WARRANTY AND REPAIR · NETHERLANDS
Warranty claim rejected. How can you respond?
“The warranty has expired” may not answer your whole request. Identify why the seller refused, what is wrong with the product and what remedy you want. Use the checklist and first-response letter below.
23 October 2026 · Grens Digital / Briefhelder
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Full explanation, next steps and a suitable editable reply where appropriate: €1.99 per letter. No subscription required.Check five things before replying
- Purchase: which business sold it, on what date and for what price?
- Fault: what does not work, when did it start and in what circumstances?
- Refusal: does the seller cite an expired warranty, wear, damage or something else?
- Evidence: do you have purchase records, photos, maintenance records or an inspection report?
- Remedy: what have you requested and how did the seller respond?
Keep the original messages. Include damage or misuse if it happened. Verifiable facts make a complaint more useful than stronger accusations.
A manufacturer's warranty is not your only protection
Dutch government guidance explains that statutory protection has no single fixed expiry period in the Netherlands. Reasonable expectations depend on the product, price, age and sales information. Normal wear or damage you caused does not create the same entitlement to a remedy.
An expired manufacturer's warranty does not automatically end statutory rights. This guide concerns a consumer purchase from a business under Dutch law. It does not establish the rules for private sales, business purchases or other countries.
Ask the seller to explain its decision
ACM identifies the seller as responsible for statutory protection. Where the claim qualifies, repair or replacement should be free and within a reasonable time. An immediate refund is not the first remedy for every defect.
If the response just says “user damage”, ask for the inspection findings. ConsuWijzer explains the evidence rules: a fault appearing in the first year is generally presumed to have existed at purchase. Later, you need to substantiate the defect yourself; commercial warranty terms may be more favourable. Digital components have specific rules. Briefhelder cannot inspect the product or establish the cause of a fault.
Example: a rejected repair request
Fictional situation: Noor receives an email saying “The manufacturer's warranty has expired; repair costs €120.” It does not explain the fault. Noor asks for the findings and an assessment of her statutory rights. Whether she qualifies for free repair remains unresolved.
Sample letter to the seller
An original complaint letter. Replace the placeholders with accurate facts. Check whether the recipient accepts English; the Dutch version is available through the language link.
To: [seller] From: [name and customer number] Date: [date] Subject: reconsideration of warranty claim, order [number] Dear Sir or Madam, On [date], I bought [product] from you for €[amount]. Since [date], it has developed the following problem: [description]. I have used and maintained it as follows: [factual explanation]. On [date], you refused my request for a remedy because [reason given]. Please reconsider that refusal under my statutory consumer rights. I reasonably expected [specific expectation and reasons]. I attach [relevant evidence]. Please explain the investigation supporting your refusal and share its findings. I request a repair at no cost. If that is not appropriate or possible, please propose another suitable remedy. Please also explain how to make the product available for inspection and how any costs will be handled before I agree to them. Please provide a substantive response and proposed next steps by [reasonable response date]. Kind regards, [Name] Attachments: [purchase record and relevant evidence]
This request does not terminate the purchase or guarantee a free repair. The response date is your proposal, not a universal statutory deadline. Verify contact details using your purchase record or the seller's official website.
Report the fault promptly and keep the reply
ACM ConsuWijzer recommends notifying the seller promptly; for a product, reporting within two months after discovering the fault counts as timely. Do not wait for an AI result before protecting an urgent deadline.
If the seller still refuses, keep the reply and seek advice on the suitable next step. Agree costs before commissioning an expert. If you simply changed your mind, see the return guide. If nothing arrived, use the missing-delivery checklist.
You can use the sample letter above yourself without paying. For help understanding your own refusal letter, start with the free preview.
Understand the refusal. Prepare your response.
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See my free preview →Sources and scope
General reading and writing help for Dutch consumer letters. Not a technical inspection, complete legal assessment or guarantee of repair or refund. Official sources checked on 23 October 2026. AI can make mistakes.