Can I get a faulty product repaired or replaced?
Yes: you have a 24-month legal conformity warranty. For goods bought from a professional seller, the Consumer Code grants a 24-month legal conformity warranty. If the product is faulty or doesn't match what was promised, the seller is liable (not the manufacturer): you can ask, free of charge, for repair or replacement of the item; if these remedies aren't possible or don't resolve it, you're entitled to a price reduction or termination of the contract with a refund. In the first 12 months, the defect is presumed to have existed at the time of purchase. The legal warranty is free and adds to any commercial warranties (from the manufacturer). Between private parties, the legal warranty doesn't apply, but the seller is liable for hidden defects.
📋 The rules
- Legal warranty of 24 months (purchases from professional sellers)
- The seller is liable, not the manufacturer
- Remedies: free repair or replacement
- If they don't resolve: price reduction or refund
- First 12 months: defect presumed pre-existing
🔓 Exceptions
- Purchases between private parties: no legal warranty, but liability for hidden defects
- Defects from misuse or normal wear: excluded
- Manufacturer's commercial warranty: additional and voluntary
⚠️ Penalties & fines
A seller who denies the legal warranty, only points to the manufacturer or demands payment for remedies breaches the Consumer Code: you can insist in writing and, if needed, file a complaint, contact a consumer association, start conciliation or go to court. Always keep the receipt or invoice and communications. The warranty covers conformity defects, not damage from misuse or normal wear. For products bought online, the warranty is joined by the 14-day right of withdrawal, which is a different thing.
📎 Official sources
- Normattiva · Consumer Code (legal conformity warranty) →
- Ministry of Enterprise and Made in Italy · Consumer protection →
- Your Europe · Consumer guarantees and rights →
❓ Frequently asked
How long is the warranty on a product?
The legal conformity warranty lasts 24 months from purchase at a professional seller. In the first 12 months the defect is presumed to have existed at the time of purchase, so it's easier to enforce. It's free and provided by the Consumer Code.
Who has to repair or replace the product?
The seller, not the manufacturer. It's the shop or site you bought from that must ensure free repair or replacement of the faulty item. They can't just refer you to the manufacturer: liability for the legal warranty lies with the seller.
What can I ask for if the product is faulty?
First, free repair or replacement. If these remedies aren't possible, are excessively costly or don't solve the problem, you're entitled to a price reduction or termination of the contract with a refund of what you paid.
Does the warranty apply to purchases between private parties?
No. The legal conformity warranty applies only to purchases from a professional seller. Between private parties it doesn't apply, but the seller is still liable for hidden defects, i.e. serious, non-visible faults that existed at the time of sale.
What does the warranty not cover?
It doesn't cover damage from misuse, negligence or accidents, nor the product's normal wear. It does cover conformity defects, i.e. when the item doesn't work or doesn't match what was promised. Always keep the receipt or invoice to enforce your rights.
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