Do I get a 2-year warranty on purchases in Belgium?
Yes — two years of legal warranty, and it's the seller who must prove the product wasn't at fault. Every consumer good bought from a professional seller (shop or web shop) carries a 2-year legal warranty for defects present at delivery. The big leap of June 2022: the presumption now runs the full 2 years in your favour — if your device fails within that window, the seller must prove misuse, not the other way round. Order of remedies: first free repair or replacement (within a reasonable time), failing that price reduction or refund. You knock on the seller's door, not the manufacturer's — 'take that up with Samsung' is legally void. Second-hand from a trader: minimum 1 year (if so agreed). And the '1-year manufacturer warranty' shops love to quote? It stacks on top and never replaces your legal 2 years.
📋 The rules
- 2-year legal warranty on consumer goods from professional sellers
- Reversed burden of proof: full 2 years (purchases since 1/6/2022)
- Order: repair or replacement first, then price reduction/refund
- Point of contact: the seller — not the manufacturer
- Second-hand from traders: minimum 1 year (if agreed in writing)
🔓 Exceptions
- Normal wear, misuse and consumer-caused damage fall outside
- Buying from private individuals (second-hand sites): no legal consumer warranty — only hidden-defects law
- Second-hand from a trader: the warranty may be shortened to a minimum of 1 year, but only if that is agreed in writing
⚠️ Penalties & fines
Refusing warranty is, for the seller, a breach of the Code of Economic Law. You put him in default in writing, and if that goes nowhere, the Consumer Ombudsman or the justice of the peace will force repair, replacement, a price reduction or a refund, with legal costs and interest on top. Do not forget what free means either: repair or replacement may cost you nothing — not parts, not labour, not shipping. And sending you to the manufacturer solves nothing: the legal warranty binds the seller, and only the seller.
📎 Official sources
- FPS Economy · The 2-year legal warranty →
- Test Aankoop · Warranty rights (NL) →
- Consumer Ombudsman Service →
❓ Frequently asked
My device fails after 20 months. Must I prove a manufacturing fault?
No. For purchases since June 2022 the presumption runs for the full 2 years: the seller must show that you caused the defect. Until he proves that, the warranty simply keeps applying.
The shop sends me to the manufacturer. Is that allowed?
No. The legal warranty binds the seller, so he cannot pass you on to the manufacturer or importer. He may have the device repaired via the manufacturer, but that is his logistics problem, not yours.
Do I have to pay for the repair or the shipping?
No. Under the legal warranty, repair or replacement is free: parts, labour and shipping are the seller's cost. If he still asks for a contribution or an admin fee, you do not owe it.
The repair has taken 2 months already. Now what?
Repair must happen within a reasonable time and without major inconvenience. If it drags on, you can demand replacement, a price reduction or rescission with a refund — but put the seller in default in writing first.
Does the warranty also apply to sale items and second-hand goods?
On discounted new goods: the full 2 years, discount or not. Second-hand from a trader: at least 1 year if agreed in writing; bought from a private individual, you have no legal consumer warranty at all.
🔎 Common searches
What people search to land here:
- “2 year warranty belgium”
- “burden of proof warranty seller”
- “shop refuses warranty belgium”
- “second hand warranty trader”
- “repair too slow warranty rights”
- “legal warranty vs manufacturer warranty”