The Complete Guide to the Consumer Guarantees Act (CGA) for Computers, Phones and Electronics in New Zealand
Updated: October 2026
If a laptop, desktop computer, smartphone or other electronic device you bought from a New Zealand business develops a fault, fails to perform as it should, or doesn’t last a reasonable time, the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993 (CGA) may entitle you to a repair, replacement or refund. The CGA is separate from the manufacturer’s warranty, so your rights can continue after the warranty has ended. They also depend on the circumstances: a manufacturing fault is treated differently from accidental damage, and a personal purchase differently from a commercial one.
This guide explains the main rights that apply to electronics, what happens when a warranty expires or a device is accidentally damaged, and what to do if a retailer refuses to help.
This article provides general information about New Zealand consumer law and is not legal advice. For advice about a specific dispute, read the legislation or get independent legal advice.
In short
- Products bought from a business must be of acceptable quality, fit for purpose, match their description and last a reasonable time.
- An expired manufacturer’s warranty does not automatically end your CGA rights.
- A seller cannot contract out of the CGA when selling to a consumer. “No refunds” signs and similar notices have no legal effect on your rights.
- Accidental damage is generally not covered. Insurance may be.
- Private sales are generally not covered.
What guarantees apply when you buy electronics?
The CGA sets minimum guarantees for goods and services that businesses sell for personal or household use. A computer, laptop or phone should:
- work as a reasonable consumer would expect
- be free from significant defects
- be safe
- be reasonably durable
- be suitable for its normal purpose
- match the description the seller gave.
The CGA covers purchases from businesses, including online traders, in New Zealand. These rights apply regardless of any store guarantee or manufacturer’s warranty.
What does “acceptable quality” mean?
Acceptable quality means a product is safe, free from defects, works properly and lasts a reasonable time, taking the circumstances of the purchase into account. No single lifespan applies to every device.
What counts as reasonable depends on the type of product, its price, how often it is used and maintained, what the seller or manufacturer said about it, and how the fault arose. A $3,000 business laptop creates different expectations of durability than a budget entry-level device.
What if my device develops a fault?
The remedy depends on how serious the problem is.
Minor, fixable faults. The seller gets a reasonable time to repair the product, replace it with an identical model, or refund you. The remedy must be free. If the seller refuses or doesn’t act within a reasonable time, you can have the product repaired elsewhere and ask the seller to pay the reasonable cost, or you can return the product.
Failures of substantial character. Section 21 of the CGA treats a failure as substantial if, for example, the product is unsafe, is significantly different from its description, is substantially unfit for its purpose and can’t easily be fixed within a reasonable time, or is something a reasonable consumer wouldn’t have bought had they known about the problem. Repeated failed repairs are strong evidence of a substantial failure.
In those cases, or where the fault can’t be fixed, you can choose to:
- reject the product and choose between a full refund and a replacement of the same type and similar value, or
- keep the product and claim compensation for the reduction in its value.
You may also claim for other foreseeable loss caused by the failure.
Expect the retailer to assess the device first. They may need to work out whether the problem is a product fault, accidental damage, misuse or normal wear, because the cause determines the remedy. If you and the seller disagree about whether a failure is substantial, get a second opinion from someone who knows the product type.
Does the CGA still apply after the manufacturer’s warranty expires?
Yes, it can. The CGA requires products to last a reasonable time, and there is no fixed statutory period. A laptop that suffers a serious hardware fault shortly after its warranty expires may well have failed to last a reasonable time.
That doesn’t make every post-warranty failure a CGA claim. The product’s age, price, use, condition and the cause of the fault all matter.
How is the CGA different from a manufacturer’s or extended warranty?
The CGA is a legal protection that applies when its requirements are met. A manufacturer’s warranty is an extra promise: the manufacturer commits to specific remedies for specific problems during a set period, on its own terms. A two-year warranty ending does not mean the laptop has reached the end of its reasonable life under the CGA.
Before paying for an extended warranty, check what it adds beyond your existing rights. It is worth buying if it covers something the CGA and the manufacturer’s warranty don’t, such as certain types of accidental damage. Consumer Protection advises checking this.
Can a seller say “no refunds” or “warranty void”?
No, not when you are buying as a consumer. Sellers cannot exempt themselves from the CGA, even if they put it in a contract, so you keep your full rights regardless of what a sign, receipt or set of terms says. Examples that don’t override the CGA:
- “No refunds on sale items”
- “Exchange only”
- “Sold as seen”
- “Warranty void if opened”
- terms that say the CGA doesn’t apply.
Trying to contract out of the CGA when selling to consumers can also breach the Fair Trading Act 1986, which prohibits misleading consumers about their rights. The Commerce Commission can take action against traders who do it.
If a store refuses to help and cites a policy, ask for the CGA remedy in writing and, if necessary, escalate to head office. A sign cannot take away rights the law gives you.
Does the CGA cover accidental damage?
Generally no. The CGA doesn’t normally cover damage you caused after purchase, such as:
- dropping a phone and cracking the screen
- spilling coffee on a laptop
- damaging a charging port by accident
- failing to follow the device’s instructions.
Compare a laptop whose motherboard fails during normal use (a possible CGA claim) with one that is dropped and stops working (generally your responsibility unless insurance or another protection applies).
Insurance can cover accidental drops and spills that fall outside the CGA, subject to the policy’s terms and excess. Check your policy before arranging repairs, because insurers may require an assessment, quote, inspection report or an approved repairer.
What if I bought online or from overseas?
Buying from a New Zealand business online doesn’t reduce your CGA rights. The same protections apply as in a physical store.
Overseas sellers are more complicated. New Zealand consumer law may still apply to overseas businesses selling to New Zealanders, but enforcing it is harder in practice. Before buying an expensive device from an overseas seller, check where the business is based, its returns and warranty terms, how faults are handled, who pays return shipping and how disputes are resolved.
Does the CGA cover computers bought for a business?
Often yes. The CGA can apply to products that are bought for personal or household use even when a business buys them, and computers are a standard example.
The exception is contracting out. Two businesses can agree to exclude the CGA, but only if the agreement is in writing and is fair and reasonable to both. Where a product bought for personal use is bought for business use, such as a mobile phone, a seller may contract out, and this must be done in writing at the point of sale. If the seller says nothing, or only says so verbally, the CGA applies.
If your business is buying devices, read the sales agreement before assuming the CGA does or doesn’t apply. Genuinely commercial equipment is treated differently from products the general public buy.
What if I bought a second-hand device?
It depends on who sold it. From a business or second-hand dealer, the CGA can apply, though you can’t expect the durability of a new product. From a private individual, the CGA generally doesn’t apply. When buying privately, inspect the device carefully and ask about known faults before you pay.
What about repairs?
Who should repair it? If you are claiming under a manufacturer’s warranty, extended warranty or insurance policy, check its terms first, as providers often require specific assessment or repair arrangements. If you believe the CGA covers the fault, give the retailer the chance to provide the remedy before authorising third-party work, which may involve opening the device or replacing components. Establish why the device failed and which protection you’re relying on before work starts.
What if I pay for a repair? The CGA also guarantees services. Repair work must be done with reasonable care and skill, be fit for the agreed purpose, and be finished within a reasonable time if no timeframe was agreed. Before approving a repair, ask:
- What is the suspected fault?
- What work is proposed?
- What will the diagnosis cost?
- What is the estimated repair cost?
- Will additional work need my approval?
- What warranty does the repairer give on its work?
Be specific about the work you want done and get a written quote where appropriate.
What if a retailer refuses to help?
- Contact the retailer in writing. Say what you bought, when, what has gone wrong, how you used the product and what remedy you want. Keep your proof of purchase and all correspondence. A sample email is below.
- Get independent evidence if the dispute is about reasonable durability or quality of work. Consumer Protection suggests a second opinion.
- Act promptly. The CGA has no fixed expiry for claims, but delay makes it harder to show the fault wasn’t caused by you, and the Limitation Act 2010 generally sets a six-year time limit for money claims, running from the act or omission the claim is based on (not from when you noticed the problem), with some extension if you didn’t know about it.
- Consider the Disputes Tribunal. Since 24 January 2026, it can hear claims up to $60,000, double the previous $30,000 limit. Lawyers can’t appear, and you pay a filing fee. See the Disputes Tribunal website for current fees and how to file.
What evidence should I keep?
- receipt or invoice
- warranty documents
- the original product listing or description
- emails and messages with the retailer
- photos of physical damage
- videos of intermittent faults
- error messages or diagnostic results
- repair quotes and invoices
- insurance claim documents.
For intermittent problems, such as a laptop that shuts down randomly, a short video of the fault happening is often the most useful evidence. Note what the computer was doing beforehand.
Sample email to a retailer
Subject: Faulty (product) — request for remedy under the Consumer Guarantees Act
Dear (Retailer),
I bought a (product, model) from you on (date) for $(price). My receipt/order number is (attached).
On (date), the product (describe the fault, e.g. began shutting down repeatedly during normal use). I have used it normally and have not dropped or otherwise damaged it. (Photos/video/error messages) are attached.
This is a failure to meet the guarantees of acceptable quality and durability under the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993. Please tell me by (date) how you propose to remedy it. If it cannot be fixed within a reasonable time, or the failure is of a substantial character, I will ask for a (refund/replacement).
If we can’t resolve this, I may take the matter to the Disputes Tribunal.
Kind regards,
(Name, phone, email)
Quick comparison
| Situation | Likely position |
|---|---|
| New laptop develops a hardware fault in normal use | CGA may apply |
| Manufacturer’s warranty has expired | CGA may still apply if the product didn’t last a reasonable time |
| Phone dropped | Usually not covered by the CGA; insurance may apply |
| Laptop damaged by liquid | Usually not covered by the CGA |
| Store sign says “no refunds” | Doesn’t override the CGA for consumers |
| Bought from a NZ online retailer | CGA generally applies |
| Bought from an overseas seller | NZ law may apply, but enforcement is harder |
| Bought privately | CGA generally doesn’t apply |
| Business buys a computer | CGA may apply unless validly contracted out in writing |
| Paid repair done poorly | CGA service guarantees may apply |
Frequently asked questions
How long is a computer covered under the CGA?
There is no fixed period. Products must last a reasonable time, judged by the product, its price, how it was used and the circumstances.
Can I get a refund for a faulty computer?
Yes, in some cases. For a minor fault, the seller can first repair or replace it. If the failure is substantial, or the seller doesn’t fix it in a reasonable time, you can reject the product and choose a refund or replacement.
Does the CGA cover a cracked laptop screen?
Usually not if it was cracked by a drop or other accident after purchase.
What if a repairer damages my computer?
The CGA’s service guarantees may apply. Repair work must be carried out with reasonable care and skill, and you may be entitled to a remedy if it wasn’t.
What should I do if my computer breaks just after the warranty ends?
Contact the retailer first and explain the fault. An expired warranty doesn’t mean you have no rights.
Sources
- Consumer Protection: Consumer Guarantees Act
- Consumer Protection: Obligations under the Consumer Guarantees Act
- Consumer Guarantees Act 1993 (sections 18, 21, 23 and 43)
- Consumer NZ: Consumer Guarantees Act
- Disputes Tribunal of New Zealand
Final Words
Once you know what protection you may have, the practical question is what caused the failure. A device that won’t turn on could have a failed power supply, motherboard fault, damaged storage or a software problem. An overheating laptop could have a cooling fault, blocked airflow or a failing fan. Physical damage needs a different assessment again.
Advanced Computers has repaired computers and electronic devices in Auckland since 1998, with service centres in Penrose and Rosedale. Its technicians handle computer, laptop, Mac, phone and electronics repairs, plus diagnostics and insurance assessments, including inspection reports for insurance claims.
Need a repair assessment? Contact Advanced Computers to arrange a diagnosis.