• The New Year’s party was a failure? File a complaint.
• Bad gifts? The ability to return them depends on the good will of the seller.
• Fireworks? Do not buy from unverified sources, read the instructions.

The Office of Competition and Consumer Protection would like to wish you wonderful gifts this Christmas and an intoxicatingly good time this New Year’s Eve. However, just in case something should go wrong, we have a couple of seasonal tips for you.

1.    Defective gifts. You received a pair of shoes which started to come apart after a few days. Or perhaps a hair dryer which refuses to work. File a complaint. Ask your Santa for the receipt or another proof of purchase. You can demand that the seller repair or replace the goods, reduce the price or – should the defect be significant – give you
a refund. You have 2 years following the date of purchase to file a complaint.

2.    Bad gifts. The sweater brought by Santa is too small or simply not your style. If it was bought online just before Christmas, then there is no problem. You can send it back and buy something you will like with the refund. You have 14 days following the date of receipt of the package with goods to return it to the online shop. The situation will be more difficult if Santa made the purchase at a traditional shop. In such a case, everything depends on the good will of the seller. It is them who dictate the conditions – they can refuse to accept the goods, agree to replacement only, or e.g. demand the original packaging.

3.    The New Year’s party was a failure. It was supposed to feature live music, 3 warm dishes and unlimited alcohol – yet the music was played from CDs, there was only 1 dish and a glass of champagne. You can file a complaint about such a party, demand a partial refund.

4.    Fireworks. To prevent New Year’s Eve from ending in a tragedy, keep a few rules in mind. Do not buy fireworks from unverified sources. Check them for spillage of the pyrotechnic composition, unsecured fuses, cracks in the casing and any other damage. Look for the instructions – they should contain information about the manufacturer, the manner of letting the fireworks off and warnings. Read them in advance instead of waiting until midnight. Let off firecrackers and rockets in open spaces, do not direct them at people, animals, trees or buildings.

5.    Your coat is gone. After the New Year’s party, it turns out that your coat is missing from the cloakroom. Do not let the staff brush you off, even if there is a notice saying “we bear no responsibility for any items left in the cloakroom”. This is an example of an illegal practice. The entrepreneur in charge of the cloakroom is responsible for the items left in their custody. Demand that your coat be returned or ask for compensation.

6.     The holiday trip was a failure. You bought a ski trip. According to the agreement, your accommodation was supposed to be four-star hotel with a swimming pool and a sauna, but instead you had to stay at a three-star hotel with no additional facilities. File
a complaint and demand that the price be reduced. You have 30 days following the end of the party.

Additional information for the media:

UOKiK Press Office 
Pl. Powstańców Warszawy 1, 00-950 Warsaw
Phone: +48 695 902 088
Email: [SCODE]Yml1cm9wcmFzb3dlQHVva2lrLmdvdi5wbA==[ECODE]

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