With no manufacturer's guarantee, do I have no rights?
You do — and this distinction costs people the most. The two-year claim right comes from the law, not from a guarantee. Whether or not the item carries a manufacturer's guarantee, you may go to the seller within two years if the goods do not conform to the contract. A guarantee is something else: a voluntary extra promise by the manufacturer, seller or provider that the item will retain certain qualities. They set its length themselves — it is additional, not a substitute. The practical upshot: a three-year guarantee gives you options beyond the two years the law provides.
📋 The rules
- The two-year right comes from the law, not a guarantee
- It applies regardless of any guarantee
- A guarantee is a voluntary extra promise
- Its length is set by the manufacturer or seller
- It is additional, never a substitute
🔓 Exceptions
- A longer guarantee gives options beyond the statutory two years
- Unjustified use of the word "guarantee" is a misleading commercial practice
- A guarantee may not worsen the consumer's legal position
⚠️ Penalties & fines
This is exactly what traders exploit. In everyday speech "guarantee" means something different from what the law means — and so many consumers never even try to use their rights. If you hear "the guarantee has expired, there is nothing we can do", remember: the two-year claim right is not a guarantee and it does not expire because the manufacturer's promise did. And the other direction: a guarantee may not worsen your legal position — where it restricts rights the law gives you, it is void in that part. Unjustified use of the word "guarantee", implying you are being given more than the law already gives, is a misleading commercial practice.
📎 Official sources
- PTAC · On the warranty of goods →
- likumi.lv · Consumer Rights Protection Law →
- LV portāls · Product guarantees →
❓ Frequently asked
Do I have rights without a guarantee?
You do. The two-year claim right comes from the law, not from a guarantee. You may go to the seller within two years if the goods do not conform to the contract, guarantee or no guarantee.
What is a guarantee, then?
A voluntary extra promise by a manufacturer, seller or provider that the item will retain certain qualities for a period they set themselves. It is additional to the law, never a replacement for it.
What if they say the guarantee has expired?
Remind them that the two-year claim right is not a guarantee and does not end with the manufacturer's promise. If the goods do not conform to the contract, your statutory rights remain.
Can a guarantee run longer than two years?
It can. A three-year guarantee, for instance, gives you additional recourse to the manufacturer or distributor beyond the statutory two years — but only to the extent of the guarantee.
Can a guarantee reduce my rights?
It may not. A guarantee cannot worsen the consumer's legal position. Where it restricts rights given by law, it is void in that part and does not bind you.
🔎 Common searches
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