§ 17. Defect caused by incorrect assembly or installation
If the shop assembles a product incorrectly, the fault counts as a defect (mangel) you can complain about. The same applies if you assemble it yourself but damage the product because the instructions from the seller (selger) were wrong.
Machine-translated from Norwegian. The Norwegian text is the one that applies. Read the original in Norwegian.Norsk English العربية Polski Українська
The text of the law (unofficial translation)
A fault in the item resulting from incorrect installation shall be regarded as a defect if a. installation is part of the purchase agreement (kjøpsavtale) and was carried out by the seller or under the seller's responsibility, or b. the installation was intended to be carried out by the consumer (forbruker) and was carried out by him or her, and the incorrect installation is due to shortcomings in the installation instructions provided by the seller. For items which, in accordance with § 2 first paragraph letter e, are to be delivered together with a digital service (digital ytelse), this also applies where the installation instructions were provided by the supplier of the digital service.
What does this mean?
Many products do not work until they have been put together or connected. The law ensures that a fault at this stage does not fall on you — as long as it is not your fault.
If you buy a cupboard with assembly included, and the fitters attach the hinges incorrectly, the cupboard is "defective" in the eyes of the law.
Even more important: If you follow the drawings to the letter, but the item is still damaged because the instructions left out an important step, that is the seller's problem.
Example
Håkon buys a surveillance camera. The app guides him through the installation and tells him to press "accept" during an update — which crashes the camera's software. Even though Håkon pressed the button, it was the instructions that were wrong. The camera has a defect, and the shop must give him a new one.
Common mistakes
- Throwing away the instructions — they are your proof that you followed them
- Thinking you cannot complain because you "put the screw in yourself" — if the drawing was wrong, it is the shop's fault
What should you do?
Get out the manual BEFORE you start. If a drawing is hard to understand, call the shop and ask — do not guess. Inspect the product right after the fitters have finished, while they are still there.
Frequently asked questions
What happens if I forgot to read the instructions?
What if the plumber I found on Facebook damages the sink?
- Heat pump with installation: your rights when it does not work as promised
- Made-to-order kitchens and furniture: delivery, assembly and cancellation of an order (avbestilling)
- Kitchen renovation with tradespeople: who is responsible for what when something goes wrong
- The kitchen was installed crooked – who do I complain to?