Warranties on your tech: Your rights

Stemming from a ruling by an Italian court in which Apple were found to be guilty of flouting both Italian and EU law in relation to warranties we thought we’d make you aware of your rights as a consumer (especially as many of you are now playing with your new toys since Santa arrived). Under the Irish sale of goods and the supply of service act 1980 goods should last a “fair and reasonable time” and under EU law (Section 17)

Whereas it is appropriate to limit in time the period
during which the seller is liable for any lack of
conformity which exists at the time of delivery of the
goods; whereas Member States may also provide for a

limitation on the period during which consumers can
exercise their rights, provided such a period does not
expire within two years from the time of delivery;
whereas where, under national legislation, the time when
a limitation period starts is not the time of delivery of
the goods, the total duration of the limitation period
provided for by national law may not be shorter than
two years from the time of delivery;

http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:1999:171:0012:0016:EN:PDF

In other words your statutory rights at a minimum provide you with a 2 year warranty on your goods (including your mobile phone). This warranty covers any faults found with the phone during that 2 year period and not any problems caused due to misuse such as a cracked screen. So make sure you exercise your rights if you need them, and don’t get fobbed off with suggestions of only a one year warranty. Hopefully though you’ll never need to use it.