Notice of defect and demand for repair or replacement with a deadline (Germany)
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This document is in German
The PDF you download is in German — that is the language it has to be filed in, so it is not translated. Everything on this page is here to tell you what it says.
A complaint to the seller about faulty goods bought in Germany: you report the defect, choose repair or replacement (§§ 437 and 439 of the German Civil Code, BGB) and set a deadline. It follows the sales law in force since 2022 — a defect that appears within a year of delivery is presumed to have been there from the start (§ 477 BGB), the seller must act within a reasonable time of being told (§ 475(5) BGB) and pays the costs — and, for purchases from 31 July 2026, the extra twelve months of limitation after a repair (§ 475e(5) BGB). In German.
What you fill in
The details the document asks for.
- Buyer
- Buyer's address
- Seller
- Seller's postal address (for the complaint)
- City
- Date
- Order number
- Date of purchase
- Date the goods were received
- Item
- Price
- Defect
- When the defect appeared
- Repair or replacement (Germany)
- Deadline
- Contract made before or from 31 July 2026
Preview
This document is produced for you. Your answers are typed into it and the finished PDF is yours to keep.
Common questions
- What deadline should I give the seller for a repair in Germany?
- The law sets no fixed number: the seller must put things right within a reasonable time of being told (§ 475(5) BGB). About 14 days is usual, longer where parts are hard to obtain. If the seller lets that time pass, you may withdraw from the sale or reduce the price without setting another deadline (§ 475d BGB). A date in the letter makes clear from when that applies.
- How long does the legal guarantee last in Germany, and what changes for purchases from 31 July 2026?
- Claims for defects generally become time-barred two years after the goods were delivered (§ 438 BGB). If a defect shows within the first year, it is presumed to have existed at delivery (§ 477 BGB). For contracts from 31 July 2026, if the defect is fixed by repair, the original limitation period is extended once by twelve months (§ 475e(5) BGB). Choose the option in the document that matches the date of your contract.
- Do I have to go to the manufacturer if the goods come with a guarantee in Germany?
- No. The statutory warranty is always a claim against the seller who sold you the goods; a manufacturer's guarantee is an extra, voluntary promise on its own terms. You may choose. Under the 2026 right-to-repair law, makers of certain appliances such as washing machines, fridges, smartphones and tablets must also repair them on request (§§ 479a ff. BGB) — a second route, especially once the warranty has run out.
- How do I send the notice of defect in Germany, and what comes after the deadline?
- No particular form is required: e-mail the document and keep the sent message, or hand it in at the shop against a signed receipt. What matters is that you can prove it arrived (§ 130 BGB). If the deadline passes, the next step is withdrawal from the sale or a price reduction. If the trader still refuses, there is the federal Universal Conciliation Body (Universalschlichtungsstelle des Bundes) in Kehl, if the trader agrees to take part, or a claim at the local court (Amtsgericht).
How you can sign this document
- Print it and sign by hand. The signature lines in the document are left blank on purpose — sign on them in ink.
- Sign it yourself with a qualified electronic signature. If you already hold a QES — Evrotrust, B-Trust, StampIT, ZealiD or any qualified provider on the EU Trusted List, on a card, a USB token, in a mobile app or in the cloud — our signing guide explains step by step how to sign this exact file without invalidating it. Step-by-step help, and a way to check it worked
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