Legal Warranty in Quebec: Your Rights Under the Consumer Protection Act

When you buy something from a merchant in Quebec, the law protects you even if no warranty is written on the receipt. The legal warranty in Quebec comes from the Consumer Protection Act: goods must work as intended and last a reasonable time. From October 5, 2026, a new warranty of good working order adds a set period for many appliances and electronics. Here is how these protections fit together, how to enforce them, and when a lawyer can help.

What is the legal warranty in Quebec?

The legal warranty is a set of protections the Consumer Protection Act gives you automatically when you buy or lease goods from a merchant. You don't have to ask for it or pay for it, and a merchant cannot make you give it up. It covers four things:

• Fit for use: the goods must be usable for the purpose they are normally used for.
• Reasonable durability: they must last a reasonable time in normal use, given the price, the contract and how they are used.
• Hidden defects: you are protected against serious defects you could not see when you bought them.
• Two people answer for it: both the merchant and the manufacturer are bound, so you can turn to either one.

The full text of the Consumer Protection Act is available on LégisQuébec, Quebec's official source for its laws.

The new warranty of good working order (from October 5, 2026)

From October 5, 2026, Quebec adds a warranty of good working order for many household appliances and electronics. It covers new goods bought or leased from a merchant from that date. It is free and automatic, and it runs from the day the item is delivered. It covers:

• stoves, refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners and heat pumps
• washing machines, dryers and dishwashers
• televisions
• laptops, desktop computers, video game consoles, cell phones and tablets

Each type of product has its own period, set by regulation. The merchant must show it near the price, and the Office de la protection du consommateur lists the period for each product. If the item stops working properly during that period, the merchant or the manufacturer must repair it for free. That includes parts, labour and reasonable costs to send it for repair.

It doesn't cover damage caused by misuse or routine maintenance, such as replacing a water filter. It also adds to the legal warranty rather than replacing it. Once it ends, or if a repair isn't the right answer, the reasonable-durability warranty can still apply. Used cars and motorcycles already had their own warranty of good working order under the same Act.

Legal, manufacturer's and extended warranties: what's the difference?

• Legal warranty: given by law, free and automatic. It can't be waived.
• Manufacturer's warranty: a promise the manufacturer chooses to make, with its own terms. It adds to the legal warranty and never takes anything away from it.
• Extended warranty: an extra you pay for. Before selling you one, the merchant must tell you about the legal warranty and, for covered goods, the warranty of good working order.

Before paying for an extended warranty, compare what it adds to what the law already gives you.

What the legal warranty doesn't cover, and why houses follow different rules

The Consumer Protection Act covers consumers dealing with merchants. It doesn't apply to a private sale between two individuals, such as buying a used item from a neighbour. It also won't cover damage you caused through misuse.

Buying a house is different again. A sale between individuals falls under the Civil Code of Québec, whose legal warranty of quality protects buyers against hidden defects. Our guide to hidden defects in Quebec explains those rules and the steps to take with the seller.

How to make a merchant honour the warranty

1. Gather your proof: the invoice, the delivery date, photos of the problem and any messages with the merchant.
2. Contact the merchant, the manufacturer, or both. Neither one can send you to the other. Describe the problem and ask them to apply the warranty.
3. Put it in writing. If nothing happens, send a formal demand letter giving a deadline to repair, replace or refund. Our guide to the demand letter (mise en demeure) explains what to include and how to send it.
4. Get help from the OPC. The Office de la protection du consommateur's steps to reach an agreement with a merchant include free tools, such as an online dispute service.
5. Go to court if you must. Smaller claims go to the Small Claims Division of the Court of Québec, where you represent yourself. A court can order the merchant to perform its obligation, lower the price, cancel the sale or pay damages.

When to talk to a consumer protection lawyer

Many warranty problems end with a phone call or a demand letter. A lawyer is worth calling when:

• the merchant or manufacturer refuses, and the item is expensive
• you want to cancel the sale or claim damages, not just get a repair
• your claim is too large for small claims court
• you're not sure whether the Consumer Protection Act or the Civil Code applies to your purchase

A lawyer can assess your claim, write the demand letter and represent you if it goes further. You can compare consumer protection lawyers in Quebec on JustiConnect and book a consultation.

Frequently asked questions

How long does the legal warranty last in Quebec?

The general legal warranty has no fixed length. Goods must last a reasonable time in normal use, judged on the price, the contract and how they're used. The warranty of good working order is the exception: it sets a precise period for each covered appliance or device.

What can I do if a company won't honour my warranty?

Put your request in writing, then send a demand letter with a deadline. If that doesn't work, contact the Office de la protection du consommateur, and consider small claims court or a lawyer depending on the amount at stake.

Do I need to buy an extended warranty?

Not to be protected. The legal warranty and, for covered goods, the warranty of good working order cost nothing. An extended warranty only makes sense if it gives you something the law doesn't.

Can a house be sold without a legal warranty in Quebec?

Yes. In a sale between individuals, the seller can exclude the legal warranty of quality, and the buyer then takes on the risk of hidden defects. The seller still can't escape responsibility for defects they knew about, or could not have been unaware of, and didn't disclose.