One U.K. family noticed an unusual power drain on their solar monitoring software when they were out on a holiday and the house was empty, leading to a hunt for the culprit when they returned.
Even with the house empty during a July holiday, electricity use stayed high, and after they turned off appliances one by one, they suspected a four-year-old fridge-freezer was behind it.
For households trying to keep energy costs down, hidden energy leaks can be costly. The poster said it may already have meant "hundreds" of pounds in extra electricity use.
With so much money lost, the homeowner asked on an online forum: "Can I claim back?"
Here's what to know
According to a post in a Reddit thread on r/AskUK, the household's electricity costs had risen noticeably. Because their solar panels come with an app that shows usage in real time, they were able to spot a sustained increase during a hot week away in July and then test appliances one by one, eventually narrowing the issue to the fridge-freezer.
They said the appliance was bought about four years earlier, was already out of warranty, and had shown signs of trouble before they traced the higher usage.
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The original poster wrote, "The fridge has been dripping at the back for a while but I realise now the seal isn't great and I think it is working very hard to maintain the temperature."
They had already arranged for a manufacturer repair visit that would cost more than £150 ($198). The poster also said the suspected problem had already added hundreds of pounds to their electricity costs and reduced their yearly solar payment by 30%.
The main question the homeowner wanted answered was about money, asking: "Fridge costing hundreds in electricity - can I claim back?" However, that question came with a big caveat: "The fridge was bought 4 years ago and is out of warranty."
More background
People replying to the post doubted that the company could be made to cover those losses. One commenter wrote: "You can only claim if you can prove the cause is a manufacturing fault. And if you can prove the excess is due to the fridge. Neither of these sound possible."
Another commenter also suggested that compensation was not likely: "Highly unlikely now you will get anywhere with a case against them."
Several commenters said a worn seal on a four-year-old appliance may be considered ordinary wear and tear rather than a manufacturing defect, especially because the poster had already noticed water dripping before scheduling the repair.
What can be done?
Because the surge appeared during a week when nobody was home, the family could use the monitoring data to rule out use from TVs or other electronics. Solar monitoring or a smart meter can make energy leaks easier to discover.
They also chose to bring in the manufacturer's engineer despite a callout and repair charge. Getting a diagnosis is the clearest first step if they want to document what may have failed.
As for recovering the money, commenters suggested that goodwill may be more realistic than a formal claim. One commenter told the poster, "You may have luck in getting them to agree a significant discount on a new unit or something like that, or a partial refund/credit note if you plead a good case to their customer services."
It is also necessary to factor in a repair vs. replace financial calculation. Compare the repair cost with the price of replacing the fridge entirely, especially if the unit is already four years old and appears to be undermining both electricity savings and solar earnings.
The original poster is likely going to have to accept the reality of their situation, but at least with their smart monitoring software, they will be able to detect the issue, rather than continue to pay for an energy leak.
Where can I learn more?
These articles look at other common issues and checks that can reveal why an appliance is working harder than it should.
• One homeowner found a neglected refrigerator part made the appliance run louder and likely waste more power.
• A technician said cleaning these coils regularly can help a fridge last longer and use less energy.
• Another homeowner discovered their fridge may be costing more than expected until the coils were checked.
• On TikTok, a creator shared a quick and simple way to check whether a fridge seal is leaking money.
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