Defective Goods (Reklamationsret)
Written in plain language for general understanding. This is educational content, not legal advice. Based on Danish Acts of Parliament (love), executive orders (bekendtgørelser), and official government guidance.
Danish National Law
What is this right?
If you buy something that turns out to be defective, Danish law gives you strong protections:
- 2-year complaint right (reklamationsret): You can complain about defects that were present at the time of purchase for up to 2 years after delivery.
- Presumption of defect: Within the first 12 months (extended from 6 months in 2022 per EU directive), the defect is presumed to have existed at delivery — the seller must prove otherwise.
- Remedies: You are entitled to repair, replacement, a price reduction, or a refund — depending on the severity of the defect.
- Seller's choice first: The seller can choose between repair and replacement, provided it does not cause you significant inconvenience.
- No exclusion: The seller cannot limit or exclude the 2-year complaint right in consumer sales.
When does it apply?
- You are a consumer (private person) who bought goods from a business.
- The goods have a defect that existed at the time of purchase — not caused by your own misuse.
- The defect appeared within 2 years of delivery.
What should you do?
- Contact the seller promptly — you must complain within a reasonable time after discovering the defect (generally within 2 months).
- Describe the defect clearly and state your preferred remedy (repair, replacement, or refund).
- Keep your receipt or proof of purchase — a bank statement or email confirmation also works.
- If the seller refuses, file a complaint with Forbrugerklagenævnet (Consumer Complaints Board) or the relevant trade-specific complaint board.
What should you NOT do?
- Don't accept being told to go to the manufacturer — your complaint right is against the seller, not the manufacturer.
- Don't assume a warranty replacement means you lose your 2-year right — if the replacement is also defective, you can complain again.
- Don't discard defective products before the complaint is resolved — the seller may need to inspect them.
Legal Resources
We may earn a commission if you use these services — at no extra cost to you. This supports our mission to make legal information free for everyone.
LawDepotSend a formal demand letter to a business or creditor. State-specific financial and consumer documents ready in minutes.Create a Demand Letter →Credit KarmaFree credit monitoring, dispute tools, and alerts. Know when your credit report changes.Check Your Credit Free →IdentityGuardIdentity theft protection and monitoring. Get notified if your personal information is misused.Protect Your Identity →