“A new survey from U.S. PIRG Education Fund finds all 43 appliance manufacturers we surveyed would consider voiding the warranty if a device had “unauthorized” repair, despite a 2018 warning from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Three years ago, the FTC warned six companies that placing stickers saying the “warranty would be void if removed” on their products is forbidden under warranty laws. A U.S. PIRG Education Fund report at the time found that 45 of 50 appliance companies also were voiding warranties for independent repair. Since then, appliance companies haven’t made things any easier, despite the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Appliance repair requests spiked in the pandemic, which caused delays for many people seeking to fix a fridge or dishwasher. Many would have chosen independent repair at their own cost to prevent down time, but manufacturers have been telling people they can’t without voiding a warranty,” said U.S. PIRG Education Fund Right to Repair Campaign Director Nathan Proctor. “It’s totally unacceptable that the FTC hasn’t cleaned this up. Consumers should be able to repair the things they own, and manufacturers should follow federal warranty laws.””
Read more about appliance warranty voiding here.
When discussing unauthorized appliance repair, that doesn’t just mean if you personally attempt the repair. It also includes qualified repair companies that are not affiliated with the manufacturer. In many cases, going through a manufacturer’s repair company is more expensive. Furthermore, you’re at their scheduling mercy and may have to wait to schedule an appointment. That’s precious time you might not have for a repair job!
At Apple Valley Eagan Appliance we repair many different types of home appliances. Refrigerators, stoves, dishwashers to name a few! Call us at 952-953-0080 or visit our appliance repair page to learn more about this service.
