Register your appliance for a safer home

Developed by the Association of Manufacturers of Domestic Appliances (AMDEA), the new streamlined version of www.registermyappliance.org.uk is now optimised for smartphones, making registration of over 60 leading brands of old and new appliances faster and easier via mobile, tablet or PC.

As part of the national fire safety campaign, Cleveland Fire Brigade is keen to ensure that every UK household is encouraged to take this very simple step, and made aware of how it can help to protect their homes and families.

Many brands are running prize draws to encourage owners to look around their kitchens and register their older appliances too. Every registration increases the chances of winning a luxury prize and ensures the traceability of these products. Most makes accept registration of large appliances up to 12 years old.

For manufacturers and fire and rescue services increasing home safety has never been more important. With an estimated 93 million (92.7m.) wet and cold appliances[1] currently in use in our homes, keeping track of our fridges, freezers and washing machines is a crucial safety precaution. 

Despite intensive efforts by the campaign’s many influential supporters, accurate ownership data on white goods remains sparse. New YouGov research[2], shows that less than half of owners (46%) register the fridges they have bought, primarily appliances aren’t registered because they don’t think it’s necessary (39%). Similarly, almost a third (29%) of households found a fridge in situ when they moved into their current property, and although they continue using it, the great majority (80%) have no idea if it is registered. Very few people (15%) realise that they can register an appliance with the manufacturer, even if they acquired it second hand or inherited it[3].

The latest YouGov survey also revealed that our most important material possessions are our phones and cars, followed closely by our fridges and washing machines. Yet, unlike our 32 million cars[4], the majority of the large white goods, that we keep running for years without a health check, are untraceable. Women placed a higher importance on their washing machine than their car. Despite this, only half (52%) of these prized purchases were registered.

Phil Lancaster, Director of Community Protection at Cleveland Fire Brigade urges the public to register products they may have bought in the sales and not to forget the older appliances they have been using for many years:

“We have been working hard to help our local community to understand why registration is so important. In the New Year we also plan to help the elderly and more vulnerable people to register their appliances, to ensure they are first in line if a safety modification is ever needed.

“These large powerful machines are indispensable, yet we tend to take them for granted and forget they are there. It is also vital that they are installed and used according to the instructions, and advice on safe usage is also available on the Register My Appliance portal.”

On Register my Appliance Day manufacturers are sending reminders to over 4 million consumers to register their products. While supporters, the Local Government Association, RoSPA, Trading Standards, Citizens Advice, Electrical Safety First, leading private and social landlord groups are using internal communications, regional press and social media to promote www.registermyappliance.org.uk.