As the cost-of-living crisis prompts more people to consider buying second-hand large domestic appliances, Avon Fire & Rescue Service (AF&RS) is urging householders to register all appliances, whether brand new or pre-loved.

AF&RS is supporting the Association of Manufacturers of Domestic Appliance’s (AMDEA) campaign this week to remind appliance users to register appliances with the manufacturer, be they small or large, and bought, ‘adopted’ or ‘inherited’.

Registermyappliance.org.uk provides free and easy access to sixty leading brands sold in the UK. Many accept registration of products at least twelve years old and no proof of purchase is needed.

Ben Thompson, Temporary Group Manager at AF&RS says: “Many more people are thinking about buying second hand to cut costs. Some will also be installing products pre-used by another member of their family or maybe adopting a machine already connected when they moved into a new place. But they can still do the sensible thing – it’s easy and free. Registering these appliances means the manufacturer knows where to find it in case of a safety repair or recall. It’s also good for anybody in rented or housing association accommodation. You can’t put a price on the peace of mind brought by knowing you’re registered and it might even extend the life of the appliance.”

Find out about planning applications that affect you by visiting the Public Notice Portal.

A recent survey , conducted for AMDEA for Register My Appliance Week (23rd-27th January), showed a significant surge in people thinking about buying a second-hand large domestic appliance, due to the current increasing cost-of-living. Now one in four (25%) of people say they are likely to consider buying a second-hand appliance online, compared to just one in six (16%) four years ago. Saving money was the principal motivator for buying previously used. However, environmental motives were also mentioned by some surveyed. When respondents were asked what they would do before installing or ‘adopting’ a second-hand appliance, only 20% said they would register the machine with the manufacturer in case of a recall. This is despite most manufacturers enabling simple and easy registration of older appliances. Most (54%) said they would find the manual online, 42% would check installation instruction and 31% would even have it checked by a qualified technician, presumably with the implied cost of doing this rather than the free and simple act of registering.