Faulty appliances cause an average of 43 fires a week in England alone, according to an electrical product platform.

Research by Electrical Direct shows that 15,000 accidental fires in homes across England – not all attributable to faulty appliances – occurred between April 2019 and March 2020, with cookers, toasters, and hobs reported to be the most likely to cause fires. 

Cookers were responsible for 8,000 accidental fires in 2019/20, some 53 per cent of total appliance fires in England. Hot plates and toasters came second and third, causing 11 per cent and nine per cent of fires respectively. 

The most common causes for accidental appliance fires were placing household items too close to sources of heat, misuse of appliances and reported faults; but 15 per cent of accidental blazes were down to the appliances being faulty.

The biggest culprits in this category were washing machines, accountable for nearly a quarter (23 per cent) followed by tumble dryers (20 per cent) and cookers (nine per cent).

Dominick Sandford, director at ElectricalDirect, says: “Make sure new appliances are registered so that manufacturers can contact you in the event of any problems. It is easy to do and takes minutes, just visit registermyappliance.org.uk.

“If you notice an appliance isn’t working properly make sure you seek professional help when looking to get it repaired. Attempting to repair an appliance yourself may result in further damage, increasing the risk of fire and even electrocution.”