Warranties and guarantees

A warranty is a guarantee given by the trader or manufacturer that their goods or services will last as long as the warranty says they will.The manufacturer decides the conditions and terms of the warranty so does the trader,and these may cover more or less than the consumer guarantees act offers.
A trader is not allowed to tell anyone that a warranty replaces their rights under the consumer guarantees act because it does not.
Extended warranty-before buying this you may check and see if it is better than the rights you already have.These can be expensive and traders may try to sell them to you.So think about how long you expect the product to last,if similar to the warranty  then it should be covered under the consumers guarantee act.Also if you intend to buy something new before the warranty ends its not really worth it.
If you buy something every two years with the latest technology you wont need a five year warranty.
It is wise to read the fine print on a warranty as it may cover only certain parts and faults.If you get a replacement often the warranty doesnt cover the replacement goods.
The consumers guarantee act doesnt cover goods that are used for business.So anything you buy at auction or at tender will not be covered and a warranty may be useful.Again read the fine print to see if you are covered.

Warranties and your rights
A trader may ask for a fee to check the goods and this should be refunded if the problem is the fault of the goods and under the consumer guarantees act the trader should give you a remedy.Unless the trader has advised you about his policy when you bought the goods, do not pay it.
Consumer guarantees act
Under this act your consumer rights say that goods must:
be acceptable in look and finish
be safe
be durable
have no minor defects
be fit for the purpose they are made for
Under the consumer guarantees act you can get a remedy if your goods do not last for a reasonable time.
A new computer with a one year warranty would be expected to last longer than one year.It would be reasonable to expect five years.

Reasonable use
Read instructions for the products and follow them because you are responsible for looking after them.If your electronic equipment/devices get wet,left in the rain by accident,it is not the fault of the trader if they stop working.