'Right to Repair' law

[diy_fun_uk]

When you were young, how many weeks of average earnings did it take to buy a fridge-freezer?

And now?

As to the former, **** knows, mum bought the stuff

 

[diy_fun_uk]

It’s amazing that you can buy such a thing for less than £200 and also spend £1500

I sometimes think this about washing machines. Their overarching function is to clean clothes. Bells and whistles aside, I do wonder if a £900 washing machine cleans clothes more effectively than a £300 machine. I doubt it. Just as a £900 fridge freezer doesn't keep stuff cold/frozen any better than a £300 one. They might perform their functions more efficiently however.

 

[Tigercubrider]

A fridge that was bought just before my birth was given to a friend of mine 20 years later and was still fine when he moved house and left it.
Japanese motorcycle manufacturers used to compulsory recall spares after a period and crush them to ensure constant demand.
I have bikes from the mid 50's through to the late 70's. All British.
Granted, the bikes generally needed the heck of a lot more spares in their lives, but it amazes me that you can still get some parts in the factory wrappers.

Although I agree abut repairs needing to be repaired but a lot of stuff is built down to a cost that means replacement is uneconomic.
Or TVs add features like a fashion accessory and yesterday's "state of the art" becomes "state of the Ark"

 

[JohnD]

Here are some 1974 vacuum cleaners.

Argos catalogues are online going back around 50 years

https://issuu.com/retromash/docs/argos-no02-1974

Page 82, £134 for a tall fridge freezer.

I think a London bus driver then earned around £35 a week. So about 4 weeks gross earnings.

I believe average London bus driver earnings are now £28,243. £543 a week. So one weeks gross earnings are more than the price of a FF. If you paid £2200 it might be a pretty good one. Probably an all-stainless commercial catering appliance built for long life and durability, weighing a ton.

 

[securespark]

They should impose a compulsory 5 years fully comprehensive warranty for all large white goods.

Well, under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 you effectively had 6 year's warranty. I had virtually the whole cost of a fridge refunded by the retailer after repeated breakdowns caused by the same design fault.
Their initial response was, "it's out of warranty", but when I let them know they were talking bullocks, they relented.

How or if that warranty will be affected by Brexit, I don't know.

We bought an Indesit washing machine in 1999.

It was brilliant and in all the time we had it, it only needed a cheap repair once.
We have replaced it with a Samsung Which best buy machine. While not unreliable, it regularly needs a hot wash with bleach to get rid of the musty smell. The normal cleaning wash does not touch it.

 

[sxturbo]

Well, under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 you effectively had 6 year's warranty. I had virtually the whole cost of a fridge refunded by the retailer after repeated breakdowns caused by the same design fault.
Their initial response was, "it's out of warranty", but when I let them know they were talking bullocks, they relented.

How or if that warranty will be affected by Brexit, I don't know.

i was under the impression that european law as of last year was written into UK law, but i'm sure someone with more information than me will be able to advise (johnd, noseall, notch)

 

[mattylad]

I wonder if it also includes the release of technical information (schematics etc.) to be able to do those repairs?

They have been campaigning in the states for this for a while, Apple is the main one that is used for reasons why it needs to happen.

 

[ellal]

I think manufacturers will find ways around it.

Or retailers...

Screwfix and Erbauer come to mind!

 

[sxturbo]

I wonder if it also includes the release of technical information (schematics etc.) to be able to do those repairs?

They have been campaigning in the states for this for a while, Apple is the main one that is used for reasons why it needs to happen.

Yes it includes these from what I've read, but only for a small range of items.

Things like mobiles and power tools don't yet apply, but it it scope for the future to expand into.

I think more will be added and I think the UK will follow the EU in this direction, im sure it will be added to the co2 reduction

 

[transam]

Most long warranty costs are included in the price of the product

if they are like boiler manus many are insured by the manu via some insurance company

so yer washing machine go’s pear shaped need a spare part

special order ?
Not in stock ?

4 week delivery time from turkey or what ever ???

 

[Bodd]

Makes sense, will stop a lot of waste. In some "less developed" countries, they repair everything - the thought of replacing a washing machine or drill after 3 years because something stopped working is totally alien to many people, but for us, it's cheaper to just get a new one half the time. That needs to change.

Having a water softener and quality tablets, powder or liquid would increase the life span.

 

[Bodd]

A boiler life spans will also depend on the quality of the installation and commissioning

 

[^woody^]

I seem to recall that Black and Decker used to run a string of high street repair and refurb shops. Why not eh?

And a refurb sale once a year in late summer. My old man used to be front of the queue.

 

[^woody^]

The new law won't work for tech products such as phones, tablets, computers, watches and smart stuff, where they may not break but don't get updated after a few years and then become unusable and obsolete forcing a replacement.

 

[mattylad]

For that it may not, but for broken screens, ports, batteries it ought to.
Perfectly good phones are having to be replaced because the battery is knackered, being able to replace it would keep that phone working.
Software updates could be done that enable older phones to stay working.