9AaIQ4dUDCBA&uact=5&oq=eu+plug+converter+to+uk&gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiF2V1IHBsdWcgY29udmVydGVyIHRvIHVrMgUQABiABDIGEAAYCBgeMgYQABgIGB4yCxAAGIAEGIoFGIYDMgsQABiABBiKBRiGAzILEAAYgAQYigUYhgNIi0FQnBpYiS1wAXgBkAEAmAFroAH9BaoBAzguMbgBA8gBAPgBAcICChAAGEcY1gQYsAPCAgYQABgHGB7CAggQABgIGAcYHsICBxAAGIAEGA3iAwQYACBBiAYBkAYI&sclient=gws-wiz-serp

It is for you to decide whether to take them to court for £2.

You can of course shop them to Trading Standards. TS might make them pull their socks up and make sure that all appliances sold with EU plugs are fitted with conversion plugs. However TS will not help you to recover your £2.

After researching running a fridge freezer 24/7 with an adaptor being an increased risk of fire...

So don't use an adaptor plug. They are only designed for visitors to the UK to temporarily use hand-held items like phone chargers. They are not suitable for continuous long-term use.

greyteam1959

Probably invalidate the product warranty if the 2 pin plug is cut off & replaced with a 3 pin plug.

Bubbles19680102

Sorry this is my first time posting and not sure how i reply to a particular poster. It certainly didn't state that it would be delivered with a 2 pin plug, if it had i would never of bought from them.  Although it didn't say that it would come with a UK plug fitted either, I just assumed with them being Uk based that it would.
They've now sent an email saying that I need to package it up and arrange a courier to send it back to them they will check the condition on receipt.
I originally paid for the delivery men to remove all the packaging, so ive no idea how much the fridge freezer weighs but its dimensions are 179.3 high x 90.8cm wide  and 68.7 cm deep. So i can imagine the couriers wont be cheap.
I had attached a print out from the internet stating that it was unsafe to run a fridge freezer through an adaptor and that legally i thought any appliance sold in the UK had to conform and be supplied with a UK 3 prong style plug, which they have chosen not to reply to.

Alderbank

Bubbles19680102 said:

I had attached a print out from the internet stating that it was unsafe to run a fridge freezer through an adaptor and that legally i thought any appliance sold in the UK had to conform and be supplied with a UK 3 prong style plug, which they have chosen not to reply to.

You are correct that a travel adapter would be unsafe and also that UK appliances do have to be fitted with a UK style 3 pin plug.

Importers normally meet these requirements by fitting a conversion plug which is different from a travel adapter. A conversion plug is a UK style 3 pin plug which fits permanently around the EU plug using a screwdriver and is suitable for continuous use.