Whirlpool washing machine recall: 400,000 fire hazard Hotpoint and Indesit appliances not yet reported

More than 400,000 people have still not come forward to replace or repair their fire-hazard Whirlpool washing machine.

Only 70,000 customers have so far approached the company since they began recalling the dangerous machines on January 8, after they caused a spate of blazes.

Of these, about 2,000 faulty appliances have been replaced, and 68,000 have appointments for them to be replaced in the coming weeks.

The machines identified as at risk of catching fire have a faulty door locking mechanism that leaves them prone to overheating and possibly setting alight.

More than 1.4m people have approached Whirlpool since the recall announcement last December, but 95 per cent of these were told their model was not at risk.

Owners of Hotpoint and Indesit machines built between 2014 and 2018 are urged to contact the company to check if their washing machine is affected.

A Whirlpool spokesman said: "There are still lots of slots available in January, so it’s important that people get in touch – we want to remedy this situation for everyone as quickly as possible.

"We aim to have provided remedies to all consumers currently in the queue within a matter of weeks."