Q: Earlier this year, my wife and I purchased two fridge freezers after we were assured by the seller that the two fridges could be installed next to each other in our built-in kitchen. A few weeks after installation both fridges started leaking water from underneath the ventilation shafts. We immediately contacted the seller who sent his technicians three times before the manufacturer of the fridges told him that these particular fridges could not be installed next to each other.

At this point the seller proposed to change the two fridge freezers with another model that could be installed next to each other and function well. The problem is that these two fridges cost more than the ones we purchased and the seller wanted us to pay the difference in price. For us this was unacceptable… we were not the ones who chose the wrong ‘model’. What rights do we have in this situation?

A: Since the two fridges did not conform to the sales agreement because they were not fit for the particular purpose for which you required them and made known to the seller when you concluded the sales agreement, you are legally entitled to a free remedy. In such situations the seller is obliged to offer you one of the following solutions: either replace the two fridges with another model that meets your requirements at no extra cost or cancel the original contract of sale and refund you the money you paid for the fridges.

Should the seller insist that you accept to replace the fridges and pay the difference in price, you may file a complaint with the Office for Consumer Affairs.