EU 2-Year Guarantee Rights Checker

How the EU Guarantee Rights Checker Works

Under EU consumer protection law, specifically Directive 1999/44/EC on the sale of consumer goods and associated guarantees, all goods sold to consumers within the European Union must conform to the contract of sale and are covered by a minimum legal guarantee of two years from the date of delivery. This is not an optional warranty offered by the manufacturer, it is a legal right that applies to every consumer purchase regardless of whether the seller mentions it. If a product develops a defect within two years of delivery that was not caused by misuse, the consumer has the right to have the product repaired or replaced free of charge, or to receive a price reduction or full refund if repair or replacement is not possible.

The EU right-to-repair directive introduces a significant enhancement to this guarantee framework. From July 2026, when a consumer chooses to repair a product that is within the legal guarantee period rather than requesting a replacement, the legal guarantee is extended by one additional year from the date the repair is completed. This creates a powerful incentive for both consumers and sellers to opt for repair over replacement. For example, if you purchased a washing machine on 1 January 2027 and it develops a fault that is repaired under guarantee on 15 June 2028, the original guarantee would have ended on 1 January 2029, but the repair extends it to 15 June 2029, giving you an extra six months of coverage. This checker calculates both the standard and extended guarantee end dates.

Several important nuances apply to the EU legal guarantee. In most EU member states, for the first year after delivery, the consumer does not need to prove that the defect existed at the time of delivery. The burden of proof is on the seller to demonstrate that the goods were in conformity when delivered. After the first year, some member states shift this burden to the consumer, who must then show that the defect is inherent to the product rather than caused by misuse. However, several member states have extended the reversed burden of proof to the full two-year period. Additionally, some EU countries offer longer guarantee periods than the minimum two years, with national laws providing up to five or six years of coverage in certain cases.

Understanding the difference between the legal guarantee and a commercial warranty is essential. The legal guarantee is a minimum right provided by EU law that the seller cannot reduce or waive. It covers defects that existed at the time of delivery, even if they only become apparent later. A commercial warranty, often called an extended warranty or manufacturer warranty, is an additional voluntary commitment by the manufacturer or seller that may cover different types of issues or extend the coverage period. Commercial warranties cannot replace or reduce the legal guarantee; they can only offer additional protection. When a seller says a product has a one-year warranty, the two-year EU legal guarantee still applies on top of that.

Key Guarantee Rules