It’s the most protective warranty you have, and yet most people have never heard of it. When a salesperson offers you an “extended warranty” at the checkout, they’re often counting on you not knowing what the law already gives you for free.
What the law says
In France, any consumer who buys goods from a professional seller benefits from the legal guarantee of conformity (articles L.217-3 and following of the French Consumer Code). It is:
- free — there’s nothing to sign up for and nothing to pay;
- automatic — it applies to every purchase, in-store or online;
- valid for 2 years from delivery of the goods (1 year for second-hand items);
- stackable with the manufacturer’s commercial warranty and with the hidden defects warranty (garantie des vices cachés).
It obliges the seller — not the manufacturer, the seller — to deliver goods that conform to the contract and to fix any lack of conformity that appears within two years.
What counts as a “lack of conformity”?
The product must match what was promised and work normally. There is a lack of conformity if the device:
- doesn’t work as it should (breakdown, malfunction);
- doesn’t match the description or the display model;
- lacks the advertised qualities (battery life, performance, accessories…);
- has a manufacturing or installation defect.
A “spontaneous” failure of a device less than two years old almost always falls within this scope.
The decisive advantage: the presumption in your favor
This is the point that changes everything. During the first 24 months (12 months for second-hand goods), any defect that appears is presumed to have existed since the purchase. In other words:
This reversal of the burden of proof is what makes the legal guarantee far stronger than a standard commercial warranty.
Repair, replacement, refund
Faced with a defect, you get first choice between repair and replacement, and the seller can’t force the other option on you — unless your choice would involve a manifestly disproportionate cost.
If neither is possible within a reasonable time (30 days), you’re entitled to a price reduction or to cancellation of the sale (a refund).
Two bonuses most people never hear about:
- a repair under the legal guarantee extends it by 6 months;
- a replacement restarts a fresh 2-year period on the new item.
How to use it
- Go to the seller, not the manufacturer. The seller is the one who owes you the legal guarantee.
- Show your proof of purchase (invoice, receipt, order confirmation email) and the delivery date.
- Describe the defect in writing (email or letter), requesting repair or replacement free of charge.
- Don’t let them steer you toward a paid extension or charge you for a diagnosis: for 2 years, it’s free.
The only real obstacle: proof
The guarantee is rock-solid; what goes missing, on the day you need it, is the dated proof of purchase. A faded receipt, a lost invoice, a forgotten date — and the most protective right in the world becomes unusable.
That’s exactly what Keept is for: you photograph the invoice on the day you buy, the app records the delivery date and calculates when the 2 years run out, then alerts you before the deadline. The day something breaks, you know instantly whether you’re still covered — with the proof right at hand.