Q: We have an outlet that mainly sells design leather goods. We recently had a client who said he owns one of our bags which was damaged. The client wants us to either send this bag abroad to be repaired for free or replace it with a new one. The client does not have a receipt because he says it was given to him as a present by a friend about a year ago.

What are we to do in such a situation? If we send the bag abroad to be repaired the freight and courier charges would cost approximately the same as buying a new bag.

A: The guarantee your client is referring to is the two-year legal protection stipulated in the Consumer Affairs Act.

It is a legal right consumers have, which gives them the right to claim a remedy if the goods purchased are not in conformity with the contract of sale.

As to the damaged bag you mention in your query, and whether or not you should provide compensation, it basically depends on whether the damage was caused by the client or not. If the client misused the bag, then your company is not legally obliged to provide a remedy.

But if the damage is a result of an inherent defect, then legally your client has the right to have the bag repaired or replaced. If neither of these two remedies is possible, or if opted for may cause a significant inconvenience to your client, he is entitled to a cash refund.

The purpose of a receipt in consumer claims is to prove that the product was bought from a particular shop less than two years ago.

However, since your company sells design leather goods, it should not be difficult to determine whether the bag was bought from your shop, and when it was purchased.