2 year guarentees on all goods purchased within the EU.

[Spi D]

...
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.

As the basis is 'only' a Directive the contents are quite differently implemented between countries, commonly blended with national rules and tradition.

Directives

A "directive" is a legislative act that sets out a goal that all EU countries must achieve. However, it is up to the individual countries to devise their own laws on how to reach these goals. One example is the EU consumer rights directive, which strengthens rights for consumers across the EU, for example by eliminating hidden charges and costs on the internet, and extending the period under which consumers can withdraw from a sales contract.

Had it been a Regulation things would have been different:

Regulations

A "regulation" is a binding legislative act. It must be applied in its entirety across the EU

Consumers need help to be aware of these differences when shopping in EU countires and my suggestion is to get advice here

http://www.ukecc.net/

Specifically made for the purpose of sorting EU consumer trade issues.

 

[macd]

Thanks for the link, SpiD, to: http://www.ukecc.net/

I downloaded their pdf leaflet on buying in the EU: it has very little hard information, and nothing country-by-country. But it did have the nugget that a receipt is not required to pursue a claim for faulty/not-fit-for-purpose goods.

I wasn't altogether impressed by the linking page, which had this:
When buying goods anywhere in the EU you can always guarantee that you will be protected by mutal legislation that applies across all of the 30 EU Member States, including Iceland and Norway.
Of course neither Iceland, nor Norway, are in the EU, so 'plus' might better have replaced 'including'. One hopes they're not so sloppy generally.

 

[Spi D]

These countries are included because they are

The European Economic Area (EEA) countires (Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein).

 

[KellysEye]

Under the Sales of Good Act the warranty is up to six years: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ng-complaints-official-guarantee-expires.html

 

[Tranona]

Under the Sales of Good Act the warranty is up to six years: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ng-complaints-official-guarantee-expires.html

Sale of Goods Act is out of date, replaced by the Consumer Rights Act for contracts after October 2015. This has greater protection provisions than the SOGA and is more prescriptive about rights, particularly of rejection. The 6 year limit on claims (which is not the same as a 6 year guarantee) is the same.

 

[macd]

These countries are included because they are

I'm well aware of the countries which comprise the EEA. That doesn't render accurate the comment "all of the 30 EU Member States, including Iceland and Norway".

 

[Birdseye]

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.

I think that this was the case with the old Sale of Goods act but I understood that the 6 months had been reduced to 30 days in the new act you mention.

 

[Tranona]

I think that this was the case with the old Sale of Goods act but I understood that the 6 months had been reduced to 30 days in the new act you mention.

No. That refers to the right to reject which is 30 days, not repair or replacement.

 

[KellysEye]

>Sale of Goods Act is out of date, replaced by the Consumer Rights Act for contracts after October 2015.

The Sale of Goods Act still applies to anything bought prior to October 2015.

 

[Tranona]

>Sale of Goods Act is out of date, replaced by the Consumer Rights Act for contracts after October 2015.

The Sale of Goods Act still applies to anything bought prior to October 2015.

That is pretty obvious - not sure why you bothered to post.