Faulty product in the EU: your 2-year guarantee explained

2 min read · 8 steps · Updated 3 October 2026

The washing machine dies after 14 months, the phone will not charge after eight. Many shops answer that the warranty has run out or send you to the manufacturer. In the EU that is often wrong. The legal guarantee is a right against the seller, it lasts at least two years, and no small print can take it away.

This is general information about EU consumer law, not legal advice. Individual countries add rules of their own. For a dispute, contact the consumer advice centre in your country.

Step by step

1. Check that the guarantee applies

   It covers new and second-hand goods bought from a business anywhere in the EU, and digital content and services such as apps, e-books and streaming. It does not cover purchases from private individuals, or damage you caused yourself.

   Done

2. Check the dates

   The guarantee runs for at least two years from the day you received the item. Some countries give longer. For second-hand goods, the seller may shorten it by agreement, but not below one year.

   Done

3. Go to the seller

   Your claim is against the shop that sold you the item, even if it suggests you contact the manufacturer. Report the fault in writing, describe it, attach the receipt or order confirmation and photos, and say what you want: repair or replacement.

   Done

4. Know who has to prove what

   If the fault appears within one year of delivery, the law presumes it was already there when you got the item. The seller would have to prove otherwise. After that, you may have to show that the fault was not caused by use. Some countries extend this period to two years.

   Done

5. Ask for repair or replacement

   The first remedy is a free repair or a replacement, within a reasonable time and without major inconvenience to you. Free means that the seller also pays for postage, labour and parts.

   Done

6. Ask for money back if that fails

   If repair or replacement is impossible, takes too long or fails, you can ask for a price reduction or withdraw from the purchase and get a refund.

   Done

7. Set a deadline in writing

   If the seller stalls, set a clear deadline in writing, for example 14 days, and say that you will then ask for a refund.

   Done

8. Get help

   If nothing happens, contact the consumer advice centre in your country. For a seller in another EU country, the European Consumer Centre helps free of charge. Out-of-court dispute resolution bodies exist for many sectors.

   Done

Good to know

A commercial guarantee or warranty from the manufacturer, such as three years on a television, comes on top of the legal guarantee. It can never replace or reduce it.

Paid extended warranties are rarely worth buying for the first two years, as they largely cover what the law already gives you.

Keep receipts and order emails for at least two years. A photo of the receipt is enough if the paper fades.

If you simply changed your mind about an online purchase, a different rule applies: how to return something you bought online in the EU.

For Apple devices: how to check the warranty or AppleCare cover of an iPhone.

In short: At least two years from delivery, against the seller. Repair or replacement first, free of charge, then price reduction or refund. In the first year the fault is presumed to have been there from the start.