Angrerett (right of withdrawal), reklamasjon (right to complain) and garanti (guarantee) are three different things. Angrerett gives you 14 days to cancel an online purchase. Reklamasjon gives you two – and often five – years to complain about a product with a fault. Garanti is an extra that the seller gives voluntarily. Knowing the difference can save you a lot of money.

Many newcomers mix up these three rights, and dishonest sellers take advantage of that. This guide explains angrerett, reklamasjon and garanti one by one, shows the classic trap that many people fall into, and tells you where to get free help if you disagree with the seller. The rules are based on Norwegian consumer law.

Angrerett, reklamasjon and garanti – what is the difference?

In short:

  • Angrerett (right of withdrawal) = the right to change your mind after a purchase made online or away from a shop, with no reason needed.
  • Reklamasjon (right to complain) = the right to complain if the product has a fault or defect.
  • Garanti (guarantee) = a voluntary promise from the seller that comes in addition to your legal rights.

The first two are legal rights that you have for free. The last one is something the seller chooses to give. Below we take them one at a time.

Angrerett: 14 days to cancel an online purchase

The angrerett (right of withdrawal) gives you 14 days to cancel a purchase – without giving any reason. But it only applies in certain situations:

  • It applies to online shopping and other distance sales, and to sales made away from a fixed shop (for example door-to-door sales or phone sales).
  • It does NOT apply when you shop in a normal shop. When shops offer the right to exchange goods, that is a voluntary scheme from the shop, not a legal right.

The time limit is 14 days from when you received the product. If the seller did not tell you about the angrerett, the limit is extended to up to 12 months. Some goods are not covered, among them custom-made goods, sealed hygiene products you have opened, and digital content you have started to use.

Reklamasjon: two or five years to complain

Reklamasjon (right to complain) is your right to complain if the product has a defect – that is, a fault that is not caused by normal wear or your own use. Under the forbrukerkjøpsloven (Consumer Purchases Act):

  • Two years as the main rule.
  • Five years if the product is meant to last much longer than two years – this usually applies to white goods, furniture, mobile phones and cars.

You must complain within a reasonable time after you discovered the fault, and this limit is never shorter than two months. An important point that many people do not know: if you discover a fault during the first two years, the main rule is that the fault is assumed to have been there from the start and that the seller is responsible – unless the seller can prove otherwise. (This rule was extended from six months to two years when the law was changed in 2024.)

When you make a complaint, the seller must first offer repair or replacement (a fix or a new product). If that does not help, you may have the right to a price reduction or to cancel the purchase and get your money back.

Garanti: a voluntary extra – not a replacement

A garanti (guarantee) is a promise the seller or producer gives voluntarily, for example a "two-year guarantee". A guarantee must always give you better rights than the law – it can never weaken your right to complain. So the guarantee comes on top of the reklamasjon, not instead of it.

The classic trap: garanti vs reklamasjon

Here is the trap many people fall into: you buy an expensive phone with a two-year guarantee. After two years it stops working, the shop says "the guarantee has run out", and you think you have to buy a new one.

But the phone is a product meant to last longer than two years, so you have a five-year right to complain – completely free, no matter what the guarantee says. So many people pay for an "extended guarantee" they do not really need, or give up a complaint they would have won. The lesson: never let yourself be stopped by a guarantee that has "run out" – always check your right to complain.

Free help if you disagree with the seller

If you cannot agree with the seller, there is free help:

  • Forbrukerrådet (the Consumer Council) gives advice and offers mediation in consumer cases.
  • Forbrukertilsynet (the Consumer Authority) supervises marketing and unfair contract terms.
  • When a case is not solved through mediation, it can be decided by Forbrukerklageutvalget (the Consumer Complaints Board).

Always keep proof of the purchase with a receipt and written communication. If you get an unfair demand that you believe is wrong, the same principle applies as with debt collection in Norway: speak up at once and do not pay anything you disagree with without checking. Also watch out for fake "online shops" and scams – read how to protect yourself against BankID fraud and fake messages. If you need to insure valuable things you have bought, see the guide on insurance in Norway for newcomers.

In short

  • Angrerett (right of withdrawal): 14 days to cancel, but only for online purchases and sales away from a shop – not for normal shopping in a shop.
  • Reklamasjon (right to complain): two years, and five years for goods meant to last a long time; faults in the first two years are assumed to be the seller's responsibility.
  • Garanti (guarantee) is a voluntary extra – do not let an expired guarantee stop you from using your free right to complain.