Warranties Explained
If you buy goods which are faulty when sold then you have the right to claim for repair, replacement or refund for a considerable period of time from the date of purchase. However, after the first 6 months you have to show that the fault was there when you purchased it, and the longer it takes for the fault to show up then the more difficult this will become.
An extended warranty, which may also be called a service agreement, or product support (or similar), will provide a repair or replacement for the term of the contract without you having to prove that the fault was present at the time of sale. Extended warranties are available from a number of providers and may be insurance backed or a service contract. When purchasing from a retailer of electrical goods, the price of the extended warranty product may be separate from the price of the electrical good itself or there may be a single price which combines the price of the electrical good and the price of the extended warranty. This website is intended to help customers compare warranties which are offered or paid for separately to the electrical good and the results page of this website does not therefore include those extended warranties where there is a single price. Retailers will be able to provide information on their products and related pricing.
Many extended warranties provide benefits over and above just a product failure or fault, such as when a product fails due to mishap, customer helplines, annual check-ups, no charge for non technical faults, theft, or loan products. These benefits often give extra support right from the day of purchase (although you will need to check with the warranty provider, as some warranties will only provide support from 12 months after the product has been purchased).
Extra benefits will be detailed in the individual description of each extended warranty. As these extra benefits and service commitments will affect the price of the warranty, consumers are encouraged to read these details to ensure that the product that they purchase is suitable for their needs. Some warranties provide cover for multiple appliances. Warranties can be purchased for a fixed term (typically 2, 3 or 5 years) or on a Pay Monthly basis.
Watch this simple explanatory video from the Office of Fair Trading for more information on your consumer rights with electrical goods.