Nobody reads the warranty until something breaks. By then it is too late to do the one thing that would have doubled it.
This is the plain-English version: what you get, what you have to do to keep it, what is never covered, and the rights you have that no warranty can take away.
The 28-day trap
Start here, because it is the bit that costs people real money.
Several brands offer a free extended warranty — often five years instead of two — but only if you register the appliance within 28 to 30 days of purchase.
Smeg, Bosch, Neff, Siemens, Haier, Hoover and Candy all run schemes along these lines on selected models. Miss the window and you keep the standard two years. There is no grace period, and nobody sends you a reminder.
It takes about four minutes. You need:
- The model number — on the rating plate and on your order confirmation
- The serial number — on the rating plate, usually inside the door or on the back
- Your date of purchase
- Your address and contact details
Do it the week it arrives, while the paperwork is still on the worktop. Our warranty page lists the periods brand by brand and links straight to each registration form.
One practical tip: photograph the rating plate before the appliance goes into its housing. Once an integrated dishwasher is fitted, getting to that plate means pulling the machine out.
What a manufacturer warranty covers
Broadly, faults that are the manufacturer's fault:
- Defective materials or components
- Manufacturing defects
- Electrical and mechanical failures during normal domestic use
- Parts and labour, using the manufacturer's approved engineers
If the machine fails because it was built wrong or a part was faulty, that is what the warranty is for.
What it does not cover
This is the list people are surprised by. Manufacturer warranties typically exclude:
- Misuse or accidents, including not following the manual
- Cosmetic damage that does not affect function — scratches and dents, including from installation
- Faults caused by incorrect installation, unless it was fitted by an approved installer
- Consumables — filters, bulbs, door seals
- Limescale and hard water damage, and anything caused by lack of maintenance
- Commercial use — domestic appliances are covered for domestic use only
- Repairs by unauthorised parties
Three of those are worth dwelling on.
Limescale is not covered, and it is preventable
If you live in a hard water area, limescale will eventually kill a washing machine or dishwasher, and the warranty will not help. Dishwasher salt, the machine's own softener setting, and running a maintenance cycle now and again are cheap. A new machine is not.
Installation faults are not covered
If a hob is wired incorrectly, or a hood ducted badly, and that causes the failure, the manufacturer will point at the installer. Keep the paperwork from whoever fitted it — a Gas Safe certificate, an electrician's invoice — because it may be the thing that decides who pays.
Commercial use voids it
Domestic appliances are warranted for domestic use. Putting a domestic dishwasher in a café or a salon is a common exclusion, and it is one manufacturers do enforce.
Your statutory rights come first
This is the part most people do not realise: the manufacturer's warranty is in addition to your legal rights, not a replacement for them. A warranty is a promise from the manufacturer. Your statutory rights are the law, and they sit with the retailer who sold you the item.
Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, goods must be of satisfactory quality, fit for purpose, and as described. If they are not:
- Within 30 days of delivery — you have the right to reject the item and get a full refund from the retailer.
- Between 30 days and six months — you are entitled to a repair or a replacement, and the fault is presumed to have been there from the start.
- After six months — the burden of proof shifts to you to show the fault existed at the point of purchase. This is where the manufacturer warranty normally takes over.
You do not have to go through the manufacturer first for a fault in the early weeks. A retailer who tells you to ring the manufacturer within the first 30 days is not being straight with you.
How to actually make a claim
- Check the manual first. A surprising share of call-outs are a blocked filter, a kinked hose, or a machine that needs resetting at the socket. Worth ten minutes before you book an engineer.
- Contact the manufacturer. They hold the warranty and manage the repair network. The number is in your manual or on the rating plate.
- Have your details ready. Model number, serial number, purchase date, and a clear description of the fault — including when it happens and what the machine does.
- They arrange the repair, usually a home visit from one of their approved engineers.
If you are not sure who to contact, message us and we will point you in the right direction.
Should you buy extended cover?
An honest answer: usually not, and here is how to decide.
Check what you already have first. If the brand offers free five-year cover on registration, a paid policy for years three to five is money for something you can get for nothing. That alone rules out a lot of extended warranties.
Check your home insurance. Some policies include accidental damage on kitchen appliances, which covers things a manufacturer warranty never will.
Then do the sum. Compare the total cost of the policy against the cost of a repair, or of replacing the appliance outright. On a £300 machine, several years of monthly cover can approach the price of a new one.
Where it can make sense: expensive appliances with costly parts, or a household where being without a washing machine for a fortnight would be a genuine problem.
Four habits that keep you covered
- Register within 28 days. Diarise it the day it is delivered.
- Keep the paperwork. Order confirmation, installation certificates, and a photo of the rating plate. Put them all in one email folder.
- Inspect at delivery. Cosmetic damage is not covered by warranty, so it has to be raised at the point of delivery. Our shipping and refunds policy sets out what to do.
- Do the maintenance. Clean the filters, use dishwasher salt in a hard water area, leave the door ajar on a washing machine. It is not just about longevity — neglect is an exclusion.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to register to get any warranty at all?
No. The standard period applies regardless. Registration is what unlocks the free extension where a brand offers one.
I have missed the 28 days. Anything I can do?
Try anyway — some manufacturers are flexible, particularly if the delay was small. But do not count on it.
Who do I go to, the shop or the manufacturer?
In the first 30 days, the retailer, under your statutory rights. After that, the manufacturer under the warranty. For anything unclear, ask us and we will tell you which applies.
Is the warranty transferable if I sell my house?
It varies by manufacturer. Check the terms for your brand — some cover the appliance, some cover the original purchaser.
Does a repair by a local engineer void my warranty?
It can. Repairs by unauthorised parties are a standard exclusion. Always go through the manufacturer while the appliance is in warranty.
Where do I find the serial number?
On the rating plate — inside the door on most ovens and dishwashers, on the back or side of laundry appliances, and inside the cabinet on refrigeration. Photograph it before installation.
Any doubts, just ask
Not sure what cover your model comes with, or how to register it? Message us on WhatsApp — a real UK-based person, seven days a week. Every appliance we sell comes with the full manufacturer warranty, sourced through authorised UK trade distributors, so it is registered as UK stock from the day you buy it.
