Warranties (manufacturer's, extended and legal)

The manufacturer's warranty, also known as the contractual warranty, is what the manufacturer can offer you. Since it's a contract, the manufacturer can set certain terms and conditions, including certain exclusions. For example, the warranty may stipulate that the manufacturer will repair the product for a period of one year. 

This type of warranty is often advertised via a document inserted in the box of your good. Some manufacturers require you to register your good on the company's website or return a form to activate the warranty. Please note that you are under no legal obligation to comply with such a requirement in order to benefit from this warranty.

Extended warranties are those that are offered, often at a high price, at checkout (often costing between 20% and 25% of the product's value). In general, this warranty is designed to extend the warranty already offered by the manufacturer. Retailers often insist on selling you this type of warranty, since it's very lucrative for them. This warranty may also involve a third-party company.

Even before offering you an extended warranty, the law requires the retailer to inform you of the existence of the legal warranty, both verbally and in writing. Since this is a contractual guarantee, it may also include certain exclusions. 

By law, every item you buy or rent is automatically covered by the legal warranty. This means that this protection is free of charge, and is automatically activated when you check out. So you don't have to take any action or pay any extra money to benefit from it. It's part of the law, which means that all retailers and manufacturers must respect it.

The legal warranty, governed by the Consumer Protection Act, stipulates that the goods you purchase must have a reasonable life expectancy and function properly, as intended.

The law is not specific about what constitutes a reasonable life. Rather, it's a case-by-case question, depending on the type of product, conditions of use and price paid. For example, a new refrigerator costing $1,000 should work well for several years. If it breaks after only 1? years, you may be eligible for this warranty. You can claim this warranty both from the retailer who sold you the goods and from the manufacturer. They are obliged to rectify the situation by repairing the product, replacing it or refunding your money.
Of course, it is your responsibility to use the product properly. For example, if you use the product for a purpose other than its intended use, or in a dangerous manner, the legal warranty does not apply.

How do you know what the reasonable duration of a good might be? The Office de la protection du consommateur has developed a tool that may help.