CHILE

On December 22, the National Consumer Service (SERNAC in Spanish) announced that it will be supervising compliance with the right to legal warranty and the conditions offered for the voluntary warranty, in view of the fact that during the last year it received more than 41 thousand complaints related to this issue, mainly concerning electronic products and furniture. The agency reminded that, in the event that a product purchased new presents a defect, consumers have the right to demand an exchange, to request a refund or that the good be repaired within three months of receiving the product.

SERNAC also called on companies to offer longer deadlines and provide facilities for exercising exchange tickets. It should be noted that the Consumer Law establishes a legal guarantee period of three months in the event that the product fails or is unfit for use, which implies the choice between exchange, free repair or refund of the amount paid. On the other hand, the satisfaction guarantees or “exchange ticket” are an offer made by companies to make changes for pleasure or without expression of cause, which must be complied with once offered.

The national director of the entity, Lucas Del Villar, said that they will supervise the behavior of the companies with respect to the fulfillment of the right to guarantee and what they offer to the consumers, in addition to analyzing the claims that eventually enter, the citizen alerts and the messages they receive through social networks, with the objective of taking the corresponding actions if there are non-compliances. The authority points out that in its analysis it found that companies are offering satisfaction guarantees of between 10 and 60 days, which are normally informed by the companies although some set conditions such as the product being with the packaging or still sealed.