Know Your Rights – when buying tech and gadgets

Q. Do I need to sign anything when I buy? A. If you’re buying via some sort of finance agreement then that agreement has to be in writing and you have to sign. Always read the document and ask for an explanation of anything that isn’t clear. A simple purchase of goods doesn’t normally require a signature, so ask what you are being asked to sign. If you sign a document, you might be bound by what it says so be careful not to agree to anything that tries to reduce your legal rights.

Q. What responsibility does the manufacturer have? A. Manufacturers have legal responsibility to the public for injury and damage caused by their products. You do not have a legal right to demand that a manufacturer replace defective goods. Your rights are against the retailer. Many products come with a manufacturer’s warranty and, if you register that warranty, you then have a separate agreement with the manufacturer in addition to your rights against the retailer.

If a fault develops during the warranty period, it might be easier to claim under that warranty than contact the retailer. However, check the warranty first to find out if it requires the product to be serviced periodically or that a defect has to be reported within a particular time? Failure to follow your obligations under the warranty will make it invalid.

Also, the warranty will only apply to what the manufacturer supplied to the retailer and not to any added software or upgrades provided by the retailer at the time of sale. You need to be sure that it’s a manufacturer’s defect that is the problem.

Q. If I buy a second hand laptop that is still within the warranty period will the warranty transfer? A. It depends on what the warranty says. Some manufacturers make ease of warranty transfer a selling point. Usually it will be possible by notifying the change of ownership, sometimes even online.

Q. I didn’t fill in and send back the warranty registration. Can I still claim under the warranty? A. Probably not. Check the warranty to see what the time limit for registration might be but one purpose of registration is to identify when the warranty will begin. If you haven’t registered, the manufacturer won’t know the period of the warranty?

Q. What should I do first, go back to the shop or contact the manufacturer under the warranty? A. If you bought a standard off-the-shelf product do what is most convenient for you. If the product included upgrades, or additional software, supplied by the shop then go back there first.

Q. My PC has a labour-only warranty. What does that mean? A. Very little unless most of the repair cost is labour cost. If the warranty provides for fault diagnosis you could take advantage of that and then decide where to have it repaired or do it yourself.

Q. Should I take out an extended warranty? A. Extended warranties are a form of insurance and whether or not you should pay for one depends on your approach to life in general. Are you happier paying a fixed price in advance (the premium) and knowing that if something goes wrong you will have help sorting it? If so, extended warranties are for you.

Financial advice websites suggest they are expensive bearing in mind how reliable modern electrical goods are, but if you think the price is reasonable and you want peace of mind, go for it.
Don’t forget that extended warranties can include breakdown caused by accidental damage which isn’t part of the Sale of Goods rights and isn’t usually included in a standard warranty.

Q. I ordered a PC online and paid for it. It has not been delivered yet, what can I do? A. Unless you agreed a delivery time, the Distance Selling Regulations require the retailer to deal with your order – i.e. deliver – within 30 days. You have the right to cancel if delivery is not made within this period and have your money refunded. The retailer may contact you and offer a delivery date after the mandatory 30 days, but you don’t have to accept this. However, it’s worth contacting the retailer to find out what the problem is. It might be possible to put things right with less hassle than that caused by cancelling.