It's ruddy good!
It's ruddy good!
By Sophie Whitaker, Personal Finance Writer
Your washing machine is one of the hardest-working appliances in your home — the average UK household runs around 270 wash cycles a year. When it fails, the disruption is immediate and the repair bills can be significant. This guide walks you through the most common faults, what repairs typically cost across the UK, how to decide whether to repair or replace, and how breakdown cover compares to other protection options.
Washing machines fail for a handful of well-understood reasons, most of which become more likely as the machine ages past the three-to-five year mark. Mechanical stress, limescale accumulation, and component fatigue account for the vast majority of callouts.
Drum bearing failure is one of the most frequently reported faults in the UK. The drum bearing supports the inner drum during every spin cycle. As it wears, you'll hear a low rumbling or grinding noise that gets louder at higher spin speeds. Left unaddressed, bearing failure can damage the drum shaft and spider arm — turning a £180 repair into a £400+ job.
Door seal (gasket) deterioration is especially common on front-loading machines. The rubber seal traps moisture and detergent residue, leading to mould growth and eventual cracking. A failing seal typically presents as a leak from the front of the machine during a cycle.
Carbon brush wear causes intermittent starting problems or mid-cycle stoppages. Carbon brushes are consumable motor components that wear down with use — a common fault in machines that are three or more years old.
Drain pump blockages or failure leave water sitting in the drum at the end of a cycle. A partial blockage (often caused by small items like coins or lint) can sometimes be cleared, but a failed pump requires replacement.
Control board failure is an increasingly common fault in modern machines with complex electronic programmes. Symptoms include erratic behaviour, error codes, or the machine failing to respond at all. Control board replacements are among the most expensive single repairs.
Heating element failure means the machine fills and runs normally but the water stays cold. This is more noticeable on lower-temperature cycles and is often mistaken for a poor wash result rather than a fault.
Washing machine repair costs in the UK typically range from £80 to £350 depending on the fault, the brand, and your location — with many repairs landing between £120 and £250 once parts and labour are included. A callout fee alone, before any work begins, commonly runs to £50–£80 with independent engineers.
Repair costs tend to be higher in London and the South East, and lower in parts of the North and Midlands. Premium brands — particularly Miele, Bosch, and Siemens — generally carry higher parts costs than volume-market brands such as Hotpoint, Beko, or Indesit.
A useful rule of thumb is to compare the repair cost against the remaining useful life and the replacement cost of the appliance. If a repair costs more than half the price of a comparable new machine, and the machine is already several years old, replacement often makes more financial sense.
A drum bearing failure on a seven-year-old budget machine may not be worth fixing — particularly if the bearing seal failure has allowed water to damage the motor. The same repair on a two-year-old mid-range machine from a brand with good parts availability is usually worth proceeding with.
Consider also the wider context: an older machine may be approaching end of life for multiple components simultaneously. Paying to fix one fault does not reset the mechanical clock.
If your machine is under six years old and a breakdown occurs, this is precisely the situation where having breakdown cover already in place can remove the uncertainty from that decision.
Routine maintenance genuinely extends the life of a washing machine and reduces the likelihood of the most common faults. None of these steps require specialist knowledge.
These three types of protection are often confused but they work quite differently, and understanding the distinction helps you choose the right option for your circumstances.
| Feature | Manufacturer Guarantee | Extended Warranty | Breakdown Cover (e.g. Row.co.uk) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration | Typically 1–2 years | Fixed term (usually 2–5 years) | Ongoing, cancel anytime |
| Accidental damage | No | Sometimes, at extra cost | Yes, included |
| Parts and labour | Yes (manufacturing defects only) | Yes | Yes |
| Flexibility | None — tied to purchase | Low — fixed term contract | High — cancel anytime, no lock-in |
| Cover for older appliances | No | Rarely beyond 5 years | Yes, for appliances under 6 years old |
| Multi-item discount | No | No | Up to 20% off with multiple items |
Manufacturer guarantees are free and valuable for the first year or two, but they only cover manufacturing defects — accidental damage and wear-related breakdowns are typically outside scope. Extended warranties sold at the point of purchase are often expensive relative to what they provide and lock you into a fixed term. Standalone breakdown cover gives you flexibility: you can take out a policy when your manufacturer guarantee expires, add accidental damage protection from day one, and cancel if your circumstances change.
Row.co.uk washing machine insurance covers both mechanical breakdown and accidental damage, with parts, labour, and callout costs included in the policy. Cover is available from £1.49 per month, with protection up to £2,000 per claim.
To be eligible, your washing machine must be under six years old at the point you take out cover. This age threshold exists because the risk profile of older appliances — where multiple components may be approaching end of life simultaneously — changes significantly after the six-year mark.
Row.co.uk has insured over 200,000 items since 2009 and holds a rating of 4.72 out of 5 on Reviews.io. If you have multiple appliances to protect, a multi-item discount of up to 20% is available, with 5% off a second appliance.
If you need to make a claim, the process is fully online. To make a claim, log in to the customer service centre at row.co.uk. There is no need to call. Row.co.uk has a national repair network across the UK, using quality parts to complete repairs.
Cover for mechanical breakdown and accidental damage, with parts, labour, and callout included. Appliances must be under 6 years old. Cancel anytime, no lock-in.
Get a Quote from Row.co.ukTo take out washing machine insurance with Row.co.uk, your appliance must be under six years old at the point you start your policy. If your machine is approaching this threshold, it is worth arranging cover sooner rather than later to ensure you remain within the eligibility window.
Yes. Row.co.uk washing machine cover includes both accidental damage and mechanical breakdown. This means incidents such as a machine being damaged during a move, or a water leak causing damage to the appliance itself, fall within the scope of the policy.
To make a claim, log in to the customer service centre at row.co.uk. The entire claims process is handled online — there is no need to call. Row.co.uk's UK-based team will manage the claim from there.
Yes. Parts, labour, and callout costs are all included within the policy. Row.co.uk operates a national repair network across the UK, using quality parts to complete repairs. The cover limit is up to £2,000.
Yes. Row.co.uk offers a multi-item discount of up to 20% when you insure multiple appliances or gadgets. There is also a 5% discount on a second appliance. You can manage all your policies through the customer service centre at row.co.uk.
Manufacturer guarantees typically cover defects for one to two years, but they do not include accidental damage. Breakdown cover fills that gap from the point your guarantee expires — or from day one if you want accidental damage protection sooner. Given that common faults such as bearing wear and control board failure often emerge in years two to five, cover taken out early means you are protected through the period when these issues are statistically most likely to occur.
Where a repair is not viable, a replacement may be provided subject to the terms of your policy. The specifics depend on your individual policy — full details are set out in your policy documents, which you can review at any time via the customer service centre at row.co.uk.