Consumer Purchases and Warranties
Written in plain language for general understanding. This is educational content, not legal advice. Based on Icelandic Acts of the Althingi, statutory instruments, and official guidance.
Icelandic National Law
What is this right?
Icelandic law gives consumers strong warranty rights when purchasing goods:
- 2-year minimum warranty: You have the right to complain about defective goods for at least 2 years from purchase.
- Extended period for durable goods: For goods with a substantially longer expected lifespan (e.g., appliances, furniture), the complaint period may extend up to 5 years — depending on the nature of the product.
- 6-month presumption: If a defect appears within 6 months of delivery, it is presumed to have existed at the time of purchase — the seller must prove otherwise.
- Notification deadline: You must notify the seller of defects as soon as possible, with a minimum of 2 months from when the defect became apparent.
- Remedies (in order): Repair at seller's expense, replacement (if not unreasonably costly), or price reduction/refund.
- The seller may not attempt to remedy the same defect more than twice.
When does it apply?
- You purchased a consumer good from a business (not between private individuals).
- The product is defective — it does not conform to what was agreed or reasonably expected.
What should you do?
- Notify the seller in writing as soon as you discover the defect — within 2 months at most.
- Keep your receipt or proof of purchase.
- If the seller refuses to repair, replace, or refund, file a complaint with the Consumer Complaints Committee (Kærunefnd vöru- og þjónustukaupa).
What should you NOT do?
- Don't wait too long — you must complain within 2 months of discovering the defect.
- Don't accept a manufacturer's 1-year guarantee as your only recourse — your statutory 2-year (or 5-year) warranty is separate and cannot be waived.
- Don't discard the defective product before the dispute is resolved.
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