The ACM, a regulatory authority, is warning sellers of electronics and white goods to better comply with product warranty rules. Customers are filing many complaints about this. The ACM will issue fines if there is no improvement in three months.
The consumer watchdog does not name specific companies. The ACM receives thousands of complaints annually from customers who were not helped or poorly helped with a defective product.
“Many sellers wrongly assume that the right to a warranty expires after two years,” says Edwin van Houten, Director of Consumers at the ACM. This causes difficult discussions between customers and sellers. Warranty on a product is legally established, but there is no fixed warranty period for specific products. The buyer and seller must make agreements about this themselves.
According to the ACM, sellers often wrongly refer customers to the manufacturer for warranty. Customers are sometimes presented with a bill for call-out or administrative costs for free repair or replacement. This is not allowed at all.
Finally, the seller must offer appropriate alternatives if a product can no longer be repaired or replaced. According to the regulator, companies often let their customers down in this area as well.
The ACM is giving companies the opportunity to improve their warranty service and will review the market again in three months. If the service is still poor then, fines may be given.