Did your washing machine, air conditioner or cell phone stop working just a few months after you bought it? The “warranty of good working order” is a warranty that automatically applies to certain appliances and electronic devices bought or rented as of October 5, 2026. If the item doesn’t work properly or stops working during the warranty period, the merchant or manufacturer must repair it for free.
An automatic protection for certain items
The legal warranty of good working order applies automatically. A retailer or manufacturer can’t force you to give it up.
However, the warranty doesn’t apply to all appliances and electronic devices. This warranty doesn’t apply to all appliances and electronic devices. To be covered, the items must be:
- new,
- bought or rented from a merchant in Quebec as of October 5, 2026,
- specifically mentioned in the law.
This table outlines the items covered by the warranty and mentioned in the law, as well as the warranty period for each:
Item
Warranty Period
Appliances
6 years
- Stove
- Refrigerator
- Freezer
- Air conditioner
- Heat pump
5 years
- Washing machine
- Dryer
- Dishwasher
Electronic devices
4 years
- Television.
3 years
- Computer (laptop or desktop).
- Cell phone.
- Tablet.
- Video game console.
|
An exception. If you bought an item that wasn’t new, you may still benefit from the warranty if:
For example, if someone buys a new cell phone on October 10, 2026 and sells it to you on November 15, 2027, you may benefit from the warranty for that cell phone. |
The protections you can expect from this warranty
What’s covered
If an item covered by the warranty doesn’t work properly or stops working during the warranty period, you’re entitled to a free repair.
The merchant or manufacturer must pay for:
- the repair parts,
- the repair work,
- reasonable transportation or shipping costs.
The merchant or manufacturer is still responsible for repair costs even if they outsource the repair work to another company.
Example : You buy a dishwasher, and it stops working after one year. Or, two years later, the electronic control panel no longer turns on. Since the dishwasher is covered by a 5-year warranty of good working order, you could ask the merchant or manufacturer to repair it for free.
What’s not covered
The warranty of good working order doesn’t cover every type of repair.
- Regular maintenance isn’t covered. For example, you’ll have to pay to replace a part that wears out over time, such as a heat pump filter.
- Damages resulting from your own fault aren’t covered either. For example, if you drop your cell phone six months after buying it and it stops working, you can’t ask the merchant to repair it for free under this warranty.
The merchant has additional obligations related to this warranty
Before offering you an additional warranty, the merchant must give you a document explaining that the item is covered by a warranty of good working order, that this warranty is free, and that other free warranties exist.
The merchant must also display the warranty period near the price. For example, if a merchant sells an air conditioner online and advertises it in a flyer, the warranty period must be displayed in both places, near the price.
How to use this warranty
If your item stops working during the warranty period, you can contact the merchant or manufacturer directly to have it repaired. You can choose which one to contact.
The law doesn’t say how you must contact them. You can check your purchase or rental agreement to see if it specifies how to reach them. If it doesn’t, you can call them, speak to them in person or send them an email.
If the merchant or manufacturer refuses to help
You can first try to reach an agreement with the merchant or manufacturer. For example, you can use Parle consommation, an online platform which helps consumers discuss issues with merchants and manufacturers who are registered on it, in the hopes of reaching an agreement. The platform is hosted by the Office de la protection du consommateur (OPC), the government organization that helps consumers enforce their rights.
If you can’t reach an agreement, you can send a formal notice to the merchant, the manufacturer or both. If the problem continues, you can take the matter to court.
Your other options if the warranty has expired or doesn’t apply
If the warranty period has ended or your item isn’t covered by the warranty of good working order, you may have other protections.
For example, the repairs you need may be covered by the legal warranty or by a conventional warranty.