Complaints and Warranty in Poland: Your Rights as a Buyer
Short answer: Sellers in Poland are liable for 2 years for faulty goods. You can demand repair or replacement, and the seller must reply within 14 days.
You bought a phone, a washing machine or a pair of boots in Poland and it stopped working. In Polish this is a reklamacja (a complaint to the seller). The rules changed on 1 January 2023, and many guides still use the old word rękojmia. This guide follows the Polish consumer protection office UOKiK (Urząd Ochrony Konkurencji i Konsumentów) and its consumer rights site, prawakonsumenta.uokik.gov.pl, as read in October 2026. It covers goods bought by a consumer from a business, in a shop or online.
Two routes: non-conformity and guarantee
There are two ways to make a complaint, and you can choose.
- Non-conformity with the contract (niezgodność towaru z umową): this is a legal right. The seller is responsible, and you send the complaint to the seller, whose details are usually on the receipt. UOKiK says this liability is mandatory and covers all goods.
- Guarantee (gwarancja): a voluntary promise by a guarantor, who can be the producer, importer, distributor or the seller. The guarantee defines its own terms.
The most important point: the seller cannot refuse to accept a complaint if the law does not say so. A guarantee does not remove your legal rights against the seller. A valid guarantee statement must say so clearly.
When goods are "not in conformity"
The goods must match the contract, including description, type, quantity, quality, completeness and function. For goods with digital elements, this also covers compatibility and updates. They should also be fit for the usual purpose, have the durability and safety you can reasonably expect, come with the accessories and instructions you would expect, and match any sample shown. Public promises in an advert or on a label count too, unless the seller shows it did not know about the promise, that it was corrected before the sale, or that it did not affect your decision.
How long you are protected
The seller is liable for 2 years from the date the goods were handed to you, unless the seller gave a longer period of usability. The limitation period for the claim is 6 years, according to UOKiK. Even so, complain as soon as you see the problem, because it is easier to prove.
What you can demand
1. First, repair or replacement. You choose which. The seller can switch to the other option only if your choice is impossible or too costly for the seller.
2. Then, a lower price or cancelling the contract, if the seller refused or failed to repair or replace, if the repair did not work, or if the seller said it will not happen in a reasonable time.
3. Directly a price reduction or withdrawal, without trying repair first, if the non-conformity is significant.
UOKiK gives this example: if a dishwasher stops working and the seller offers a three-day repair, the consumer cannot insist on cancelling the contract when none of the conditions for it is met.
The seller must repair or replace within a reasonable time and without major inconvenience to you. The seller pays all the costs, including postage, transport, labour and materials. If you cancel the contract, you return the goods at the seller's cost. If the seller fixed the problem, you can also ask for compensation for costs such as sending the goods back or an expert report that confirmed the defect.
How to file a complaint
- You can do it in any form. For evidence, UOKiK says writing is safest, ideally an email or a letter that describes the problem and says what you demand.
- Send it to the seller, not only to the producer.
- The receipt is not required. Proof of purchase can also be a card statement, an email confirmation or a witness. The seller cannot make acceptance of the complaint depend on a receipt.
- The seller should answer within 14 days of receiving the complaint. If it does not answer, the law treats the complaint as accepted.
- If you have not paid the full price yet, you can hold back the unpaid part until the seller fixes the problem.
The guarantee in practice
The guarantee text must be clear and in Polish. It should state the guarantor's name and address, the procedure, what it covers and its terms. If the guarantor did not set a period, it is 2 years from handing over the goods. After a replacement or a significant repair, the period starts again. If a single part is replaced, it restarts for that part. In other cases, the guarantee is extended by the time you could not use the goods. The guarantor can set exclusions, for example for accessories without the brand logo, so read the terms.
Practical tips for expats
- Keep emails, order confirmations and card statements as proof, since shop receipts fade.
- Write the complaint in Polish if you can, or ask the shop for an email address and send a short message with the product, the date of purchase, the defect and your demand.
- Start with the seller's 14-day deadline and note the date you sent the message.
- UOKiK mentions free advice for consumers, which is available through its consumer site.
For returns of online purchases without a reason, see our guide to the 14-day right of withdrawal.
Frequently asked questions
Can a shop refuse my complaint because I have no receipt?
No. According to UOKiK, the seller cannot make acceptance depend on a fiscal receipt. Other proof, such as a card statement, an email or a witness, works.
How long do I have to complain?
The seller is liable for 2 years from delivery of the goods. UOKiK says the claim itself lapses after 6 years, but you should complain right away.
Do I complain to the shop or to the producer?
For non-conformity, to the seller. For a guarantee, to the guarantor named in the guarantee statement, which may be the producer.
How fast must the seller reply?
Within 14 days of receiving the complaint. No reply means the complaint is treated as accepted.
