Q: The other day I bought a pair of sandals from a local shop. I wore them the same evening for about an hour and while walking normally a decoration piece got detached from them and fell off. The sandal does not look good without this decoration.

The following day, I went to speak to the seller asking for a refund. She refused because she argued that I had damaged the sandals and that she had sold them to me in good condition.

She also told me I should not expect much from a pair of sandals that cost less than €10. I surely do not expect a pair of sandals to last less than an hour. What are my options? I still have the receipt of the purchase.

A: Since the sandals were damaged the first time you wore them and since the damage was neither caused by accident or misuse, legally, you are entitled to have them repaired or replaced free of charge. If such solutions are not possible, you may cancel the sale and ask for a refund.