Electrical appliances to cost £75/yr less to run and last longer under new rules

From this summer, new legislation will come into force to tackle what's known as ‘premature obsolescence’ – a short lifespan deliberately built into an electrical appliance by manufacturers, which leads to unnecessary and costly replacements for consumers. 

The rules will only apply to products placed on the market after the regulations come into force this summer though, so they won't apply to items that have been produced already, unless they continue to be made and sold after summer. The Government is yet to set an exact date for the legislation to take force. 

Under the new rules, manufacturers of electrical goods will now be required to ensure the following: 

• Appliances should be cheaper to run. The changes will set higher energy-efficiency standards which, will save consumers an average of £75 a year on energy bills, according to the Government.

• Appliances should be easier to repair. Manufacturers will be legally obliged to make spare parts for products available to consumers for the first time, so that electrical appliances can be fixed easily. 

  The amount of time these spare parts will be available for will vary from product to product, but typically manufacturers will make spare parts for between seven and 10 years after the model is taken off sale.

  Manufacturers will also be forced to provide a broader range of spare parts and repair information to third party repairers, which it's hoped, will in turn create greater opportunity for consumers to get their products repaired by professionals.

• Appliances should last longer. The Government adds that it expects the move to increase the lifespan of products by up to ten years.

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