Start warranty period from date of installation: Govt to white goods firms

The Department of Consumer Affairs has urged manufacturers and sellers of white goods to revise their warranty or guarantee policies to reflect its commencement from the date of installation rather than the date of purchase.

In a letter to industry and retail associations and manufacturers of white goods, Rohit Kumar Singh, secretary to the government, has advised them to revise the policy of warranty to reflect its commencement from the date of installation rather than the date of purchase.

White goods include appliances like refrigerators, air conditioners, and washing machines, and typically involve installation by trained technicians, and until they are correctly installed on the premises, consumers are unable to use such goods.

“Initiating the warranty or guarantee period when consumers are unable to use the product constitutes an unfair trade practice under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019,” according to a release issued by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution.

Starting the warranty or guarantee period from the date of purchase leads to a reduction in the total warranty period, which a consumer would have normally enjoyed.

This issue was further accentuated in the case of purchases made through e-commerce, where additional time is involved in the delivery of the product.