Getting a faulty appliance repaired (servicio técnico) and spare parts

Key rules

• Legal guarantee: Repair or replacement within the legal guarantee is free, including transport.
• Quote: Ask for a written quote before work starts; the final bill cannot exceed it without your approval.
• Repair guarantee: A repair carries its own guarantee of three months from delivery of the repaired item.
• Spare parts: Parts for durable goods must stay available for at least ten years after the model stops being made.

Check first whether the repair should be free

If the appliance is still within its legal guarantee, go to the seller, not a repair shop. Repair or replacement must be free for you. That covers labour, materials and transport, so you should not pay for collection or return. The seller must act within a reasonable time and without significant inconvenience to you. A repair under the legal guarantee also extends that guarantee by the time you were without the appliance.

Get a written quote before work starts

A repairer must offer you a written quote (presupuesto) before starting, unless you expressly waive it. Do not waive it. The quote should show:

• who the repairer is
• the work to be done
• the price of parts and labour
• the time the repair needs
• how long the quote stays valid, commonly at least 12 days

Accept the quote in writing. The final invoice cannot be higher than the quote you accepted unless you approve the extra cost.

If you refuse the quote, you can be charged for the diagnosis only if you were told about that charge in advance. Ask before you hand the appliance over.

Keep the receipt and the invoice

When you leave the appliance, the repairer must give you a deposit receipt (resguardo de depósito). It names you and the repairer, describes the appliance and the fault you reported, gives the date and states any quote given.

When you collect it, you must get an invoice (factura) or a detailed bill. It itemises parts, labour and VAT, and gives the date of the repair and the guarantee on the repair. Keep both papers, because you need them for any claim.

The repair has its own guarantee

Every repair carries a guarantee of three months from delivery of the repaired appliance. It covers the work and the parts replaced. If the same fault comes back in that time, take the appliance and your invoice back to the repairer. This guarantee runs separately from the legal guarantee on the original appliance.

Spare parts

Before you agree to a repair, ask whether parts are still available. For durable goods, parts must be available for at least ten years from the date the model stops being made. EU rules for appliances such as washing machines and fridges add product-specific periods, for example seven to ten years. If a repairer says parts are no longer available for a recent model, ask for that in writing and contact your town hall's consumer office.

The timeline, documents, checklist and questions below cover the steps in order.

Timeline and deadlines

• Get the written quote and the deposit receipt: before the repairer starts work

• Collect the appliance and the invoice: when the repair is finished

• Claim under the repair guarantee if the same fault returns: within three months of delivery of the repaired appliance

• Ask for spare parts: for at least ten years after the product stops being manufactured

Documents you need

• Written quote (presupuesto) from the repairer, before work starts. It names the repairer, the work, the price of parts and labour, the time needed and how long the quote is valid. You can waive it expressly.

• Deposit receipt (resguardo de depósito), issued when you hand over the appliance. It identifies you and the repairer, describes the appliance and the fault you reported, gives the date and states any quote given.

• Invoice (factura) or detailed bill when you get the appliance back. It itemises parts, labour and VAT, shows the repair date and states the guarantee on the repair. Keep it for any later claim.

Checklist

• Ask for a written quote before the repairer starts work.

• Check the quote lists the work, the price of parts and labour, the time needed and how long it is valid.

• Ask whether a diagnosis fee applies if you refuse the quote.

• Ask the seller for a free repair if the appliance is still within the legal guarantee, including transport and labour.

• Confirm the invoice states the three-month guarantee on the repair.

Frequently asked questions

Can a repairer charge me if I refuse the quote?

Yes, a repairer can charge you for the diagnosis if you refuse the quote, but only if they told you about that charge in advance. Ask before you leave the appliance whether a diagnosis fee applies.

Can the final repair bill be higher than the quote I accepted?

No, the final invoice may not be higher than the quote you accepted unless you approve the extra cost. If the repairer asks for more, do not agree until you have the new amount in writing.

How long must spare parts stay available for my appliance?

For durable goods, spare parts must be available for at least ten years after the product stops being manufactured.

Do I pay for transport when the repair is under the legal guarantee?

No, you do not pay for transport, labour or materials when the repair is under the legal guarantee. You should not have to pay for collection or return of the appliance either.

Does the guarantee on a repair extend my original guarantee?

Yes, if the repair is done under the legal guarantee, the guarantee period is extended by the time the appliance was unavailable to you. The repair's own guarantee of three months runs separately.