Tumble drier warning

Same here. But i clean off the fluff After every dry and in any case I sont use it very often. It's in the garage

Or maybe people should just read the instructions when they buy a machine.
I'm sure all of them mention clearing the fluff away regularly, otherwise this accident would happen far more often. It probably isn't the first instance of it happening but I've never heard of it before.

I read somewhere that it is a good idea to take the side/top off and vacuum inside.

I had to ring for a repair yesterday and there was a message first saying about looking on their website for advice. Didn't listen properly as mine is an Indesit not Hotpoint.

Tizliz, I am sure the fault lies with several brands and do know that Creda, Hotpoint and Indesit all come under the same banner. I saw an item on TV a while ago about fluff accumulating in various places which causes a problem, rather than the fluff in the filter.

And of course it's common sense not to leave them on overnight or when you go out.

Mine's a Hotpoint, but as it's over 30 years old I don't think it's on the recall list!

Some models ( including mine) had a warning letter last November sent to us in the post saying a repair needed to be done, so we registered for the repair.Yesterday got the same letter in the post asking us to register! It's an Indesit, and the fluff thingy has been sited too close to the heating element.
Even if you clean the fluff regularly ( I do) fluff still gathers underneath it and it's that bit that can catch on fire.
So,we do use it, but keep an eye on it, and never go to bed and leave it on or go out and leave it on.Indesit will have a lot of these machines to repair, but even so are being very slow.

Just re-read the OP and now understand that the machine was faulty. Oh dear.

It's about 3 years old ( not all machines are at risk, only certain models.)

I have also had the letter again after registering my Hotpoint, which is one of the faulty ones. The odd thing is that I bought this current machine after the old Hotpoint went up in smoke in 12/09! It could also have been one of the ones on the list for modification, I can't remember when I bought it.

My DD had indisit dryer.
A few months ago on news said one had gone on fire whilst child was sitting next to it a table.
I looked online for indisit call centre number which I called after 40 mins (probably because others calling in about problem). I got through and had to give model number etc
I explained that DD had a baby + toddler so felt it was urgent
I was told to remove the fluff and not leave dryer on unattended someone would be in touch with my DD within three days. Nobody did.
They had also said it could three weeks for someone to come out to see if it was faulty. Nobody did.
2 weeks ago DD received a leaflet from indisit saying to watch a video on line about the tumble dryer
Its in the bin!
The tumble dryer was removed by DH and replaced with another not in the Indisit 'family'
Several years ago we had an indisit dishwasher that went on fire so we were taking no chances!

Alima mine is a combined washer/dryer and the fluff goes the same way as the waste water so never needs cleaning out. However, it is faulty at the moment. I just get nice hot wet washing! Just what you want when it will not stop raining.

I rent my tumble dryer from Hughes who have contacted and visited me to modify my TD,received letter just before christmas,and booking was made and kept 4th Feb.Engineer said that lot of people do not clear fluff,I also clean mine, and filters regularly,apparently there are historical appliances that are having to be checked as well,and Hotpoint are struggling and are asking Hughes to carry out some of the work.

I have a hotpoint dryer - now about 9 years old - have only ever had it on while up and about in the house - saw this problem and filled the form in online and it showed mine was one of the machines affected. Even though we have brought the machine to France there was no problem. The man came about ten days ago and had the whole innards of the machine out - he replaced the back panel of the machine in the process. However when I came to use the machine it sounded as if I had mistakenly put the dishes in there!!! Made contact again to the people who did the repair and the man's has now taken the machine away. He asked us to contact Indesit but the phone number is inaccessible from France. Eventually I found a Hotpoint number - not really the right one but have told them what has happened as requested. Am now awaiting events!

Please also peer down into the slot the filter sits in - my filter's at the front and I was utterly shocked to see how much fluff and gubbins had accumulated in the bottom of the 'slot'. It seems that some fluff, buttons, paper handkies etc managed to bypass the filter somehow.
It took me 20 minutes to fish it all out, using a mixture of cooking implements and long tongs, there was easily four handfuls of rubbish.

It could easily have blocked the outlet hole at the bottom and resulted in a fire

Mine is a Hotpoint that is deemed unsafe. We got in touch, they rang some weeks later but put the phone down without leaving a message on the machine. I am now none the wiser and continue to use the drier but always clean the filter after each use and clean the condenser after each washday.

I saw on my Facebook page last Nov that there could be a fault with Indesit/Hotpoint dryers ie them catching fire. I traced the contact details and registered as an owner of one of the machines (3 months old) and was told someone would contact me within four weeks to arrange a mutually convenient appointment for the machine to be modified, in the meantime we weren't to leave the machine unattended whilst on and had to make sure the lint catcher was cleaned after every use. No-one contacted us so after four weeks I contacted them and was told we had to wait another 3 months for an appointment (none was offered at the time). We weren't satisfied with this and contacted John Lewis from whom we had purchased the machine and asked them to intervene. They came back and gave me the same answer. I then told them that they were responsible for selling me faulty goods and that I wanted a full refund. Within a day they came back to me and said that an engineer would ring me that day. He did and he came at the end of January and modified the machine. The fault occurs mainly when people do not clean out their lint filter EVERY TIME they use the machine. The fault was well publicised (I am told) but we didn't see it in the Guardian or Observer (the newspapers we get) or on radio or television so I am not convinced it was. It is only some models that are affected but the advice above should be followed for all makes of dryers.

I use the vacuum cleaner nozzle to clean out the accumulated fluff that hasn't gone into the filter. I also clear out all the filters during a drying "session", especially after towels. I've stopped using the dishwasher overnight or when out of the house too.

I have got one of the potentially deadly TDs and when the warning e-mail came I was amused to find that the special video link was only advising me to empty the fluff tray which I do anyway.

However, I see that there is some useful advice on this thread about looking in the space behind the vent and getting it out with the Hoover. Thanks for that. I will do so immediately.

I used to work for Hotpoint (long ago) as Customer Service Officer and fluff buildup has always been a problem. I dealt with complaints about several fires while I was there. People do need to keep the filters clean andit is stressed in the instructions. Personally I would never go out and leave my tumble dryer on. All makes have the same problem but maybe the condensing type where you don't need a hose are better.

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/201602/medium-401132-20160209-131056.jpg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/201602/medium-263792-20160209-131101.jpg

It is not just a case of cleaning the filter. In these dryers, the sponge fitted internally melts and smoulders even after the machine is turned off. Hotpoint make you spend hours trying to contact them. Which? listed the following models:Which? uses cookies to make our websites and services work better for you, and by continuing you accept this. Find out more about cookies.
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113 Hotpoint, Indesit and Creda tumble dryer models pose fire risk
Which? research reveals extent of dryer fire risk

11 December 2015

80% of Hotpoint, Indesit and Creda dryers made between April 2004 and October 2015 are affected by the fire safety alert
More than 100 Hotpoint, Indesit and Creda tumble dryer models manufactured between April 2004 and October 2015 could pose a fire risk, new Which? Research reveals.

Two weeks on from news breaking about the Hotpoint, Indesit and Creda tumble dryer safety alert – and with the manufacturer still not listing the affected products that potentially pose a fire-risk – Which? research can reveal that 113 models of tumble dryer built during the affected period are included in the recall. This represents 80% of all of those made during this time.

Find out which are the most and least reliable tumble dryer brands.

Tumble dryers included in the recall
With the manufacturer still failing to publish a list of models affected, we've compiled our own list. We researched this list using the safety.hotpoint.eu and safety.indesit.eu websites.

The tumble dryer experts at Which? checked the model names of more than 140 tumble dryers made between April 2004 and October 2015.

We found that 80 out of 93 Hotpoint tumble dryers produced during the period are included in the safety alert. Also included are 28 out of 37 Indesit tumble dryers manufactured in the same period and five out of 11 Creda dryers.

Below, we've listed the tumble dryer models we've found to be affected by the safety alert. If you own one of these models it will need to be serviced and modified.

Is your Hotpoint, Indesit or Creda tumble dryer safe?
If you have a Hotpoint, Indesit or Creda tumble dryer that isn't on our list, we suggest that you still double check whether it is safe to use or not. Here's how you can do this:

Check whether your dryer has a green dot sticker on the inside of the door towards the top, either on the door itself or the door rim. If there's no green dot in these two areas, check the back panel of the machine in the middle and towards the top.
If your dryer has a green dot sticker positioned in these areas, the manufacturer tells us that your machine is not part of the safety alert.
If you don't find the green dot, you'll need to find out whether your dryer is affected by visiting either the Hotpoint or Indesit websites (safety.hotpoint.eu and safety.indesit.eu) or by calling 0800 151 0905. You can check Creda dryers on the Hotpoint site.
You'll need to have both the model and serial numbers handy.
You will find the serial number inside the door-rim of your dryer on the upper right hand side. The serial number is found beneath the barcode and it's made up of the nine numbers following, but not including, 'S/N'.
What to do if your dryer is affected
If your dryer is one of those affected by the fire safety alert, our advice is to contact the manufacturer to arrange a service and to not use it until it's been serviced.

The safety problem with Hotpoint, Indesit and Creda tumble dryers
It was announced on 23 November 2015 that a fault was discovered with some dryers manufactured between April 2004 and October 2015. The fault could lead to fires if fluff comes into contact with the heating element. Since then it has emerged that 750 fires featuring Hotpoint, Indesit and Creda have been reported since 2004, leading to three injuries.

A spokesman for Hotpoint told us: 'We're doing everything we can to ensure the repair program is carried out in a safe and timely manner.'

Hotpoint, Indesit and Creda tumble dryers included in the fire safety alert
This list includes the 113 models of Hotpoint, Indesit and Creda tumble dryers that we know to be affected by the safety alert but there may be more. If your dryer isn't on this list, call 0800 151 0905 or check online at safety.hotpoint.eu (for Hotpoint and Creda) or safety.indesit.eu to find out whether it is affected.

Creda TCR2
Creda TCS3
Creda TVR2
Creda TVS3
Creda TVU1
Hotpoint AQC9BF5E
Hotpoint AQC9BF5S
Hotpoint AQC9BF7E
Hotpoint AQC9BF7E1
Hotpoint AQC9BF7I
Hotpoint AQCF852BI
Hotpoint AQCF852BU
Hotpoint AQCF952BI
Hotpoint CTD00
Hotpoint CTD40
Hotpoint CTD80
Hotpoint CTD80T
Hotpoint CTD85A
Hotpoint FETC70CP
Hotpoint FETV60CP
Hotpoint SUTCD97B6PM
Hotpoint TCAL83C6P
Hotpoint TCAL83CG
Hotpoint TCAM80C
Hotpoint TCD970
Hotpoint TCD975P
Hotpoint TCD980
Hotpoint TCD985BPX
Hotpoint TCDET77BEPUK
Hotpoint TCDET87BEP
Hotpoint TCEL87B6
Hotpoint TCEM80C6
Hotpoint TCFG87C6
Hotpoint TCFM70C6
Hotpoint TCFM80CG
Hotpoint TCFM90C6P
Hotpoint TCFS73BG
Hotpoint TCFS83BG
Hotpoint TCFS93BG
Hotpoint TCFSM87B6PY
Hotpoint TCHL73CR
Hotpoint TCHL83CR
Hotpoint TCL770
Hotpoint TCL780
Hotpoint TCM570
Hotpoint TCM580
Hotpoint TCM585BG
Hotpoint TCUD93
Hotpoint TCUD93B6G
Hotpoint TCUD97B6
Hotpoint TCYL757C6
Hotpoint TCYL757CG
Hotpoint TCYM750C6P
Hotpoint TCYM750CP
Hotpoint TVAL73C
Hotpoint TVAM70C
Hotpoint TVEL75B6A
Hotpoint TVEL75C6
Hotpoint TVEM70C6P
Hotpoint TVF760
Hotpoint TVF770
Hotpoint TVFET75B6
Hotpoint TVFG65B6
Hotpoint TVFG65C6G
Hotpoint TVFG85C6
Hotpoint TVFM60C6P
Hotpoint TVFM70BG
Hotpoint TVFM80CG
Hotpoint TVFS73BG
Hotpoint TVFS83CG
Hotpoint TVHM80C
Hotpoint TVM560
Hotpoint TVM562
Hotpoint TVM570P
Hotpoint TVM572
Hotpoint TVYL655C6
Hotpoint TVYL655CG
Hotpoint TVYM650C6P
Hotpoint TVYM650CP
Hotpoint VTD00
Hotpoint VTD20
Hotpoint VTD60
Hotpoint VTD6000P
Hotpoint VTD60T
Hotpoint VTD65
Indesit IDC75
Indesit IDC85
Indesit IDC8T3B
Indesit IDCA735
Indesit IDCA7H35BTM
Indesit IDCA835
Indesit IDCA8350
Indesit IDCA835BS
Indesit IDCA835EU
Indesit IDCA835S
Indesit IDCE7H35BTM
Indesit IDCE845
Indesit IDCE8450K
Indesit IDCL75BHEU
Indesit IDCL85BH
Indesit IDCLG5BH(EU)
Indesit IDV65
Indesit IDV75
Indesit IDVA735
Indesit IDVL75BFR
Indesit IDVL75BR
Indesit IDVL85
Indesit IS60V
Indesit IS60VU
Indesit IS70C
Indesit ISA60V
Indesit ISL60V
Indesit ISL70C

More on this...
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My Hotpoint was bought last year and was one of the ones affected. I had bought it to replace one 17 years old, which had always been efficient until the door fell off. I had a letter and then an email about three months ago to say someone would contact me about a visit. Heard nothing since. I always clean the filter. Thanks for the advice about cleaning underneath the filter with the vac. I have tried with my hands, but it's very difficult to get at. Incidentally, I thought the condenser a good idea at first, but it's so fiddly getting rid of the excess water. My vent one was never so much trouble.

Why turning off your tumble dryer WON'T stop it burning the house down: Families reveal the horror of discovering their appliances had caught fire even when they weren't on

By Beth Hale for the Daily Mail01:35 28 Nov 2015, updated 19:39 28 Nov 2015

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It was revealed this week that the tumble dryer could be a lethal fire hazardEngineers changing possibly millions of Hotpoint, Indesit and Creda dryersHomeowners tell the horror of realising their tumble dryers had caught fire

Families throughout Britain were in shock this week after it was revealed their innocent-looking tumble dryer — that kitchen and laundry-room staple — could be a lethal fire hazard.

Engineers are being sent to modify possibly millions of Hotpoint, Indesit and Creda machines bought between April 2004 and October 2015. And the news prompted a rush of Mail readers to share their horrifying stories. Here are just a few of them:

Kate Wright, 32, a waitress, lives in Hythe, in Kent, with her husband Chris, 36, who works in sales, and children, George, seven, Ava, six, and Edward, two. She says:

The night I came home to find our house on fire is something I will never forget.

It was November 2013, and we had been to a fireworks display. Chris had gone to pick up our elder children from their uncle’s, and I went home with our six-week-old baby, Edward.

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Horror:Engineers are being sent to modify possibly millions of Hotpoint, Indesit and Creda machines bought between April 2004 and October 2015. Pictured, the damage after Amy and Wyn Edwards lost their entire house when their tumble dryer caught fire

As I pulled onto the drive, I heard an alarm going off. I thought we had been burgled. I got Edward out of the car and dashed to the front door, but as I pushed it open, smoke billowed out, followed by a wave of intense heat.

I rang my husband and the fire brigade, and neighbours were gathering. One took Edward for me and two men kicked down the back door and threw water on the flames.

The heat was so intense that both the kitchen windows exploded outwards.

I then remembered our two cats, Ringo and Ernie. They’re normally outdoor cats, but because of the fireworks, they’d stayed inside. Sadly, both died of smoke inhalation.

The fire brigade confirmed the blaze had been caused by our Hotpoint Aquarius tumble dryer, which is on the recall list.

I had used it earlier that day, but it wasn’t on when the fire started. We have been led to believe lint must have got into the mechanism and been smouldering slowly.

We haven’t been compensated and had no contents insurance. I am angry to hear so many warnings were apparently ignored.

MORE...Tumble dryer firm Indesit admits 750 fires have been caused by its faulty appliances over the last 11 yearsTumble dryer blaze warning: Millions of families warned over faulty Hotpoint, Indesit and Creda machines after a series of household fires

Amy Edwards, 31, a full-time mum, lives in Rhyl with husband Wyn, 31, who runs an electrical business, and their three young children. Amy says:

We were walking our two dogs on April 9, 2014, when a friend rang to tell me our house was on fire.

Seven hours earlier, I’d used the dryer, an Indesit we’d bought less than a year earlier for £199. The cycle had finished and the machine was off, though still switched on.

When we got home, the fire brigade were extinguishing the last of the flames and our three-bed military house in Aldershot, Hants, where Wyn was in the Army, was destroyed.

As we looked on in disbelief, all we could think was how lucky that we had been out when it happened. But, of course, we were devastated to lose items we will never be able to replace, such as our wedding photos and scrapbooks of special times in our lives.

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Cause for concern: The damage suffered to the home of Julie Burgess, 66, and her husband Derek, 68, in North Lanarkshire, Scotland

Indesit believe a part inside the dryer, a model that is on the recall list, overheated and caused a spark, which hit the boiler on the wall above and caused the fire.

Even now, it seems astonishing that a dryer which had been off for several hours could cause a fire, especially as I was always so vigilant about cleaning the filter. Indesit have refused to accept liability, so we are pursuing it through our lawyer. But they did give us a replacement dryer.

When Wyn left the Army last January we moved back to our hometown of Rhyl and although the dryer is in the kitchen of our new home, it is a long way from the boiler.

I always switch it off at the wall, because that’s the only way to be certain no electricity is flowing through an appliance.

Nicola Ledgard, 45, works in financial services and lives with her husband Mark, 45, who works in property management, in Cheadle Hulme, Cheshire. They have four children aged ten to 25. Nicola says:

We feel very lucky to have escaped unhurt after our tumble dryer caught fire when we were in bed one night in July last year.

Our youngest son Jack, then nine, was asleep, the two middle children weren’t at home and our eldest, Callum, was still downstairs. We had only been in bed for about ten minutes when we smelled smoke — it was billowing through the floorboards.

I always switch it off at the wall, because that’s the only way to be certain no electricity is flowing through an appliance.Amy Edwards, 31

Mark went to get Jack and I rushed downstairs, where I met Callum, holding a jug of water and ready to tackle the fire, which was in the integral garage where we kept our Hotpoint dryer.

I ordered him outside and called 999. I’m so glad I did: had he opened the door and been caught in the backdraft he could have died.

We were lucky the whole house didn’t go up in flames, as the gas boiler was next to the dryer.

We didn’t have a smoke alarm in our garage, and that’s one thing I would now tell anyone to make sure they have. Now we never leave any electrical appliances on overnight.

We did get a new dryer, another Hotpoint, thinking lightning can’t strike twice — but we’ve never used it. Would you believe it’s one of the models they have warned about.

Julie Burgess, 66, and husband Derek, 68, are both retired and live in Cumbernauld, North Lanarkshire. They have eight children. Julie says:

We know we are lucky to be alive. It was the early hours of the morning and we were asleep when our Hotpoint Aquarius tumble dryer caught fire in December 2013.

I had used the dryer that day, and it was still switched on.

Our son, Ryan, 27, who lives across the road, saw flames in the downstairs windows and hammered on the door to rouse us.

As I ran downstairs, I could see flames licking up the walls. I turned round to get our little dog, Ziggy, a 13-year-old terrier, but my husband shouted: ‘Just run!’

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Risk: Homeowners reveal the terror of realising that their tumble dryers had caught fire, when they weren't even switched on (file image of Indesit headquarters)

Another two minutes and we’d have died. When the firemen found Ziggy, he was still at the side of the bed where he always slept.

There was about £100,000 of damage caused to our home, and we lost almost everything.

It’s terrible to think this happened two years ago and these dryers weren’t withdrawn — how many more fires have there been and how many lives ruined?

Brian Summers, 59, is a cobbler who lives near Norwich with wife Elizabeth, also 59, who works in the NHS. They have three grown-up children. He says:

Fifteen minutes after loading the tumble dryer one morning in September, my wife started shouting that smoke was billowing from the garage where we keep it.

Dashing in, I discovered the dryer was well alight, and just managed to pull the plug from the wall and kick the appliance outside before throwing several bowls of water onto it to extinguish the flames.

It’s terrible to think this happened two years ago and these dryers weren’t withdrawn — how many more fires have there been and how many lives ruined?Julie Burgess, 66

Two more minutes and the entire garage would have been ablaze.

We are still waiting for Indesit to tell us exactly why it caught alight. In the meantime, they’ve given us a replacement dryer. We wouldn’t dream of leaving it on if we weren’t in the house.

Andrea Shepherd, 47, is single and a carer for her disabled daughter, Hannah, 12. She lives in Guisborough on Teeside and says:

I was watching TV one evening in February 2013, when suddenly the electrics tripped and I saw smoke seeping under the door

I immediately knew it must be the tumble dryer — I’d put on a load half an hour earlier.

Sure enough, when I shot through to the kitchen there were flames bursting from inside the dryer. Terrified, I quickly grabbed my daughter and all our pets: cat, guinea pig and budgie dialled 999 and ran.

I must have had an engineer out about eight times to that dryer, which I had bought in 2007.

Only five months earlier, I’d asked one to condemn it, but he’d reassured me that it was fine. If only I had trusted my own instincts.

I lost everything in my kitchen — around £20,000 worth. Even now, the kitchen feels dirty, and the acrid smell of smoke haunts me.

A spokesman for Hotpoint said: ‘We take product safety very seriously. As part of the repair programme launched this week, we are contacting owners of affected appliances to arrange a free-of-charge upgrade.

‘If any readers have concerns about their tumble dryer, they should visithttp://safety.hotpoint.eu or safety.indesit.euand follow the steps set out to ensure their appliance is not affected.’

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/201602/medium-681979-20160209-131056.jpg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/201602/medium-245091-20160209-131101.jpg

Hotpoint will not allow you to speak to anyone in authority. I pushed them into action through Currys. Many of my friends have had new dryers free of charge but they offer "modification" now. I had one of mine modified yesterday after wasting hours trying to ensure that it was safe. I clean my filter every single time without fail and look at what was inside my dryer. Turning if off does not guarantee it won't catch fire either so if you are going to bed or leaving the house with your pets inside...beware!

they phoned me on Friday and asked for my ref number that they had given me months ago .I told them it would take a few minutes to find it out .They did not want to hold the line and said they would phone me back Monday .I am still waiting for the call.

So have your ref number to hand for when they call you