Londoners are being encouraged to sign-up to a new website which will alert them if any electrical products in their homes are subject to a safety recall.
According to the London Fire Brigade, more than 40% of homes don’t register purchases with the manufacturer, meaning they miss out on potentially life-saving safety alerts.
With 368 London fires caused by fridges and other kitchen equipment in the last five years, the Brigade wants households to sign up to the Register My Appliance website which is run by the Association of Manufacturers of Domestic Appliances.
The site is designed to provide up-to-date, accurate, contact information for owners who’ve bought specific models of appliances within the last 12 years, allowing manufacturers to issue safety updates and repair notifications to the right homes.
London Fire Brigade’s Head of Fire Safety Regulation Neil Orbell said: “While most electrical appliances work safely without incident, if there is a problem and it is not addressed it can have very serious consequences.
To reduce the risk of having a fire in your home and for your own peace of mind everyone should take this opportunity to register their domestic appliances. Good ownership data is vital so manufacturers can get safety information to people quickly if they need to.
“If you think there may be a problem with an electrical appliance in your home our advice is to always unplug it and to contact the manufacturer or a qualified repair technician.”