Warranty

What is a warranty?

A warranty is a promise from the company that what you buy will work for a certain period of time. It is optional for a company to provide a warranty and the company determines itself what the rules for the warranty look like. In order for you as a consumer to be able to use the warranty, you need to prove that the product is defective.

The company is responsible for fixing the defect according to the rules that apply for the warranty. During the warranty period, it is presupposed that all defects in the product covered by the warranty are original. That it is an original defect means that the defect already existed when you bought the product. A defect can be original even if it becomes apparent later. Defects that are not original can, for example, be defects that are due to neglect, abnormal use (handling error) or an accident.

Since the company has the burden of proof during the entire warranty period, a warranty can give you better rights than those you have according to consumer legislation.

How to use your warranty

The company must give you written information on what the warranty includes, what it covers, what is required for you to be able to use the warranty and that your rights according to law are not affected.

If a product you have a warranty on breaks, or is defective in some other way, you turn to the company behind the warranty. During the warranty period, you have the right to demand the same measures that you are entitled to under the Consumer Sales Act.

If a defect on your product is covered by the warranty, it must be fixed at no cost to you. You also have the right to receive compensation for extra costs you have because of the defect on the product. This may, for example, be expenses for travelling to the company. If a company charges for a warranty measure, you can report the company to the Swedish Consumer Agency.

File a complaint to the Swedish Consumer Agency

When the warranty does not apply

For the company not to be responsible under the warranty, they must prove that it is you who are responsible for the defect on the product. You are responsible for the defect on the product, for example, if:

• An accident occurred after you received the product.

• You have disregarded the care and service directions.

• The fault is due to normal wear and tear.

The difference between a warranty and the guarantee

A warranty and the guarantee are two different things that are sometimes mixed up. A warranty is optional for a company to provide, but you always have a guarantee for three years according to the Consumer Sales Act. So, the right to make a guarantee claim on a defective product according to the law lasts three years, whether or not you have a warranty on your product. If you have a warranty that is longer than three years, you can file a complaint on the product during the entire warranty period.

If you, for example, have a warranty on a product for two years and your product breaks after that, you can file a guarantee claim on the product for one more year since you have a guarantee by law for three years from the purchase date.