Issues concerning the repairability and durability of goods are among the most common problems encountered by Canadian consumers.
As a consumer association, we receive hundreds of testimonials every year from consumers who inform us that a good they have purchased has developed a premature defect. Whether it's a refrigerator that stops working the day after delivery, a computer that breaks down after two years or a sofa whose leather cracks within a few months, problems relating to the durability of goods are the most frequent problem reported to us via our legal information service.
In Quebec, the Consumer Protection Act stipulates that any goods purchased by a consumer from a merchant must have a reasonable life expectancy. Although the courts have given a broad and liberal interpretation to this legal guarantee, so as to ensure that goods have an appreciable lifespan, the law can prove difficult to apply to a consumer acting alone against a merchant or manufacturer.
In addition to issues relating to the application of legal warranties under provincial law, consumers report a multitude of other obstacles to repair and durability of goods.
