Consumer group launches judicial review of trading standards over dryer issues

Consumer group Which? has launched judicial review proceedings against Peterborough Trading Standards over its handling of safety issues around Whirlpool tumble dryers.

An alert was issued in November 2015 over potential problems with Hotpoint, Indesit and Creda dryers (all Whirlpool brands).

Peterborough Trading Standards (PTS) have responsibility as Whirlpool’s UK headquarters is located in the city.

Which? claimed the council’s trading standards operation had failed to review the situation after the London Fire Brigade recently concluded that a Whirlpool tumble dryer was to blame for a tower block fire in Shepherd’s Bush.

Whirlpool has been running a repair programme and offering discounts on replacement dryers. According to the BBC, this approach was agreed with PTS.

Which? said: “Following earlier attempts to get PTS to do the right thing, Which? now believes there is no choice but to pursue formal legal action to ensure that members of the public are protected. The judicial review will ask the High Court to assess whether PTS’ handling of the case since the London Fire Brigade’s report has been lawful.”

Alex Neill, managing director of home and legal services at Which?, added: “We have decided to step in and take legal action because we want Peterborough Trading Standards to properly protect Whirlpool customers and carry out its role as an enforcer of product safety laws.”

The group said it expected PTS to conduct a fresh, independent assessment of the risk posed by Whirlpool tumble dryers in UK homes.

Which? also claimed that the handling of the issue “exemplified the problems with the current product safety system and the ability of local Trading Standards branches to stand up to big business as effective enforcers”.

It argued that the current system was failing consumers and must be reconsidered by the government.

Peterborough City Council has been approached for comment.