2 year guarentees on all goods purchased within the EU.

Theshipscat

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In this months YM there's a letter regarding Tiller pilots and their lack of reliability. The writer states that an St2000+ was 4 months out of warranty. I'm assuming he means it was 1 year 4 months old. Which according to the below extract means it had 8 months of warranty left.
Below is an extract from:

Your rights as a consumer.
How the European Union protects your interests.

It quite clearly states that all guarentees are for at least two years. This was also stated by a Female German EMP a couple of years ago on radio 4.
So why are we constantly been told that a product only has one years guarentee?


The fact is that a two-year guarantee applies for the sale of all consumer goods everywhere in the EU (Directive 1999/44/EC). In some countries, this may be more, and some manufacturers also choose to offer a longer warranty period.

When you buy a new product, it should look and function exactly how it was advertised. But do you know what your rights are if your new coffee machine leaks, or if a green door is delivered instead of the blue one you ordered?

The vast majority of purchases and transactions in Europe take place with no reason for complaint. However, if you do have reason to complain, you should be aware that the following rights and responsibilities apply everywhere in the EU:

• If the item you bought does not look or function as it was advertised, or if it is not satisfactory, you have the right to have the item replaced or to get your money back if the replacement was not completed in a reasonable time at no extra cost.

• If you buy goods that turn out to be faulty, manufacturers must compensate you for any personal injury or damage caused to property.

• When you buy goods or services by post, telephone, fax or through the Internet from a professional trader, you have the same rights in relation to guarantees as if you had bought them in a shop.


Further information:
ec.europa.eu/consumers/cons_int/safe_shop/guarantees/index_en.htm

So Steve Miller if your on here get back to Raymarine and quote them the eeu directivelisted above.
 
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as i understand it the 2 years is a proposal, which would seriously reduce consumer rights.

currently the law states that goods should work for 6 years in england, 5 in scotland. wear and tear excepted.

but most retailers tell you a year, wonder why they say that?
 
Retailers say one year because they hope to get away with it due to people's ignorance of their rights, however the law states clearly two years and any document stating any less is considered null and void.

MOREOVER: warranty is to be provided by the RETAILER, not the manufacturer. It is the RETAILER responsibility to either repair or replace the item within reasonable time. Therefore if they tell you to contact the manufacturer, make you rights heard!
 
This situation is covered in a very recent issue of the magazine "Computer Active".
Under EU rules, and SoG act in the UK, failure of an item within 6 months means the retailer or manufacturer must repair or replace FOC unless misuse or fair wear and tear can be shown.
After that, up to 2 years,(EU), 6 years, (England & Wales) or 5 years (Scotland) , failure is covered provided that an inherent fault can be demonstrated. The onus of proof is on the consumer:- There's the rub!
The manufacturer's warranty might in fact give you longer than 6 months, but that is separate from SoG rights.
 
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As someone who held Navman/Plastimo to a latent design defect certain to have 100% failure due to poor design in its intended operating atmosphere, I got nearly 5 years worth of replacement instruments from them. 3 sets in total.
You have to be firm, and collect the evidence wherever you can get it. Then you have to be firm with them, and be able to quote relevant references to law.
 
As someone who held Navman/Plastimo to a latent design defect certain to have 100% failure due to poor design in its intended operating atmosphere, I got nearly 5 years worth of replacement instruments from them. 3 sets in total.
You have to be firm, and collect the evidence wherever you can get it. Then you have to be firm with them, and be able to quote relevant references to law.

I agree. The important issue is that the longer time spans assume you can show a latent defect.

I have just had a Raymarine autopilot replaced FOC although it was nearly 4 years old when it failed - because it had not been installed until just before it failed and they agreed it was a manufacturing fault.

I have also had parts on 3 of my Ford cars replaced or with a substantial contribution way outside the 3 year warranty on new and one year on replacements.

You just have to sure of your facts and persistent.
 
Earlybird is exactly correct. The two year warranty was put forward from Brussels but with the proviso that individual states could exceed the minimum if they wished. The UK s.o.g. act already exceeded it. But the proviso to demonstrate an inherent fault from new, is important after six months of ownership. The commonly used 12 month warranty is usually a manufacturer's warranty and is over and above the s.o.g. act, which must be honoured by the retailer. The contract is between the buyer and retailer. Many employees of both retailers and manufacturers only understand the simplistic 12 month warranty but if an issue is bought to the attention of management, most would provide support. It is important for the product's brand image.

All this has to be tempered by reasonableness. If a product clearly was cheap and not intended to last for six years, a court is unlikely to support a claim. And vice versa.
 
There is one snag to all of this.

The onus falls on the retailer. What happens if the retailer does not have the wherewithall?

Well as a supplier, I would want my dealer to buy more product from me, so I would support him and of course keep our end user happy.

If the dealer no longer has a relationship with the supplier, or the supplier went bust, then the dealer would have to stump up if the claim was valid.
 
Anyone lately used this EU directive?

You cannot "use" an EU directive. Your rights as a consumer are in the Consumer Rights Act, which replaced the Sale of Goods in October 2015. This complies with all EU directives and lays out your rights in detail.

The "2 year guarantee" is a red herring. Manufacturers offer guarantees, but they are different from your legal rights and which may be greater or less than your legal rights.

Read the Act (or a lay persons guide from somewhere like the Consumers Association) and you will see what your rights are in relation to your particular problem. As you will see your rights to replacement or repair vary over time and according to the circumstances, but liability can extend to 6 years if you can prove the defect was there when you bought the product. You only have automatic rights to replacement if specific conditions are met. Read the Act to find out what fits your case.

As you will see from some examples earlier in this thread people have got replacement or repairs long after purchase - the law states up to 6 years - if they have proved their case meets the requirements of the Act. However, it is not always easy to achieve this!
 
In this months YM there's a letter regarding Tiller pilots and their lack of reliability. The writer states that an St2000+ was 4 months out of warranty. I'm assuming he means it was 1 year 4 months old. Which according to the below extract means it had 8 months of warranty left.
Below is an extract from:

Your rights as a consumer.
How the European Union protects your interests.

It quite clearly states that all guarentees are for at least two years. This was also stated by a Female German EMP a couple of years ago on radio 4.
So why are we constantly been told that a product only has one years guarentee?


The fact is that a two-year guarantee applies for the sale of all consumer goods everywhere in the EU (Directive 1999/44/EC). In some countries, this may be more, and some manufacturers also choose to offer a longer warranty period.

When you buy a new product, it should look and function exactly how it was advertised. But do you know what your rights are if your new coffee machine leaks, or if a green door is delivered instead of the blue one you ordered?

The vast majority of purchases and transactions in Europe take place with no reason for complaint. However, if you do have reason to complain, you should be aware that the following rights and responsibilities apply everywhere in the EU:

• If the item you bought does not look or function as it was advertised, or if it is not satisfactory, you have the right to have the item replaced or to get your money back if the replacement was not completed in a reasonable time at no extra cost.

• If you buy goods that turn out to be faulty, manufacturers must compensate you for any personal injury or damage caused to property.

• When you buy goods or services by post, telephone, fax or through the Internet from a professional trader, you have the same rights in relation to guarantees as if you had bought them in a shop.


Further information:
ec.europa.eu/consumers/cons_int/safe_shop/guarantees/index_en.htm

So Steve Miller if your on here get back to Raymarine and quote them the eeu directivelisted above.

I had an ST 2000 tiller pilot which gave up the ghost 2 months out of warranty (2 yrs +2 mnths).
The estimate to repair it was more than the new cost.
Was told I should not have allowed it to wet....!!!
Goods should be fit for their purpose; if not, you have legal redress irrespective of the warranty.
 
I had an ST 2000 tiller pilot which gave up the ghost 2 months out of warranty (2 yrs +2 mnths).
The estimate to repair it was more than the new cost.
Was told I should not have allowed it to wet....!!!
Goods should be fit for their purpose; if not, you have legal redress irrespective of the warranty.
I had a ST2000 tiller pilot fail in about 1990. I was also taken aback to be told that it was due to "water ingress" when these gadgets were then being advertised as "your foul weather friend". I remember forking out quite a lot for a repair.
 
You cannot "use" an EU directive. Your rights as a consumer are in the Consumer Rights Act, which replaced the Sale of Goods in October 2015. This complies with all EU directives and lays out your rights in detail.

The "2 year guarantee" is a red herring. Manufacturers offer guarantees, but they are different from your legal rights and which may be greater or less than your legal rights.

Read the Act (or a lay persons guide from somewhere like the Consumers Association) and you will see what your rights are in relation to your particular problem. As you will see your rights to replacement or repair vary over time and according to the circumstances, but liability can extend to 6 years if you can prove the defect was there when you bought the product. You only have automatic rights to replacement if specific conditions are met. Read the Act to find out what fits your case.

As you will see from some examples earlier in this thread people have got replacement or repairs long after purchase - the law states up to 6 years - if they have proved their case meets the requirements of the Act. However, it is not always easy to achieve this!

Has a quick skim through but couldnt spot any mention of 6 years. Which para is it in?
 
Has a quick skim through but couldnt spot any mention of 6 years. Which para is it in?

Can't find where it is exactly in the act, but if you look on the Which website at their guidance to the Act you will find the statement that when the goods are 6 months old the onus is on you to prove the defect (that is there is no automatic right to replacement) and you have 6 years to make a claim in England, Wales and NI and 5 years in Scotland. Pretty sure this has been the case for several years under the old Act and derives from the EU directive.

Of course as the guidance suggests it may not be easy to actually prove the defect. However, for many expensive consumer goods such as cars, the manufacturers warranty actually gives more rights for longer periods than 6 months.
 
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