Worthless warranties: are UK shoppers overpaying for faulty-goods cover?

When you buy a washing machine or fridge in the UK, the checkout pitch is almost always the same: add an extended warranty for peace of mind. Which? argues most shoppers are overpaying for cover they may never need.

Its research found warranties costing around £84.80 a year — often more than a single repair, with washing-machine fixes averaging £82 to £108. Half of people who tried to claim said they hit problems, and much of the cover merely repeats your free manufacturer’s guarantee.

Remember your Consumer Rights Act 2015 protections already run for up to six years (five in Scotland) against goods that aren’t of satisfactory quality. Before paying for a plan, use OwnWise to pin down the fault and learn what a fair repair should cost.