Urgent safety alert issued for eight brands of tumble dryer over fire risk

The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) has called on consumers to stop using affected heat pump tumble dryers from eight brands with immediate effect, the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) said on 27 May 2025. The brands named are Baumatic, Candy, Caple, Haier, Hoover, Iberna, Lamona and Montpellier¹. Greater Manchester Fire Rescue Service also carries the warning, headed "Check your tumble dryer as urgent safety warning issued, May 2025"².

The OPSS acted "following notification of fire incidents from fire and rescue services" and confirmed that the dryers do not meet the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016 requirements¹. The NFCC is asking people to check their tumble dryers over concerns they could pose a fire risk¹. The affected models, as listed by the NFCC, are:

The NFCC says owners must stop using the tumble dryers and switch off and unplug the dryer if they can, and contact the manufacturer to arrange a free of charge modification to repair the product. It adds that people who bought the appliance second-hand or were gifted it are still entitled to a free of charge modification. Model and serial numbers can often be found on the inside of the door or the recess of the door, or in the information that came with the appliance¹.

Greater Manchester Fire Rescue Service advises people to stop using affected models immediately, and to check appliances against OPSS alerts and recalls. It also points to the AMDEA register my appliance service, which lets manufacturers contact owners if a safety repair is needed; it says appliances bought in the last 12 years can be registered and details updated if the owner or appliance moves². Its general tumble dryer guidance includes removing lint after every load, not covering the vent or any other opening, sweeping or vacuuming around the dryer regularly to prevent fluff build up, and not using tumble dryers while sleeping or away from home. It warns that fluff accumulating in the filter, near blocked vents and at the rear of the dryer increases the risk of it catching fire from the heat created by the dryer².

Why it matters for households

The alert covers heat pump tumble dryers only, across the eight brands listed, and applies with immediate effect from 27 May 2025¹. Households with one of the listed models are affected whether the appliance was bought new, bought second-hand or received as a gift, according to the NFCC, which says a free of charge modification is available in all those cases¹. The practical change is that an affected dryer should not be run until it has been modified. The NFCC's advice is to stop using it, switch off and unplug it where possible, and contact the manufacturer to arrange the repair¹. Greater Manchester Fire Rescue Service advises checking appliances against OPSS alerts and recalls and registering them so manufacturers can make contact if a safety repair is needed². Households that dry laundry overnight or while out may need to consider how the loss of the appliance affects their routine; the fire service's guidance is not to use tumble dryers while sleeping or away from home². Our guide to leaving a tumble dryer or dishwasher on overnight sets out the background, and the home emergencies hub covers wider household planning.

What happens next

The NFCC directs owners to check their model number and then contact the manufacturer to register for the free modification, using the product safety notice published by each brand; it also links each brand to its individual OPSS product safety report¹. Further information on this alert and other UK product recalls is published on the OPSS website¹. No date for completion of the modifications has been reported.