Lifetime warranty

Hi, looking for advice from the brain’s trust! I was given a set of extendable hedge clippers from my in laws about 10-12 years ago. They have a lifetime warranty and as my father in law has died, had moved and it was a present I don’t have a receipt. Do I have a leg to stand on?

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Contact the company, explain the circumstances, and they may respond favourably. It is hard without some proof of the purchase and gifting but some companies are very understanding.

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The other thing to look at is lifetime has different meanings, and likely not what you think.

If the business is still operating and they have details of the lifetime warranty at the time of purchase…or you have the original warranty documentation which cane with the hedge clippers, it is worth referring to these before you make contact with the company in question.

Often lifetime have limitations and exclusions in the terms and conditions. You will need to ascertain these to determine if the ‘lifetime warranty’ is still valid. Examples like those here:

They are often limited to manufacturing/workmanship or product material defects.

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Apart from the problem of not having any proof of purchase, quite often so-called lifetime guarantees only apply to the original owner.

Since you are not the original purchaser and owner, I would think any warranty or guarantee is long gone and void due to the passage of time.

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Gifting however often counts, as the intent was not to use by the purchaser but to give to another. ACL upholds this principle, but yes, a firm may have a more strict interpretation.

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The ACL provisions would surely consider that as the goods have lasted 10 years plus, that has passed the reasonable life test for a garden tool.

As for the express warranty or guarantee from the manufacturer, that is entirely up to the terms and conditions as to what a lifetime means.

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‘Lifetime’ is such a nebulous term. Let’s be clear - one thing it is not; is the lifetime of the owner. Thereafter it is up to the individual company to determine what ‘lifetime’ they are referring to.

The ACCC has no explanation about what the expected life of different classes of products might be in a ‘normal’ home environment. We might expect a fridge to last 10-15years, or maybe even longer. How long do you expect an electric drill to last? What about a toaster? So how long should hedge clippers last with normal non-commercial usage?

There is no definition of what ‘lifetime’ means in this context. So no, you don’t have any legs to stand on (metaphorically speaking). You are at the mercy of the business and how they highly they value their reputation and how deem their ‘lifetime’ warranty.

It would be better if you explain the situation nicely, and ask about the cost of repairs. Once you have your answer, you can make an informed decision on whether or not to repair.

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