Washing Machine
Created | Updated Jul 19, 2007
To: Rod Friend
Southampton Council
From: Edward T Petherick
28,Hollyoak Court
SO16 5GT
Telephone: 07896096338
Date : 19/07/07
Dear Mr Friend,
I recently saved enough money to buy a washing machine. The plumbing exists such that when it was delivered it should have been a simple job to connect up the water supply, the drainage, and push the machine into place. It wasn't this simple; the machine is still in the middle of the kitchen.
There were two problems. First, the drainage slot in the plumbing is plugged. I assume this was done by council maintenance prior to my occupying the property for Health and Safety reasons. The delivery/installation crew refused to unblock it on the grounds that this is a council property. I need advice on this and/or permission to remove the plug.
The second and more serious problem arises from a mismatch between the kitchen layout and the washing machine size. All major kitchen appliances come in standard sizes - the standard for washing machines is 60cm. (it is possible to get a smaller one but is twice as expensive). Please refer to sketches one and two on the second page. You will see that the work surface support pole reduces the available width for a washing machine by a full 5cm., that is a washing machine cannot be fitted in. My proposal is to replace the work surface and its supporting pole so that my washing machine will fit underneath it.
My preference would be for the council to fix these problems since the second problem appears to be a design error making the kitchen not 'fit for purpose'. I wont press this argument since I have to squeeze past the washing machine every time I enter the kitchen and want it working as soon as possible.
Looking forward to hearing from you soon.
Yours sincerely
E T Petherick
Southampton Council
From: Edward T Petherick
28,Hollyoak Court
SO16 5GT
Telephone: 07896096338
Date : 19/07/07
Dear Mr Friend,
I recently saved enough money to buy a washing machine. The plumbing exists such that when it was delivered it should have been a simple job to connect up the water supply, the drainage, and push the machine into place. It wasn't this simple; the machine is still in the middle of the kitchen.
There were two problems. First, the drainage slot in the plumbing is plugged. I assume this was done by council maintenance prior to my occupying the property for Health and Safety reasons. The delivery/installation crew refused to unblock it on the grounds that this is a council property. I need advice on this and/or permission to remove the plug.
The second and more serious problem arises from a mismatch between the kitchen layout and the washing machine size. All major kitchen appliances come in standard sizes - the standard for washing machines is 60cm. (it is possible to get a smaller one but is twice as expensive). Please refer to sketches one and two on the second page. You will see that the work surface support pole reduces the available width for a washing machine by a full 5cm., that is a washing machine cannot be fitted in. My proposal is to replace the work surface and its supporting pole so that my washing machine will fit underneath it.
My preference would be for the council to fix these problems since the second problem appears to be a design error making the kitchen not 'fit for purpose'. I wont press this argument since I have to squeeze past the washing machine every time I enter the kitchen and want it working as soon as possible.
Looking forward to hearing from you soon.
Yours sincerely
E T Petherick
