FREE for members and non-members
Background
How New Zealanders are getting a bad deal on repair – and what the UK shows is possible.
When a washing machine fails, dirty laundry piles up while owners wait weeks for an authorised repairer. Even simple faults can become expensive repairs once call-out fees and labour charges are added.
Yet many common repairs are straightforward. Replacing a door gasket, detergent hose or drain pump doesn't require specialist qualifications – just basic tools, practical skills, and access to the right information and parts.
So why is repair support so difficult to access?
We investigated ten popular washing machine brands in New Zealand, grading each manufacturer on whether owners can access repair manuals and purchase spare parts. We found a pattern of barriers that prevent owners from carrying out simple repairs themselves.
Then we repeated the investigation in the UK using the same manufacturers.
The results were dramatically different. Many brands that restrict repair support in New Zealand provide UK consumers with detailed manuals, online parts catalogues, stock availability and direct ordering.
The barriers to repair are not technical or logistical. Manufacturers already have the systems needed to support repair – they simply choose not to make them available to New Zealand consumers.
About your speakers
Presenter: Dr Paul Smith, Right to Repair Aotearoa Coalition
Paul’s engineering career has seen him lead product testing at Consumer NZ, educate design engineers at Massey University, and work in the automotive and consumer product industries in New Zealand and the UK.
Facilitator: Brigitte Sistig