1. What are my consumer rights?
As a consumer, you have the right to:
- Products and services of standard quality
- Lodge a complaint
- Compensation for damages
- Education
- Information
- Protection of health, safety and economic interests
- File motions to investigate and complaints to supervisory, surveillance and inspection bodies
- Protection from unfair conditions in consumer contracts
- Association
- Protection of consumer rights before courts
- Use alternative dispute resolution options for consumer disputes
2. What is standard quality of a product/service?
Standard quality is a level of quality ensuring the preservation of all the product’s material characteristics, which are essential for its immediate use and which fulfil the consumer’s presumed expectations.
3. How to lodge a complaint?
Complaints should be lodged without undue delay during the warranty period with the trader or the designated warranty service provider, and if possible, taking into account the nature of the product, the goods subject to the complaint should be handed over to staff authorised to handle complaints. If the nature of the product does not allow the product to be delivered to the trader or to the warranty service provider, you have the right to request the on-site repair of the defect or to agree on the method of transporting the product at your own expense. As a buyer, you have the right to be reimbursed for the necessary costs incurred in connection with lodging a complaint.
When making a complaint, you are required to sufficiently demonstrate that you purchased the product from a specific trader, for example, by submitting proof of purchase of the product, a warranty card, and/or an issued invoice, together with the product subject to the complaint.
4. How to proceed when requesting compensation for damage?
You have to prove that the purchased product is defective and that you have suffered damage caused by the defective product. You can claim damages out of court (agreement, mediation, etc.) or in court.
5. How is the protection of health, safety and economic interests safeguarded?
The consumer rights specified above correspond to the trader’s obligation to sell only safe products and provide the consumer with all the information on the basis of which the consumer can properly assess economic consequences of the purchase.
6. What is the right of association?
Consumers are entitled to form civil associations for the purposes of enforcing consumer rights. Associations may, under conditions laid down by law, mediate an agreement in complaint proceedings and also represent consumers before public authorities.