Warranty period

What it means

The warranty period is the time during which a buyer can exercise rights under liability for defects, that is demand repair, replacement, a price reduction or withdraw from the contract. For sales to consumers the statutory period is generally 24 months from receipt. For used goods the parties may agree a shorter period, but no less than 12 months.

Between businesses, the statutory warranty period in this form does not apply. The Commercial Code requires the buyer to report defects without undue delay after discovering them, and hidden defects no later than two years after delivery. Beyond that, the parties may agree a quality guarantee for a set period.

The warranty period runs from receipt of the goods. Time during which the buyer cannot use the goods because of warranty repairs is not counted. If goods are replaced with new ones, the period may start again. The exact rules have changed in recent years, particularly with the new consumer protection legislation, so the current wording of the law must be followed.

How it works in practice

When selling to consumers, a company must inform them about the warranty period and the complaint procedure in its complaints policy. It is sensible to keep sales records so that the start and end of the warranty can be checked easily, for example by receipt number or product serial number.

When selling to businesses, we recommend setting out in the contract or terms whether a quality guarantee is given, for how long and on what conditions, together with deadlines for reporting defects. Clear contract rules prevent disputes over whether a defect was reported in time and who bears the burden of proof.

In accounting terms, companies with significant sales and complaint volumes create a warranty provision for expected costs during the warranty period. The amount is estimated from past experience and updated regularly.

What to watch out for

A common mistake is confusing the warranty period with product lifespan. The warranty period does not mean a product need last only two years, nor that the seller is liable for nothing afterwards. Defects present at delivery and claims under a contractual guarantee must be assessed separately.

Beware of restricting the warranty in terms and conditions for consumer sales, for example shortening it or making it conditional on original packaging or registration. Such clauses are void against consumers, and the Slovak Trade Inspection fines them.