In a Facebook group that I have joined some time ago, a question was asked today about product guarantee or warranty in Ireland and some people claimed that in Ireland you have a 6 year warranty, while in other EU countries the warranty is only 2 years.
This is incorrect and seems to be a wide-spread misconception in some consumer circles.
I hadn’t heard about that before and it surprised me and filled me with doubt about these vox-pop opinions that were not really substantiated. So what do you do? You read the law and find out what are the facts!
I checked out the Consumer Act 2022 and it confirmed that there is no such thing as a 6 year warranty.
Instead, under Irish consumer law, you have up to six years from the date of purchase to seek remedies if a product is faulty or not as described. This period is based on the statute of limitations for contract claims in Ireland. However, the specific remedies available depend on when the fault becomes apparent:
- Within 30 days of purchase: You have the right to reject the goods and obtain a full refund.
- Within the first 12 months: It’s presumed that the fault existed at the time of purchase, and the seller is responsible for providing a repair or replacement.
- After 12 months and up to six years: You may still seek a repair, replacement, or partial refund, but you might need to prove that the fault was due to an inherent defect present at the time of purchase.
It is important to note that while you have up to six years to take action, the expectation of a product’s lifespan varies depending on its nature and usage. Therefore, the remedies available may be influenced by what is considered a reasonable period for the specific product.
This means that when the washing machine engine stops working after 5 years, you do NOT have a right to get a new machine or part of the money back, UNLESS you can prove that the motor had a fault on the day of purchase. This is HUGELY different than having a 6 year warranty.
It doesn’t help that the Citizens Information website at www.citizensinformation.ie/en/consumer/shopping/guarantees-and-warranties/ doesn’t clarify this at all, but uses an ambiguous sentence “You are entitled to raise a problem about a product for up to 6 years from the date of buying it. This applies regardless of the terms of any guarantee or warranty.” instead of making it crystal clear.
P.S: I know there is a difference between guarantee and warranty, but many people use the terms interchangeably although this is incorrect. The above listed Citizens Information article contains some good(and correct!) information about warranty and guarantee.
