§ 19. Your rights when the goods are delayed
If the shop does not deliver at the agreed time, you can withhold payment, demand that the goods be delivered, cancel the purchase (heve), or claim compensation (erstatning) for any loss you suffer.
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)
If the item is not delivered or is delivered too late, and this is not due to the consumer (forbruker) or circumstances on the consumer's side (delay (forsinkelse)), the consumer may a. withhold the purchase price (kjøpesum) under § 20 b. demand performance of the contract (oppfyllelse) under § 21 c. demand cancellation of the purchase (heving) under § 23 d. claim compensation under § 24.
The consumer's right to compensation is not lost because he or she asserts other claims, or because these cannot be asserted.
If the seller (selger) does not otherwise fulfil his obligations under the purchase in time, the provisions on delay apply correspondingly as far as they are appropriate. However, the consumer may cancel the agreement for delay in such obligations only when the delay is substantial. The parties may agree on a different solution.
What does this mean?
The seller is in delay if the goods have not reached you by the agreed date — or within 30 days if no date was agreed.
You can combine the claims: A good start is to hold on to the money and demand delivery. If days and weeks go by, move on to cancellation of the purchase. The right to compensation stands on its own — even if you cancel the purchase, you can still claim compensation for losses the delay caused you.
Example
Ingrid has paid in advance for a sofa with agreed delivery (levering) in week 40. In week 42, nothing has happened. She contacts the shop and demands delivery, and sets a final deadline: if the sofa does not arrive by Friday, she will cancel the purchase and demand her money back. Under § 19, she is fully entitled to do so.
Common mistakes
- Accepting a credit voucher instead of claiming the rights the law gives you
- Refusing to accept the goods when they finally arrive, without having given notice of cancellation of the purchase in advance
What should you do?
Contact the seller in writing. Set a clear, new and short deadline for delivery. Make it clear that you will cancel the purchase if the deadline is not met.