How to Use Your EU Right to Repair: A Step-by-Step Guide (2026)

From 31 July 2026, the EU Right to Repair Directive (2024/1799) becomes enforceable national law across all 27 member states. For the first time, EU consumers have a legally guaranteed right to have eligible products repaired, not just replaced, when they break down. But knowing the right exists and knowing how to use it are two different things. This guide walks you through every step.

Step 1: Check Whether Your Product Is Covered

Not every product qualifies under the Right to Repair Directive. The directive covers products that already fall under Ecodesign regulations with repair requirements, currently smartphones, tablets, laptops, TVs, washing machines, washer-dryers, dishwashers, refrigerators, vacuum cleaners, and certain e-bikes and welding equipment. More categories will be added via the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) from 2027 onwards.

If your product is on that list, you have repair rights. If it's not, say, a gaming console or a microwave, the directive doesn't apply directly, but your standard 2-year legal guarantee rights still do, and national consumer protection laws may provide additional cover.

Step 2: Identify What Kind of Repair Claim You Have

Your repair rights work differently depending on when and how your product broke. There are three main scenarios:

Scenario A: The product broke within the 2-year legal guarantee

Under EU law (the Sale of Goods Directive 2019/771), if your product develops a fault within 2 years of purchase, the seller must offer you a remedy. You can choose repair or replacement, and repair must be offered free of charge if it's the chosen remedy. The seller cannot charge you for parts, labour, postage, or collection during this period.

From July 2026, the Right to Repair Directive adds a specific preference for repair: for products covered by Ecodesign repair rules, sellers must prioritise repair over replacement where repair costs no more than replacement. This is a significant shift, previously sellers could always choose the cheapest option.

Scenario B: The product broke after the 2-year guarantee, within the manufacturer's commercial warranty

If your product breaks between year 2 and the end of any manufacturer warranty (some offer 3, 4, or 5 years), the warranty terms govern your rights. Read the warranty document carefully, most require you to contact the manufacturer's authorised service centre rather than the seller.

From July 2026, the Right to Repair Directive obliges manufacturers (not just sellers) to offer repair services for covered products for a set number of years after the product is placed on the market. For smartphones and tablets that's at least 7 years; for large appliances, 10 years. This means manufacturers cannot simply stop providing repairs once the warranty expires.

Scenario C: The product is out of warranty and out of the legal guarantee

This is the scenario the Right to Repair Directive was most designed to address. Even when no warranty applies, manufacturers of covered products must still offer repair services at a reasonable price for the mandated period. They must make spare parts and diagnostic tools available to independent repair shops. And they cannot use software locks, void-warranty clauses, or non-original parts restrictions to prevent or discourage repair.

Step 3: Contact the Right Party

Who you contact depends on which scenario applies:

Step 4: Make a Formal Repair Request

When you contact the seller or manufacturer, be explicit. Don't just say 'my phone is broken', state clearly that you are exercising your legal right to repair under the EU Sale of Goods Directive or the EU Right to Repair Directive, as applicable. Include:

• Your name and contact details
• Product name, model number, and serial number
• Proof of purchase (invoice, receipt, order confirmation)
• Description of the fault (be specific, 'battery does not charge past 20%' is better than 'battery problem')
• Date the fault first appeared
• The remedy you are requesting (repair, not replacement)
• A reasonable deadline for response (14 days is standard under most EU consumer laws)

Keep a copy of everything. If contacting by email, request a read receipt or delivery confirmation.

Step 5: Understand What You're Entitled To During the Repair

Under the Right to Repair Directive, consumers are entitled to a standardised repair information form before agreeing to any repair. This form must include:

• Diagnosis of the defect
• The repair price (or basis for calculation)
• Type of spare parts to be used (original, equivalent quality, or reused/reconditioned)
• Estimated repair time
• Whether the repair is covered under the legal guarantee or warranty
• A one-year minimum guarantee on the repair work itself

You are not obliged to accept the repair after receiving this form. If the price or conditions are unsatisfactory, you can decline. However, the trader may charge a reasonable fee for the diagnosis if you decline.

Step 6: Use the EU Repair Matchmaking Platform

The directive requires each EU member state to establish a national repair matchmaking platform, a publicly accessible database of certified repair shops. From July 2026, you can use these platforms to find local independent repairers who are obliged to offer a minimum quality standard.

This matters because you are not required to use the manufacturer's own service centre for out-of-warranty repairs. Independent repairers must be granted the same access to spare parts, tools, and diagnostic software as authorised service centres, a major change from current practice in markets like smartphones and laptops.

Step 7: Escalate If Your Claim Is Refused

If the seller or manufacturer refuses your repair request, delays unreasonably, or provides a repair at an inflated price that you believe is designed to discourage you, you have escalation options:

Option 1: National Consumer Authority

Every EU member state has a consumer protection authority that handles complaints under the Sale of Goods Directive. In Germany, this is the Verbraucherzentrale; in France, the DGCCRF; in Spain, the FACUA or regional consumer agencies; in Portugal, the DECO or Portal da Queixa. File a formal complaint with your national authority, this is free and the trader is legally obliged to respond.

Option 2: Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)

The EU Online Dispute Resolution platform (ec.europa.eu/consumers/odr) allows you to file a complaint against any EU-based trader online. Most online retailers and manufacturers are required to participate. Disputes are typically resolved within 90 days without going to court.

Option 3: Small Claims Court

For disputes up to €5,000 across EU borders, the European Small Claims Procedure provides a simplified court route. For domestic claims, national small claims courts are generally accessible without a lawyer for claims under €2,000–€5,000 depending on the country. Given that repair disputes rarely exceed these amounts, this is a viable last resort.

What the Right to Repair Does NOT Cover

It's important to understand the limits of your rights to avoid frustration:

• Accidental damage: A cracked screen from dropping your phone is not covered by the legal guarantee or repair obligation, only manufacturing defects and faults that arise in normal use.
• Products not covered by Ecodesign: Gaming consoles, kitchen appliances (microwaves, coffee machines), audio equipment, and most garden/power tools are not yet covered.
• Products discontinued from the market more than 10 years ago: Repair obligations have time limits tied to when the product was placed on the EU market.
• Cosmetic issues: Scratches, dents, and other aesthetic damage that don't affect function are not covered.
• Software features: If a manufacturer removes software features via an update, repair obligations don't compel them to restore those features (though planned obsolescence is a separate legal issue under the directive).

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a manufacturer void my warranty because I used a third-party repair shop?

From July 2026, no. The Right to Repair Directive explicitly prohibits manufacturers from voiding warranties or refusing repair requests simply because the consumer previously used an independent repairer. This ends a widespread practice in the smartphone and laptop markets.

Can a manufacturer refuse to sell me spare parts?

For covered products, no, not for independent repair shops and, for consumer self-repair, not if the parts can be safely installed without specialist tools. Manufacturers must make spare parts available at reasonable prices and cannot bundle parts with mandatory labour.

What if the repair costs more than buying a new product?

This is the key tension the directive tries to address. When you are within the 2-year legal guarantee, repair must be offered free of charge, cost is not your concern. Out of warranty, if a manufacturer quotes an unreasonably high repair price, you can use the EU repair matchmaking platform to compare quotes from independent repairers, who often charge significantly less. RepairScore's repair cost benchmarks can help you identify whether a quote is reasonable.

Does the Right to Repair Directive apply to products bought before July 2026?

The long-stop obligations (manufacturer repair availability periods) apply based on when the product was placed on the EU market, not when you personally bought it. If a smartphone model was released in 2024 and the directive takes effect in 2026, the manufacturer's 7-year repair obligation runs from 2024, so you still benefit even if you bought it second-hand after 2026.

Quick Reference Checklist

• ✅ Check whether your product is covered (smartphone, tablet, laptop, TV, washing machine, washer-dryer, dishwasher, refrigerator, vacuum cleaner, e-bike)
• ✅ Identify your scenario (within 2-year guarantee / within manufacturer warranty / out of warranty)
• ✅ Contact the right party in writing with a formal repair request
• ✅ Include product details, proof of purchase, fault description, and your preferred remedy
• ✅ Request the standardised repair information form before agreeing to any paid repair
• ✅ Get a one-year guarantee on any repair carried out
• ✅ Use the national repair platform to find independent repairers if the manufacturer's price is too high
• ✅ Escalate to consumer authority, ADR, or small claims court if refused

The EU Right to Repair Directive is one of the most significant expansions of consumer rights in a generation. For the first time, repair is not just a preference, it's a legal entitlement. Use these steps to exercise it.