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Newsletter
24 January 2022

Use your right to repair

2 minute read

These days we almost take for granted that if electrical equipment – such as dishwashers or televisions – break, they have to be returned to the manufacturer, or simply replace the item. No spares are available, so we don’t have the option to try and fix it ourselves, or to get it repaired by someone local. The manufacturer sets the cost of the repair, which sometimes includes the cost of having to send it to them.

This is set to change with the Right to Repair law. Manufacturers are now legally required to make spare parts available to consumers within two years of an appliance going on sale and for up to ten years after an appliance has finished production. They will also need to ensure that information about repairing and maintaining appliances is available. To protect consumers, tricky or dangerous parts will be available only to a professional.

At present the following items are covered:

    • Dishwashers
    • Washing machines and washer-dryers;
    • Refrigeration appliances;
    • Televisions and other ‘electronic displays’ for home use

Unfortunately, other common electrical items, such as laptops, tablets and smartphones, are currently not covered. But there are plans to extend the legislation to further devices in the future.

The government hopes that this will not only save consumers money, time and inconvenience when we need to get something repaired but also encourage manufacturers to make electrical equipment that lasts longer in the first place.

‘Planned obsolescence’ involves goods becoming unusable after a certain length of time, often with no means of repair. Previously we had no choice but to buy new ones – which is great for the manufacturer, but not so good for us, or the planet. Electrical waste is the fastest growing waste stream in the world. 53 million tonnes - the equivalent of about 350 cruise ships’ worth of electronics – is thrown away across the globe every year, but only 15-20% of it is recycled.

With Right to Repair, the government aims to reduce the amount of electrical waste in our landfill and extend the life cycle of a range of devices and appliances by up to ten years.

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