§ 46. Do you have to pay compensation and interest to the shop?
If you do not pay on time, the shop is entitled to late payment interest (forsinkelsesrente). If the breach of the agreement has caused the shop additional loss, it can claim compensation (erstatning). Your personal finances are not a lawful excuse.
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 purchase price (kjøpesum) is not paid on time, the seller (selger) may claim interest on the purchase price under the Act of 17 December 1976 No. 100 relating to interest on late payments etc.
The seller may also claim compensation for the loss he or she suffers as a result of breach of contract (kontraktsbrudd) on the part of the consumer (forbruker). However, this does not apply to the extent that the consumer shows that the breach of contract is due to a stoppage in transport or payment services or another impediment beyond the consumer's control which he or she could not reasonably be expected to have taken into account at the time of the agreement or to avoid or overcome the consequences of. The other rules in § 24 third and fourth paragraphs apply correspondingly. The compensation is assessed according to the rules in Chapter 11.
What does this mean?
§ 46 gives the seller the same two rights you have in the case of late delivery: interest for the waiting time, and coverage of actual loss.
The late payment interest rate is set by the state (typically the policy rate + 8 %) and applies regardless of whether you were broke, ill or forgot.
Compensation for real loss: If you order a special-order item and drop it, the shop can sell it at a discount and claim the difference from you.
Example
Ingrid special-orders a wedding dress for NOK 20,000. She pays a NOK 5,000 deposit. The wedding is cancelled and she says she will not pay the rest. The bridal shop sells the dress to someone else for NOK 5,000. They claim compensation of NOK 10,000 (20,000 - 5,000 - 5,000) from Ingrid for documented loss.
Common mistakes
- Thinking that debt collection (inkasso) fees are the same as compensation — they are statutory penalty fees on top
What should you do?
Never make contact and count on the problem sorting itself out. Call the shop, admit the mistake, and agree on a solution before interest and lawyers start rolling.