Q: If an air conditioner that is no longer covered by a guarantee develops a fault and needs to have a €200 part replaced, will the new part be covered by some kind of guarantee?

A: When a product develops a fault after its guarantee expires and the cost of repair includes the replacement of a part, the new part is covered by the two-year legal protection.

This means that if within two years from the date a consumer pays for the repair, the replaced part either develops a fault or turns out to be unfit for purpose, the consumer is entitled to claim a free remedy from the seller. Sellers are, in fact, obliged to either repair or replace defective goods.

If a repair or replacement is not a possible solution, the consumer may then request a refund. The remedy chosen should not cause a significant inconvenience to the consumer. To benefit from this legal protection, the consumer needs to present the proof of purchase of the part.

Consumers should also check with the seller whether the replacement part is covered by a commercial guarantee, which is a voluntary additional protection given by sellers that should place consumers in a more advantageous position than that established at law.