Using a guarantee
Guarantees give you additional rights which could be a useful back-up if you have cause to complain. Guarantees should be clear, unambiguous and available for you to see before you make a purchase.
With some goods you may have a manufacturer's guarantee. If there is a registration card that needs to be returned to the manufacturer, make sure that the seller has filled in details of the purchase – otherwise the card might not be valid.
For the guarantee to be effective, you might need to ensure that you return the registration card to a stated address. Make sure you keep the documentation supplied with the goods that tells you how to make a claim under the guarantee.
Don't choose a firm just because it guarantees its services. A 10-year guarantee for a new house extension may be worthless if the firm goes out of business. Insurance-backed guarantee schemes, however, are available through some trade associations to cover building work. For long-term schemes make sure that the insurance covers the same period as the guarantee.
Be aware - guarantees cannot be legally used to exclude or limit a shop's or dealer's liability for selling goods that are defective or do not correspond with their description.
If you have bought faulty goods or had shoddy work done and have a guarantee or warranty, you may be able to solve your problem by dealing with the company who issued it.
It may be better to follow this course of action if:
- The retailer has gone out of business or has refused to sort out your problem.
- You did not pay for the work which was carried out. For example, something installed in your house paid for by the previous owner.
Types of guarantees and warranties:
- A guarantee or warranty from the manufacturer with the goods may enable you to claim a free repair or replacement within a set time.
- An extended warranty may entitle you to reclaim the cost of repairs for a longer period of time.
- If you have had home improvement work done such as damp-proof coursing, you will probably have a long term guarantee which may cover you against faulty materials or work for up to 30 years. However, this is only useful if the trader is still in business or the guarantee is backed by a valid insurance.
If you have a guarantee or warranty, read it carefully to make sure that:
- You fully understand it.
- It covers your problem.
- You're still within the valid timeframe.
- It offers an acceptable solution.
- You're willing to pay any extra costs involved.
You may need to prove that the fault has been caused by something covered by the guarantee or warranty.
You may have to pay for any repair work yourself and then claim the money back from the company who issued the guarantee or warranty.
If you are worried about this or if the cost of the repair is high, you should write to the company. Do this before you have any work done to check that they will pay you back.
- You may still have your normal rights against the supplier.
- A free guarantee or warranty offered by a manufacturer or trader is legally binding (with effect from March 2003). It should be written clearly and must be made available for viewing on request. It must also state that it does not affect your legal rights.
