Right to Repair in Germany: Who Should Fix a Fault?

Reviewed 4 November 2026. This guide covers Germany. Your washing machine stops working. The retailer says your statutory claim has expired and the manufacturer offers to send an engineer for a fee. Both statements may be correct. German law now provides two distinct routes to repair. The sales contract, the fault and the exact model determine which route applies.

First route: Ask the seller to remedy a defect

If the product was defective at delivery and you have statutory defect rights, contact the seller. You can generally request repair or replacement. The seller may refuse your chosen remedy under conditions set by law, including disproportionate cost. The seller bears necessary transport, labour and materials for the statutory remedy. Report the defect and give the seller the opportunity to put it right before commissioning a repair yourself. German Civil Code, section 439

What changed. For a consumer sales contract concluded on or after 31 July 2026, repair as the statutory remedy extends the original limitation period for defect claims once by twelve months. For a typical new purchase with a two-year period, that gives three years from the original delivery. A second repair does not add another year. The contract date decides which rule applies. An item bought under a contract concluded in June does not acquire the new period merely because it goes in for repair in November. Section 475e(5) and transitional rule, Article 229 section 72

Second route: Request a repair from the manufacturer

If you have no statutory defect rights against the seller for this fault, a product you bought may qualify for a separate manufacturer repair obligation. It must belong to a covered product group. The duty lasts only as long and extends only as far as the relevant EU repairability requirements. An earlier purchase can therefore qualify. The obligation does not apply if repair is factually or legally impossible. Work by an independent repairer is not, by itself, grounds for refusal. The manufacturer may charge a reasonable fee. Section 479a and section 479b

The EU list includes household washing machines, dishwashers, refrigerating appliances and certain smartphones and slate tablets. It does not cover every electrical appliance or every failure in a covered product. Check the model number and the affected part. Manufacturers subject to the duty must publish indicative prices for typical repairs. Ask whether the quote includes diagnosis, parts, labour and return shipping. Annex II of the EU directive and section 479d

Comparing phones: Read the label alongside the parts price

For covered smartphones and slate tablets placed on the EU market from 20 June 2025, the energy label also gives a repairability class from A to E. The QR code opens the model in the EU’s EPREL database. Compare display and battery prices for both devices. A fall can cost a different amount to fix even when two phones have the same class. Specified spare parts must remain available for at least seven years after the model stops being placed on the market. Depending on the part, the intended recipients may be consumers or professional repairers. European Commission guide to the label and spare parts

February 2027: Which batteries must be replaceable?

Article 11 of the EU Batteries Regulation applies from 18 February 2027. For newly marketed products incorporating portable batteries, end users should generally be able to remove and replace the battery readily during the product’s life. Specific washable appliances designed for wet environments and certain medical devices may, under the statutory conditions, reserve this work for independent professionals. A necessary permanent power connection for safety or, in narrowly defined cases, data integrity can also qualify for an exception. The rule does not retrofit a device you buy today. EU Batteries Regulation, Articles 11 and 96 and Commission guidance

For your own repair: keep the receipt, model number, description of the fault and correspondence. Ask separately for the total repair cost, expected turnaround and any charge for an unsuccessful diagnosis. Compare the quote with a functionally equivalent refurbished device before deciding.