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Guarantees related to buying goods and services, including procedures for consumer dispute resolution and compensation

Citizen and State

This article is intended for consumers as a tool for easier orientation in the issue of consumer rights and possibilities of resolving disputes with traders.
  1. Types of guarantees
  2. Does guarantee also apply to discounted products?
  3. What are the trader’s obligations if a sold product develops a defect?

1. Types of guarantees

In Slovakia we distinguish between a legal guarantee and a commercial guarantee. The trader is not authorised to shorten the legal guarantee. An extended or commercial, after-sales guarantee is provided above the scope of the law. In most cases it is a paid service. Claims from the extended guarantee are included in the service terms and conditions. They may apply to the entire product or only to a part thereof (such as the engine, compressor, etc.).

  • The general legal guarantee period is 24 months and applies to all products for which the law does not define any special guarantee period.
  • The special guarantee period of 3 years applies to constructions,
  • The special guarantee period of 3 months applies to works related to repair and modification,
  • The special guarantee period of 18 months applies to construction work,
  • The special guarantee period of 12 months applies to sale of used items,
  • The special guarantee period of 1 day applies to perishable items,
  • If the period of use is marked on the item sold, its packaging or instruction manual accompanying it, the guarantee period shall not end before the expiry of this period.

2. Does guarantee also apply to discounted products?

The guarantee also applies to a discounted product or to a product bought on sale, but if the discount is provided due to a certain defect, such a defect may not be subject to complaint.

3. What are the trader’s obligations if a sold product develops a defect?

The trader that you purchased the defected product from is obliged to:

  • Accept the complaint by which you are claiming compensation for the defected product,
  • Handle the complaint within the statutory period of 30 days,
  • Handle the complaint in a way stipulated by law (replace the product, reimburse the price, repair the product, proportionately reduce the product price or justifiably reject the complaint),
  • If the trader sold you a dangerous product, the trader is obliged to take it back and reimburse the purchase price.
Note
You are always entitled to return a dangerous product to the manufacturer, trader, importer or supplier. If you exercise this right, the manufacturer, trader, importer or supplier is obliged to take it back and reimburse the purchase price to you within 3 working days. The manufacturer or importer is obliged to take back a dangerous product even if you do not have the proof of purchase.

Explanatory laws:

Last modified: 22. 2. 2021
Publication date: 4. 12. 2014

The responsible person:

Ministry of Economy of the Slovak Republic
+421248541111
info@mhsr.sk

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