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NEWS
New Warrantee Regulations
By N. Katzin
New regulations requiring warranties and service for new
electronic and gas products priced at over NIS 150 took
effect this week. According to the Consumer Council the new
regulations promise dramatic improvement but are lacking
since they do not include valuable items such as musical
instruments, jewelry, rugs, furniture, sanitary equipment,
and more.
The new regulations in the Consumer Protection Law (Warrantee
and Service After Sale 5766-2006) set new standards regarding
product warranties and the seller, manufacturer or importer's
responsibility to guarantee the product for at least one
year, including free replacement parts. They are also
required to provide replacement parts for pay for a second
year for products priced at over NIS 300 (and certain
products for seven years).
The service provider must repair the product within ten days
at a service center, or two weeks at the store. Certain
products such as refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners
and washing machines must be repaired within 1-3 days. Large
or heavy products must be repaired at the customer's home
within ten days and the warrantee provider must cover the
costs of transporting the product to the repair center if
necessary. The maximum wait for a technician is two hours.
According to the new regulations, businesses must show the
consumer the warrantee certificate before the purchase. If
the manufacturer or importer cannot be located the obligation
falls on the business that sold the product. The regulations
require service centers in four central cities and an option
to send the product via the store where it was purchased.
The Consumer Council says avoiding responsibility for new
products has been one of the most common complaints among
consumers.
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