Question: As a manufacturer do I always need to provide spare parts or repair facilities?
Answer:No. Not necessarily. The requirement to provide facilities for the repair of goods is set out in s58 of the Australian Consumer Law (ACL), and Schedule 2 of the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth). This requirement does not apply if the manufacturer has provided written notice to the consumer that spare parts or repair facilities would not be available after a specific time.
If the manufacturer has provided the opportunity for repair to the consumer via a store or repair location and/or they have given notice to the consumer that they will not provide spare parts, then they will not be in breach of this clause of the ACL. However, a manufacturer must reimburse the supplier or protect them against the costs of repairs if the supplier’s business or their premises are used to provide consumers with repairs that were the manufacturer’s responsibility.
