Commenting on the introduction of future legislation on the right to repair, Lesley Rudd, Chief Executive of Electrical Safety First commented: “This well-intentioned green policy must consider the unintended consequences on consumer safety. Consumers should not go about repairing their own electrical appliances without the knowledge to do so safely. Poor repair work can lead to an increased risk of fire or electric shock.
The Government should give serious thought as to who can carry out these repairs. At present consumers can not refer to a register of competent third-party professionals to get the job done, risking incompetent repairers causing more damage to the products and potentially harm to consumers. Whilst changes to product design can make repair work easier in the long term the reality is, at present, some appliances are simply too complex for the average consumer to safely fix themselves. A network of competent repairers approved by manufacturers must be introduced if this well-intentioned policy is to both benefit and protect consumers.”