Q: I bought a tablet computer from a local seller but after three months, I found out there was a fault in the screen. I took it back to the seller to have it repaired. More than a month has passed and my tablet is still being repaired. What are my rights? Can I ask for a new one?

A: You are legally entitled to have your tablet repaired or replaced free of charge. The seller may opt to repair a defective product, but the repair must be carried out within a reasonable period of time and should not cause you any significant inconvenience. Hence, you should inform the seller in writing that if the tablet is not repaired within a specific time, you will ask for a replacement.

Furthermore, in order to avoid any inconvenience, you should be given a tablet on loan while yours is being repaired.

If the seller does not give you a reasonable date by when the tablet will be repaired, and refuses to replace the defective tablet with a new one, you should file a complaint with the Office for Consumer Affairs.

Whether the tablet is repaired or replaced, the period of time you were without the tablet should be added to both the commercial guarantee and to the legal guarantee.