Shopping: guarantees and warranties
A guarantee is a free written statement from the manufacturer that they will repair or replace an item within a set time after it has been purchased if something goes wrong with it.
A guarantee gives you additional protection and supplements your consumer rights. The guarantee usually applies to anyone who owns the goods during the lifetime of the guarantee.
So they are particularly useful if you receive a gift, as you may not need to show proof of purchase to deal with problems under the guarantee.
Your contract is always with the seller of the goods, but in certain circumstances, it may be better to deal directly with the manufacturer through their guarantee.
If you are not satisfied with the manufacturer’s response in this case, you still have the option of approaching and claiming from the seller.
Products that generally come with a guarantee include household durable goods such as pots and pans, furniture and electrical appliances.
Terms and conditions
Always check the terms and conditions of the guarantee. For example you may need to register the guarantee with the manufacturer for certain conditions to be met.
Also check whether the guarantee's small print spells out what happens if you give or sell the item to somebody else during the guarantee period.
For some electrical items, you may wish to pay particular attention to what is covered by the guarantee – all parts or just specific parts, and is labour included and is there a limit on how much?
Extended warranties
When you are buying the item, the shop may offer you an extended warranty. This is like an insurance policy, in that it covers the item after the manufacturer's guarantee period is over.
This means you shouldn’t have to pay for repairs if the item breaks within the period covered by the extended warranty.
But remember that an extended warranty is completely optional and can be quite expensive, so you should not feel pressurised to take one.
Before you decide, consider the cost of replacing the faulty item and compare this to the cost of the warranty. Replacing the item may cost less than the warranty.
Guarantees and warranties are legally binding – they are enforceable through the courts if necessary.
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