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I didn't know about this myself,Im sure many of you didnt ?
Shoppers with faulty goods are being routinely denied repairs or replacements because they are not told about their rights under a guarantee scheme.
EU law creates a minimum period of two years in which a faulty product can be returned, and in England and Wales the figure is six years.
But many High Street stores are denying customers these rights, either because the staff don't know the law or because they think they can get away with it.
Generally, retailers hide behind the offer of a standard one-year guarantee and refuse to do anything when this lapses. Consumer experts say this means they are failing to abide by the law.
Most shoppers are in the dark about their rights and often simply throw out a faulty product.
At one time, household products were manufactured to last, but the industry can now make more money by churning out 'junk products' with a short lifespan.
Chris Warner, consumer lawyer at Which?, said: 'While it is true that the EU consumer rules mean stores should repair or replace an item that breaks inside two years, the Sale of Goods Act affords consumers protection up to six years from the date of purchase.'
He said the existence of one-year manufacturers' guarantees can confuse the situation. This is because stores wrongly deny any liability when these lapse.
'I don't think it's too cynical to say that retailers have been happy to let consumers think they have only a year's guarantee,' he added.
Another aspect of this confusion is that stores are able to profit from selling extended guarantees covering household products.
In the past, some electrical chains have made more money on selling these insurance policies than on the goods they offer.
Typically, a retailer would charge £150 for a three-year warranty on a £350 washing machine, while the same cover direct from the manufacturer might come in at £100.
In 2005, it was estimated that consumers were paying as much as £200million a year over the odds for these expensive warranties.
Full Story Here
.
Shoppers with faulty goods are being routinely denied repairs or replacements because they are not told about their rights under a guarantee scheme.
EU law creates a minimum period of two years in which a faulty product can be returned, and in England and Wales the figure is six years.
But many High Street stores are denying customers these rights, either because the staff don't know the law or because they think they can get away with it.
Generally, retailers hide behind the offer of a standard one-year guarantee and refuse to do anything when this lapses. Consumer experts say this means they are failing to abide by the law.
Most shoppers are in the dark about their rights and often simply throw out a faulty product.
At one time, household products were manufactured to last, but the industry can now make more money by churning out 'junk products' with a short lifespan.
Chris Warner, consumer lawyer at Which?, said: 'While it is true that the EU consumer rules mean stores should repair or replace an item that breaks inside two years, the Sale of Goods Act affords consumers protection up to six years from the date of purchase.'
He said the existence of one-year manufacturers' guarantees can confuse the situation. This is because stores wrongly deny any liability when these lapse.
'I don't think it's too cynical to say that retailers have been happy to let consumers think they have only a year's guarantee,' he added.
Another aspect of this confusion is that stores are able to profit from selling extended guarantees covering household products.
In the past, some electrical chains have made more money on selling these insurance policies than on the goods they offer.
Typically, a retailer would charge £150 for a three-year warranty on a £350 washing machine, while the same cover direct from the manufacturer might come in at £100.
In 2005, it was estimated that consumers were paying as much as £200million a year over the odds for these expensive warranties.
Full Story Here
.
cheers for the tip, just need to see it from a good source before i open my gob lol.
