Q: A fault developed in my netbook, which I bought a year and 10 months ago. Since the legal guarantee covers my purchase for two years, I expected to have the netbook repaired for free.
However, the representatives of the service centre informed me that the manufacturing warranty of my netbook was only for one year. When I mentioned the two-year legal guarantee, I was told the law would only cover the product if a fault developed during the manufacturing warranty period and the same fault reappeared in the second year of the legal guarantee.
I would like to know if the information given to me by the seller is correct and whether or not I am entitled to free repair.
A: The information you were provided by the seller is incorrect.
The Consumer Affairs Act does not stipulate that for a defect to be covered in the second year of the legal protection, it must have already appeared in the product’s first year.
The law provides a two-year protection when the product purchased has a manufacturing fault or is not in conformity with the contract of sale. What the law does not cover are defects caused by misuse or by normal wear and tear.
Hence, if the fault in your netbook has not been caused by misuse or is not the result of normal wear and tear, then legally, since the two years from the date of purchase have not yet elapsed, you are entitled to have your netbook repaired for free.