Letting agents and landlords are among those having to take quick and decisive action after Whirlpool announced recalling fire-risk washing machines.

A high number of the Indesit and Hotpoint machines that are subject of the recall are thought to be in rented accommodation.

Yesterday, agents trying to check whether machines installed in rented flats and houses are affected and will have to be repaired or replaced were frustrated that the Whirlpool recall site and phone line went down.

Anyone struggling to contact Whirlpool can find a list of affected models at www.which.co.uk/whirlpool

You would still need to contact Whirlpool with serial numbers, and to make arrangements.

Meanwhile, households with affected machines are being advised to unplug them. If used at all, tenants should only operate these machines at the lowest temperature wash cycles – but agents and landlords may prefer to tell tenants simply not to use them.

Altogether some 500,000 households are thought to have machines which could be a fire risk.