Defective goods / poor-quality service: what to do under Georgian law

What to do

1. Classification: consumer (personal use) ↔ seller-entrepreneur; goods or service; new or used. For a defect, you may require free repair or replacement, a price reduction, or termination of the contract (Law of Georgia on the Protection of Consumer Rights, Art. 17).
2. Proof and deadlines: a defect identified within 6 months of receipt is presumed to have existed at the time of transfer, unless the seller rebuts this (Consumer Rights Law, Art. 20). After 6 months the buyer must prove it (Art. 20). Rights apply if the defect is identified within 2 years of transfer (Art. 20). For used goods the 2-year rule does not apply: liability is determined by agreement of the parties (Art. 20).
3. Order of remedies: repair and replacement come first (Consumer Rights Law, Art. 17). A price reduction or termination of the contract is available if repair or replacement is impossible, is not carried out within a reasonable time, or causes significant inconvenience (Art. 17). For a minor defect, termination is not possible (Art. 17). For services: after an unsuccessful additional period, the defect may be remedied by another person at the provider’s expense, or you may claim a price reduction or terminate with damages (Art. 18).
4. A “non-warranty case” does not cancel the law: a warranty condition restricting the consumer’s statutory rights is void (Art. 19). Return of a non-defective item from an ordinary shop: withdrawal without reason within 14 days applies only to distance and off-premises contracts (Art. 13).
5. Procedure: written claim with a demand and a deadline → complaint to the Competition and Consumer Protection Agency (კონკურენციისა და მომხმარებლის დაცვის სააგენტო) or to the sector regulator (Art. 28). The Agency examines violations of the rights of a group of consumers (Art. 30). The complaint must be filed within 2 years of the violation (Art. 31) → lawsuit (contractual claims are subject to a 3-year limitation period (Civil Code of Georgia, Art. 129)).
6. Where to apply: the seller (claim) → Agency → district (city) court; mediation and arbitration are also possible.
7. Evidence: receipt; date of receipt; warranty card; photo or video of the defect; service act; correspondence; expert examination if disputed.
8. Pitfalls: demanding money immediately, bypassing repair or replacement; missing the six-month threshold of the presumption; expecting the Agency to refund your money, since an individual dispute is decided by a court.

Be sure to check

• hierarchy of remedies: repair/replacement → price reduction/termination of the contract
• 6 months — the seller bears the burden of proof; 2 years — the time limit for identifying the defect
• a commercial guarantee does not limit statutory rights
• procedure: claim → Agency/regulator → court