Q: I have an oven I decided to sell because it does not fit in my new kitchen. I purchased this oven only 18 months ago and it had a two-year commercial guarantee when I bought it. The person interested in buying this oven was put off when I told him that the oven only had a six-month guarantee left.

Is this potential buyer entitled to a guarantee on a second-hand appliance? Should I contact the shop where I bought the oven and ask them if the second buyer is entitled to use the original commercial guarantee until it expires?

A: When we buy second-hand goods from individuals – as opposed to professional sellers – consumer law does not cover us if the goods purchased are defective or are not in conformity with the contract of sale. In other words, the two-year legal protection does not cover us when we make such purchases.

In this case, however, you said the oven still carried a six-month commercial guarantee. The buyer of the oven should benefit from this guarantee, unless the commercial guarantee specifically states that it cannot be transferred to other buyers.

Usually, commercial guarantees do not prohibit such transfer.

It is important that you give the documents of the guarantee to the buyer as without the papers he may not be able to utilise the guarantee if needed.