Fault finder

Find the fault, check it first.

Choose the appliance and what it is doing. You get the usual causes, what to check yourself before anyone comes out, what a repair usually costs, and a repair-or-replace view if you give its age.

A person unscrewing the filter flap at the bottom of a washing machine, a tray catching water

Job sheet

Tumble dryer: takes ages or does not dry

Check these yourself first

Clean the lint filter, then rinse the condenser (or the second filter on a heat pump dryer)
Empty the water tank
Check the vent hose is straight and clear

The usual causes

A full lint filter or a blocked condenser
A crushed or blocked vent hose (vented dryers)
A failed heating element or thermal fuse

Call-out and diagnosis£59

Usual repair, call-out includedElement £120, thermal fuse £89; blockages cleared for the call-out alone

Add the machine's age above for a repair-or-replace view.

Book this repair Or ring and ask first

Repair or replace

How we decide.

Appliance	Usual life	Repair, almost always	Weigh it up	Probably replace
Washing machine	About 10 years	Under 5 years	5 to 7 years	8 years and over (new from £380)
Tumble dryer	About 10 years	Under 5 years	5 to 7 years	8 years and over (new from £360)
Dishwasher	About 10 years	Under 5 years	5 to 7 years	8 years and over (new from £380)
Electric oven or hob	About 15 years	Under 8 years	8 to 11 years	12 years and over (new from £450)
Fridge or freezer	About 12 years	Under 6 years	6 to 9 years	10 years and over (new from £420)

A rule of thumb, not a rule. A cheap pump on an old machine is still worth doing; bearings on a five-year-old machine with a sealed drum may not be. We give you the fixed price before we start, and say plainly when we would not spend the money.

Book a repair, or ask first.

Ring and describe the fault: if it is something you can fix yourself, we will talk you through it for nothing. If not, the call-out is £59 and it is included in the fixed repair price when you go ahead.

Book a repair Find the fault