Q: I bought an expensive smart TV from a local shop and the remote control that came with it is not functioning well. When I contacted the seller, I was informed the remote control only carried a six-month guarantee, because any problems with it were considered wear and tear. Is this correct? What are my legal rights?

A: The Consumer Affairs Act provides a protection of two years on products purchased. The law gives consumers the right to claim a remedy when products are either defective or do not conform with the contract of sale. However, these legal remedies cannot be availed of when the product’s defect is either due to misuse or normal wear and tear.

If the defect in the remote control is really due to continuous use, then the law may not protect you in this case. You may wish to get a second opinion on the expected lifetime of these kind of products.

If it is not normal for such products to be replaced after such a short time, you may proceed with your claim. If you do not manage to resolve the problem amicably, you may file a complaint with the Office for Consumer Affairs at the Malta Competition and Consumer Affairs Authority.

Sign up to our free newsletters

Get the best updates straight to your inbox:
Please select at least one mailing list.

You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails. We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. By subscribing, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing.