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Moldy washing machine? Time running out for cash settlement

Don't Waste Your Money
Posted at 5:32 PM, Aug 09, 2016
and last updated 2016-09-16 18:21:17-04

Front loading washing machines save water and money. But for thousands of homeowners they have created a whole new problem: moldy smells.

Help is finally on the way, though, for homeowners unable to get the stink out, some of whom paid hundreds of dollars in repairs, or bought brand new machines.

Starts Noticing Strange Odor

Ruth Ogden bought a Whirlpool Duet front loader around 2004. But after a year, the Indiana woman started noticing an odor in her clothes.

"My son was as typical teenage slob,"  she said, "and we all thought the odor from him was getting into our clothes."

Ruth says she threw out clothes worth hundreds of dollars, not realizing her washer was the issue.

A couple of years ago, a Butler County, Ohio homeowner, Michael Schanne, showed me what appeared to be mold in the door gasket of his washer.

"We started to notice a black mold type thing that wouldn't come off, and there was no way to remove it," he said.

Now, they might qualify for money back under a class action settlement, just approved by the courts.

Who Qualifies for Rebaes

Owners of certain Whirlpool, Kenmore, and Maytag front loading machines may be eligible for partial rebates, under a settlement recently approved by the courts.

  • The washer must have been built between 2001 and 2010.
  • You can sign up for either $50 cash, or 20% off your purchase price of a new washer.
  • If you had your washer repaired, you can be reimbursed for up to $500, if you have receipts.

A second, similar settlement, deals with LG washing machines.

You have until October 11, 2016 to file a claim.

Newer  Washers Not Eligible

Whirlpool is not admitting any guilt, or admitting a problem with its washers. But it has agreed to the settlement to close the case.

Meantime, plaintiffs attorneys in the case say the mold problem was fixed 5 years ago (with added ventilation and other changes), which is why washers sold since 2010 don't qualify for any rebates.

Click here for full details on how to sign up for money back in the Whirlpool settlement,  or go to www.washersettlement.com.

Click here if you have an LG washing machine.

As always, don't waste your money.

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