When we buy an appliance we look from the design to the functions, going logically through the price. But we are many users who do not pay attention to the after sales service. What warranty does the manufacturer offer? What parts of the device are covered? During how much time? Most of us rely on the two-year warranty that all manufacturers have to give by law. However, a good guarantee can save us from upset. We are going to go over the appliance warranty in detail and what we should look at so as not to have surprises .
As we said, the General Law for the Defense of Consumers and Users establishes a two-year guarantee for new appliances . This starts counting from the date indicated on the purchase invoice or the delivery note. This is the legal guarantee, not to be confused with the commercial guarantee. The latter is given by the manufacturer or even by the store that sells the device, which is entitled to extend those two legal years.
How does the legal guarantee work?
The aforementioned legal guarantee is common to all electrical appliances sold in Spain. Its operation is as follows:
- If during the first 6 months the device has a defect, it is presumed to be a defect of origin or factory . In this case, it is the selling company that will be responsible for the guarantee. If the selling company has closed, we can go directly to the manufacturer.
- We must bear in mind that, when claiming under warranty, we can choose between repair or replacement . The first option could be ruled out if the repair is impossible or has a disproportionate cost.
- The repair or replacement of the appliance will be totally free for the consumer .
- If the defect appears after 6 months, the seller may ask us to prove that it is a factory defect .
- A warranty-repaired appliance that breaks down again is also warranted. In other words, repairs have their own guarantee of 6 months during the legal period and 3 months the rest of the time. This includes the cost of repair, travel costs, labor, and possible parts that have been replaced.
Extended warranties: the LG case
As we mentioned at the beginning, some manufacturers offer a greater guarantee on their products. These extended warranties or commercial warranties do not usually cover the entire device, although they do cover the most important parts.
For example, LG offers a 3-month extension on the 24-month legal warranty on repairs . This is something very unusual, very few manufacturers do it. It may not seem like much, but 3 more months after the passage of 2 years can save us some major upset.
Of course, to access this warranty extension it is necessary to register the product on the official LG website . In addition, it applies to all the products that the manufacturer sells in Spain.
To this global warranty extension, we must add the warranties offered by the brand on specific components or parts . Especially in motors, since both the compressors of the refrigerators and the washing machines and dryers have a 10-year guarantee. This extends to virtually all of the brand's appliances, such as microwaves, vacuum cleaners, and even air conditioners.
So now you know, when you go to buy a new appliance, also ask what warranty the manufacturer offers . An extended warranty can save us from future disappointment.
