Immersion heaters/boilers

Is it my misfortune or is it a calamity experienced by many householders? In the last five years I have had to replace five immersion heaters when they suddenly developed a leak. One of them must have split because it flooded a whole flat in a matter of minutes.

I do not think that my immersion heaters suffered from much wear and tear. Three were in an eight-year-old property and two were in a four-year-old property. Some were of a 50-litre capacity and others were of an 80-litre capacity. Three were fitted vertically and two were horizontal.

I doubt very much if there are statistics to show how many immersion heaters develop faults and have to be replaced but it would certainly be interesting to get some feedback on whether we are being sold shoddy goods or whether the problem is due more to the quality of our salt-laden water supplies. If my complaint is not unique I would like to know what other readers have to say.

Perhaps Mr Benny Borg Bonello of the Consumers' Association can shed some light on the quality of imported immersion heaters. Could you please invite your readers to comment and perhaps advise? (Franco Grima)

As regular readers know, I do not feature letters naming companies without having first given them more than a fair opportunity to give me their side of the case. Therefore, since at this stage no companies have been named, we can highlight the issue.

Therefore I encourage consumers who have had similar experiences and share Mr Grima's point of view to write in.

However, we can only properly deal with the matter by focusing on specific cases, sharing experiences, naming suppliers and brands in accordance with this column's terms and conditions. In any case I have already discussed the matter with my friend and colleague, Benny Borg Bonello, who sent me the following letter:

I invite Mr Grima to give us more details about the brand name, model, etc., so that we would be able to ask about them. A photo would be most helpful. It would also help if he can either name the importer or the retailer from where he bought these immersion heaters. Mr Grima can either send the information through you or send it to our association's office, PO Box 464, Valletta, or come to the office. I am usually there on Mondays between 6 and 7 p.m.

The Consumers' Association encourages consumers to voice their complaints. The Consumers' Association, through its overseas contacts, will establish the facts on such complaints. (Benny Borg Bonello)