No matter which EU country you are shopping in the complaint period is always at least two years after the time of delivery. The seller cannot reduce the period, for example by writing a different period in the sales agreement.
You must always complain to the seller in reasonable time during the complaint period after your discovery of the defect. What is considered ‘a reasonable time’ will be decided from case to case. According to the Danish Sale of Goods Act a complaint made within two months after discovery of the defect will always have been made in due time but a complaint made later may also have been made in due time.
The best thing you can do is to complain to the seller as soon as you discover the defect. This applies especially when you are shopping in EU countries other than Denmark. In some cases you will here lose completely your right to complain about the defect concerned if you fail to complain within two months after your discovery of a defect.
Some sellers are very reluctant to accept complaints after the first year of purchase. This is due to the fact that very often the seller can only present the claim to his supplier in the first year. However, no matter whether the seller can only complain to his supplier within one year after the purchase you can always make a complaint within at least two years. The two-year complaint time limit cannot be set aside for consumers.
Limitation period in the different EU countries
|
| Austria |
2 years |
| Belgium |
No specific time limit. It should be in a reasonable timeframe |
| Bulgaria |
2 years |
| Cyprus |
2 years |
| Czech Republic |
2 years |
| Denmark |
2 years |
| Estonia |
2 years |
| Finland |
Finland has not adopted any time limits |
| France |
2 years |
| Germany |
2 years |
| Greece |
2 years |
| Hungary |
2 years |
| Iceland |
2 years and up to 5 years on long lasting goods |
| Ireland |
No limitation period |
| Italy |
2 years |
| Latvia |
2 years |
| Lithuania |
2 years |
| Luxemborg |
2 years |
| Malta |
2 years |
| Norway |
2 years and up to 5 years on long-lasting goods |
| Poland |
2 years |
| Portugal |
2 years |
| Romania |
2 years |
| Slovakia |
2 years general limit.1 year (minimum) second hand goods. 5 years on long-lasting goods |
| Slovenia |
2 years |
| Spain |
3 years |
| Sweden |
3 years for goods purchased after 1 April 2005.(2 years for goods purchased before) |
| The Netherlands |
No time limit |
| United Kingdom |
6 years |