Guarantees & Warranties Explained

When you buy a product, you may receive a guarantee or warranty. These are additional promises offered by manufacturers or retailers.

However, your legal rights under UK consumer law exist regardless of any guarantee.

This guide explains how guarantees and warranties work, how they differ from your statutory rights, and what to do if a product fails.

This is general information about UK consumer law. It is not legal advice.

What is a guarantee or warranty?

A guarantee, sometimes called a warranty, is a voluntary promise from a manufacturer or retailer to repair, replace or refund a product if it develops a fault within a set period. It is not something the law forces on them; it is an extra contractual promise on top of what you are already owed. You will see them as a 12-month manufacturer warranty on electronics, a two-year retailer guarantee on white goods, a five-year structural warranty on an appliance, or a "lifetime guarantee" on certain tools or cookware. As a rule they cover manufacturing faults rather than accidental damage or misuse.

The important point is that a guarantee sits alongside your statutory rights. It does not replace them. A good one can offer faster repairs, direct access to the manufacturer, cover for parts and labour, and extra service support. But it may also carry exclusions, require you to register the product, demand regular servicing to stay valid, or limit cover to certain countries. Read the written terms before you rely on it.

Your statutory rights come first

Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, goods must be of satisfactory quality, fit for purpose, and as described. Satisfactory quality means a reasonable person would find the product acceptable, taking account of its price, its description and how long it ought to last. Durability matters here: a £1,000 washing machine that fails after 18 months may not be considered durable, even once the manufacturer's warranty has expired.

The protections work on a timeline. Within 30 days of purchase you can reject faulty goods for a full refund. After 30 days you are entitled to a repair or replacement, and if that fails you can claim a price reduction or a final refund. For the first 6 months, a fault is presumed to have been there at the point of sale unless the retailer can prove otherwise; after 6 months the burden shifts, and you may need to show the fault was inherent, often through an independent assessment. In England and Wales you can bring a claim for breach of contract up to 6 years from purchase, and 5 years in Scotland. None of this depends on the warranty period.

Retailer or manufacturer?

Your contract is with the retailer, not the manufacturer. If a product develops a fault you can go straight back to the shop you bought it from, online or on the high street; you do not have to deal with the manufacturer, and the retailer cannot insist you use the manufacturer's warranty instead. Retailers sometimes wrongly send customers off to the maker. You may choose that route because it is often quicker, but the retailer stays legally responsible either way. So if a shop tells you to "contact the manufacturer," it is fair to reply that your statutory rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 are with the retailer.

Can a guarantee limit your rights?

No. A guarantee cannot shorten your legal rights, exclude your statutory protections, override UK consumer law, or stop you claiming through the retailer. A guarantee marked "valid for 12 months only" does not strip away your statutory rights once those 12 months are up. Retailers cannot contract out of consumer law, and if they try, the offending terms may be unenforceable under unfair terms legislation.

What a guarantee typically covers

A guarantee usually spells out how long the cover lasts, which parts are included, whether labour and call-out charges are covered, any conditions such as annual servicing, and the exclusions, typically accidental damage, misuse and commercial use. Some require you to register the product within 30 days, keep proof of servicing, or return goods in their original packaging. Before you rely on one, check whether you have to return goods at your own cost, whether the guarantee transfers if you sell the item on, and whether accidental damage is in or out.

Making a claim and where to escalate

If a product fails, contact the retailer in writing, provide proof of purchase, describe the fault clearly, and say what remedy you want. If that doesn't resolve it, the order of escalation is a formal complaint to the retailer, then Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) where a scheme is available, and finally the small claims court through Money Claim Online. Keep all your correspondence and evidence along the way.

Citizens Advice https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk Consumer helpline: 0808 223 1133

Small Claims (England & Wales) https://www.gov.uk/make-court-claim-for-money