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Right to have goods repaired

Advice

The new rules will apply from 1 October 2026.

In future, manufacturers will be required to carry out repairs on certain household appliances, such as washing machines or electronic displays ('Right to Repair' [R2R]). A standardised form with important repair information which repair companies can provide voluntarily facilitates price comparison, among other things. Repairs carried out under the warranty result in an extension of the warranty period.

The new rules will make it easier and more attractive to repair goods to encourage more sustainable consumption. The basis for this is the Warenreparaturrichtlinie-Umsetzungsgesetz (Goods Repair Directive Implementation Act – WaRUG), through which the EU Directive on the right to repair was transposed into national law in Austria.

Which rights consumers have under the new right to repair, and how they can enforce these rights in the event of a dispute:

Manufacturers' repair obligation

In the case of certain product groups for which eco-design requirements regarding reparability already exist at EU level, manufacturers will in future be obliged to carry out a repair at the request of consumers (unless a repair is not possible). This is subject to the condition that the defect in the goods arises or becomes apparent outside the scope of the seller's warranty obligations.

To this end, manufacturers must make spare parts available for a period of seven to ten years, depending on the product group, from the date on which they placed the last unit of a particular model on the market.

Currently, the affected product groups are the following (subject to ongoing expansion by the European Commission):

  • (household) washing machines and (household) washer-dryers;
  • (household) tumble dryers;
  • (household) dishwashers;
  • refrigeration units;
  • electronic displays (e.g. televisions, monitors);
  • mobile phones, cordless telephones and tablets;
  • vacuum cleaners;
  • servers and data storage products;
  • household local space heaters;
  • welding equipment; and
  • devices with batteries for light means of transport (e.g. e-bike batteries).

The repair must be carried out within a reasonable period of time, either free of charge or for a reasonable fee. The manufacturer may provide a replacement device for the duration of the repair (free of charge or for a reasonable fee). The manufacturer must not refuse to carry out a repair simply because the appliance has previously been repaired by another company.

Manufacturers must publish indicative prices for typical repairs to the affected products on a freely accessible website and provide information on repair services for the entire duration of the repair obligation. Spare parts and tools must be offered at a reasonable price that does not deter customers from having repairs carried out. In addition, manufacturers are not allowed to use contractual clauses and hardware or software techniques that impede or complicate repairs.

If a manufacturer is established outside the EU, they are replaced by

  • their authorised representative, or
  • alternatively by the importer or
  • by the distributor of the goods

so that there is always a point of contact within the EU.

The European Repair Information Form

Repair businesses – that is, companies that offer repair services on a commercial basis (manufacturers, retailers or independent workshops) – will, in future, be able to voluntarily provide consumers with a standardised European repair information form, before a repair order is placed.
 

The form includes, among other things,

  • details of the repair company and the defective goods;
  • the proposed repair measure, including price (or calculation method and maximum price);
  • the expected duration of the repair;
  • availability and cost of a replacement item whilst the item is being repaired;
  • available ancillary services (e.g. dismantling, assembly, transport), including costs.

Use of the form is voluntary and free of charge. A fee may only be charged if a diagnosis (e.g. on-site or remote diagnosis) is necessary to identify the fault and determine the repair costs. However, the repair company must inform about these costs in advance.

The repair company must not alter the terms and conditions set out in the form, in particular the price, for a period of 30 days. If the consumer accepts the offer within this period, the repair contract is concluded under these terms and conditions. This allows consumers to compare several offers at their leisure, without having to worry that the price might change in the meantime.

Consequences for the seller's statutory warranty

If a defect is remedied by repair within the framework of the warranty, the warranty period is extended once by one year. Irrespective of the timing of the repair, the guarantee period is extended to a total of three years.

According to the accounting rules applicable in Austria, recognition of the deficiency by means of a repair commitment or attempt also leads to an interruption of the guarantee or limitation period and thus to the new start of the two-year period for the whole product.

Before the fault is remedied, the seller must actively inform the customer that they may choose between repair and replacement with a new item, and that the warranty period will be extended if they opt for repair. Depending on the specific characteristics of the affected product category, the seller may provide an equivalent replacement product, including refurbished goods, free of charge during the repair process. If the consumer opts for a replacement, the trader may, at the consumer's express request, also supply a refurbished product.

Advice

These novelties apply to contracts concluded after 30 September 2026.

Enforcement options

Direct contractual claims: If the consumer has received a fully completed European Repair Information Form and has accepted the terms and conditions set out therein within the deadline, a binding contract has been concluded on precisely these terms and conditions. If the business fails to provide the service as agreed, the general remedies available under civil law may be invoked, as with any other contract (e.g. demanding performance or, where appropriate, claiming damages).

Judicial proceedings: Claims arising from the manufacturer's obligation to repair and from the seller's warranty may be brought before the civil courts.

Collective legal protection: Consumer protection organisations and interest groups such as the Austrian Consumer Association [Verein für Konsumenteninformation, VKI] or the or the Austrian Chamber of Labour [Arbeiterkammer, AK] act in the public interest to ensure compliance with consumer protection regulations – for example, through test cases or class actions.

Last update: 13/08/2026
Responsible for the content: Federal Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection
Translated by the European Commission
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