The Association of Manufacturers of Domestic Electrical Appliances (AMDEA) has launched Register My Appliance Week, to make them easier to trace should a safety repair be required.

Running from January 22-26, 2024, Register My Appliance Week encourages consumers to record their appliance on the database.

According to AMDEA more than 40 million large appliances in UK homes are unlikely to be registered with the manufacturers.

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An online survey conducted for AMDEA by YouGov, the majority (60%) of UK adults believe they are now taking greater care of their appliances whether to make their possessions last longer, or to save money or resources.

Yet it found almost a third (32.2%) of people never or rarely register their large appliances.

AMDEA reports with an estimated 133million fridges, washing machines and ovens in use in UK homes, it could mean some 42.8 million appliances are unregistered.

The association is urging all households to register their home appliances to ensure their brands know where to find them.

Whether machines are newly-purchased, long-installed, or second-hand, appliance manufacturers state registration is vital to help ensure the longest possible safe lifespan.

While recalls on home appliances are rare, issues can develop over time and a free in-home adjustment by a qualified engineer can ensure a longer and safer life for machines.

AMDEA’s Register My Appliance allows householders to record 70 leading brands, with most accepting registration of both new and older appliances.

The survey also revealed over a quarter (29%) of adults had purchased a second-hand large appliance in the past and 50% would consider it in the future.

Similarly, in the past year, more than a half (53%) of adults had purchased a new small cooking appliance but the majority (59%) still had not registered them.

When it comes to older appliances, the majority of UK adults (57%) are unaware that they can still register a machine.

In most cases, all that is needed for registration is information about the model and serial number, with clear advice provided on the portal for where to find these details.

AMDEA chief executive Paul Hide commented: “The vast majority of appliances – new and not-so-new – can be registered easily and quickly.

“Given our growing concern that our possessions need to last longer, working safely and efficiently, it makes sense to take care to register all of our large appliances, as well as those small appliances that we’re increasingly relying on in the kitchen.

“When buying nearly new it’s also important to purchase from reputable sources, many of whom will supply a warranty.”

The association stated, ‘out-of-box’, ‘graded’, ‘refurbished’ and ‘display model’ were all used to  describe ‘nearly new’ or pre-used appliances.

AMDEA has advised the public it’s always good to question why the product is reduced and check for a warranty.