22/01/2007

Warranty legislation: a clear brochure for buyers and sellers

All too often both sellers and buyers are unsure about the provisions of warranty legislation, which has been in force since 1 January 2005.

Whether you purchase a laptop, a mobile phone, an iron or a toy, the warranty (on new goods) is applicable for 2 years. This is also the case in the other EU countries. Attention: the legislator differentiates between the first six months of the warranty and the remaining 18.

If the defect occurs within those first six months, then it is widely considered to have been present at delivery. The seller will have to prove the contrary if he does not agree. After this period the consumer has to prove that the defect was already present at delivery. Click here for the full content of this law.

Often sellers are not aware of this new warranty period either. Often sellers will tell consumers that the warranty is applicable for six months or 1 year. In doing so, they are providing incorrect information (sometimes unwittingly).

In order to shed some light on this legislation for both buyers and sellers, we have enumerated the most important points in a concise brochure about the Warranty Act. You can download it here or request it free of charge on our website.