Making Cents: If my kitchen appliance breaks, am I covered for a new one? 

Doireann Sweeney, Head of Corporate Communications with the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, stresses that buyers rights are not limited to what is covered by guarantee or warranty.“Often household electrical items, such as an oven, will come with a guarantee for a certain period of time, for example, one or two years etc,” she says.

A reader contacted me this week about an incident she had with her oven. The oven, which she bought a little over two years ago, was badly damaged with what sounded like a minor explosion. She and her husband had been in the kitchen cooking and, shortly after they left the room, they heard a loud bang. They found the oven door badly damaged and blackened and shattered glass all over the room. It was an electric oven, so the issue wasn’t caused by gas.

When she contacted the seller, they were checking dates to see if the oven was covered by guarantee or warranty. While the situation was eventually resolved to her satisfaction, she was shocked that this would be a factor in such an unexpected incident. She feels even if outside guarantee, if an oven malfunctions to such an extent surely the seller or manufacturer should replace or refund.

It’s an interesting point. While many big-ticket household items come with a one or two-year guarantee, most customers buy them in the expectation of using them for at least five years or more. So how are consumers protected?

Doireann Sweeney, Head of Corporate Communications with the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, stresses that buyers' rights are not limited to what is covered by guarantee or warranty.

“Often household electrical items, such as an oven, will come with a guarantee for a certain period of time, for example, one or two years etc,” she says. “A guarantee is usually free and offered by the manufacturer as an agreement that they will repair or replace an item if something goes wrong within a certain amount of time after a consumer buys it.

“Warranties, on the other hand, are an extra optional protection, which usually costs money and may be offered by the shop selling the item. A warranty is similar to an insurance policy and covers the product beyond the manufacturer’s guarantee period.

“Guarantees and warranties differ from statutory rights in that the terms are usually set by the seller or manufacturer. However, it is important to be aware that both are in addition to your consumer rights, they do not replace them.

“Although the consumer in the example provided was able to resolve the issue with the business directly via their warranty, it’s important to note that even if your guarantee/warranty has expired, or the problem is not covered, you may still be able to avail of your statutory rights to seek a remedy.” 

 Under consumer law, when a consumer buys something in a shop it must be of a reasonable and acceptable standard and be fit for the purpose intended. How long it must remain so is not specified in law but Ms Sweeney strongly recommends the consumer bring any issue to the attention of the seller as soon as it arises.

“If a consumer buys an item (such as an oven) which proves to be faulty, or does not meet the standards outlined above, then the consumer is entitled to either a full refund, a repair or a replacement oven,” Ms Sweeney says. “Consumer law does not set out exactly which option a consumer is entitled to when returning a faulty item, so it is up to the consumer to negotiate with the business, as to which option would be most suitable.

“In terms of timeframes, the law does not give a specific time limit to return a faulty item, however, we would recommend that a consumer contacts the business about the fault as soon as possible.

“This is important to note, as how the issue is resolved will likely depend on how long the item was used and also the length of time it took the consumer to return it.” 

 Given the cost of large household items like ovens, it is always worth checking the terms and conditions of a guarantee or warranty before you buy.

“Find out exactly what is covered - for example, with electrical goods, are all parts or just specific parts covered?” Ms Sweeney recommends. “Is labour included and is there a limit on the amount of labour covered? And check whether you need to take any steps like registering a guarantee with the manufacturer in order to activate it.” And don’t feel pressured to buy a warranty.

“A warranty is completely optional and can be expensive, so don’t feel pressurised into buying one. Your consumer rights will still apply. Work out what it would cost to replace the item and compare this to the cost of the warranty. Replacing it may cost less than a warranty.” 

The CCPC has complaint letter templates on its website for consumers who wish to complain about faulty goods and poor service and your local Citizens Information can also offer advice on how to make a consumer complaint.