Unfortunately, we’re all due to receive lousy service or buy a defective product in our lifetimes. Some have much better luck than others, so they will find this a rare occurrence, while others will feel as if all their purchases are cursed. 

The first step is to contact the company to resolve the issue. However, this method may not produce a satisfactory outcome.

Furthermore, simply contacting the seller or service provider isn’t a “formal complaint”. Therefore, you may need to go through the formal process. 

To submit a formal complaint, you must have tried speaking to the seller first. When submitting a formal complaint, you will typically need to begin with your receipt, the nature of your complaint, and any other evidence supporting your complaint. 

However, if you can no longer access the receipt, other proof of purchase must be accepted by law. 

Complaints also need to be issued within “good time”. For a lot of goods and services, this is around two years. When dealing with a private person, the period is almost always two years, while the period for some businesses is up to five years. 

Goods that are expected to last much longer have a period of five years, while things like running shoes will have shorter complaint windows as they are expected to accumulate quite a bit of wear and tear. 

Even if you have an expired warranty, you may still be covered under the law. Furthermore, you can still complain about used items. 

Typically, the item or service must reflect the quality or condition the seller advertised. Some sellers try to skirt this rule by selling things “as is” or “without the right to complain”. But, even if they use these clauses, you will still be allowed to issue a complaint. 

If the issue was due to something you have done, or an accident, or specified by the seller, then you will not have the grounds to complain. The seller may also cite wear and tear. 

Norway’s Consumer Council has an online calculator that lets you check whether your issue falls inside the complaint window. 

READ MORE: What you need to know about Norway’s consumer rights watchdog

How to complain 

When it comes to the complaint itself, you can use template letters from the Consumer Council in English or Norwegian. 

Some companies and industries have their own way of dealing with complaints. For example, train and public transport companies have a separate process where users can complain about delays. 

Generally, you will need to contact the seller as soon as possible. 

You will also need to give the party that sold you the product or service a good time to respond to your issue. 

Once both parties have determined and agreed that there is an issue, the seller may have the right to try and repair the product. 

If the seller is unable to fix the issue or replace the item, you may be entitled to a price reduction or a refund. 

What if my complaint is rejected? 

Should your complaint be rejected by the seller, then you may be able to escalate the issue. The Norwegian Consumer Protection Authority can be asked to mediate on the issue. Generally, this is free to do. 

This can be done if the purchase falls under the categories of banking, construction, broadband, estate agents, insurance, debt recovery, parking, travel, energy, rental housing, tolls, TV packages, and appraisers. 

If your complaint falls outside these areas, then you may struggle to take your complaint any further without resorting to a costly court process. 

Getting mediation on the issue will take a while, though, as the service has waiting times stretching into the months. 

If the mediation doesn’t resolve the issue, you may need to try the Consumer Complaints Committee. The committee is a court-like body that resolves disputes. Decisions by the committee are binding unless the party wishes to escalate the matter to a claims court.