Fix it, ditch it, or get a refund? What to do when your gadgets go kaput

23 November 2016

Each year we throw away 1.5 million tonnes worth of electronic waste. Washing machines, toasters, irons, mobile phones and fridges… if yours broke, what would you do? Fix it or ditch it?

Exclusive research carried out by ComRes on behalf of BBC Watchdog shows that younger Britons are more likely than older adults to repair or consider repairing their appliances. One in five 18-24 year-olds say they would try to repair their television if it stopped working, compared to around one in 20 Brits aged 45 to 65.

Can we fix it? YES WE CAN! That’s the spirit!

But what if you can’t? Well, around half of Brits aged 18-44 say they would approach a repair company for a quote if their washing machine broke, compared to just over a third of those aged 55-65 (36%) and 65+ (38%).

A repair man BBC

Who you gonna call?

Don’t call the repair company straight away. Your first port of call should be the retailer. If you’ve got a faulty product which needs to be replaced or repaired and you purchased the goods after October 1st 2015 you might be covered by the Consumer Rights Act 2015.

Your Rights

Under The Consumer Rights Act, if your goods are of an unsatisfactory quality, not fit for purpose or not as described then you have 30 days in which you can return them and get a full refund.

If it’s after 30 days but within six months of purchase, retailers have one opportunity to repair or replace the product. If this isn’t successful, then you can take it back and get a full refund or a price reduction if you want to keep the item.

If it’s after 6 months – remember – you may also still be covered by the manufacturer’s warranty or guarantee. Check the terms and go straight to the manufacturer.

Man doing some DIY Getty Images

But what if I’m not covered by my warranty or guarantee?

Well, you may still be able to get your money back or at least some of it. ‘Satisfactory quality’ includes durability i.e. how long something lasts. So, with regards to household goods such as fridges, freezers and washing machines you expect them to last for many years even after the manufacturer’s warranty has run out.

But, here’s the crucial bit - if your product breaks after six months, it’s your responsibility to prove it was faulty when purchased. This can be the challenge. A challenge Bill Givens rose to.

In 2014 Bill’s iron caught fire causing a burn on his wife’s wrist. Bill called Russell Hobbs but had no joy. "I searched online and found that there were lots of complaints on Russell Hobbs’ Facebook page so I knew it wasn’t just me who had been affected." Bill kept digging. "I found out that a legal firm was already investigating the problem." It was a problem that was affecting lots of people. He contacted BBC Watchdog, it found even more cases and ran the story on the programme. This led to Russell Hobbs recalling and replacing hundreds of irons and Bill Givens received £1,650 from the company.

Now, we’re not saying that you’re going to get the same result as Bill - his case was quite exceptional - but it’s definitely worth a quick squizz online to see what the crack is. You never know what might come up.

Should I buy an extended warranty?

In a word – no. Consumer lawyer Deborah Parry says, "Extended warranties are not usually worth buying. For a start they often overlap with the manufacturer’s guarantee, in which case, why pay for another one for the same time period? They also have so many strings attached that if there is a problem you may not qualify."

But, if you’re intent on buying one for peace of mind then make sure you check the exclusions, think about the cost - is it proportionate? Read the terms closely to see how you’re covered – are they giving you anything over and above your legal rights?

A spokesperson from Russell Hobbs says, "The safety of our customers is our primary concern at all times and we take our responsibilities as a manufacturer extremely seriously. Since this incident, we have undertaken a full assessment into this issue in conjunction with Trading Standards to ensure Russell Hobbs irons are compliant with safety standards. We urge anyone concerned to contact the Russell Hobbs customer services team on 0845 658 9700.”

You can find out more about the BBC Watchdog Russell Hobbs story on the Watchdog site.

If you have a story you think we should investigate please email us at watchdog@bbc.co.uk with BBC Three in the subject heading.

Watchdog is on air on Wednesdays at 8pm on BBC One.