WhyWh i is my Si Singapore warranty not valid here?

Q I recently visited Singapore where I bought a Canon 800D DSLR camera. I was – and still am – delighted with the camera and its performance, but its USB socket is now faulty. Canon UK has refused to help, saying the warranty isn’t valid here. Surely Canon has to honour the warranty regardless of where you are in the world? Stuart Walker

A Unfortunately, Canon UK doesn’t have to honour the warranty. It’s important to remember that companies don’t have to offer warranties. They do so chiefly as a sales tactic – to reassure you that problems will be fixed.

Because warranties aren’t set by statutory law, companies can decide what’s put in the small print. So Canon is allowed to restrict the warranty to Singapore.

Currently, most company warranties are valid only in specific areas or countries, though some firms now offer an international warranty, covering you in every country it trades in. However, these cross-border warranties tend to include more restrictions, such as not covering accidental damage or battery replacement. Always check this when buying something abroad.

All’s not lost though. Stuart can file a complaint through the Consumers Association of Singapore ( www.snipca.com/27280), which is a cross between the UK’S Trading Standards and Citizens Advice Bureau. Stuart can’t rely on this organisation taking up his case. In 2017, it received over 15,000 complaints, but took up only 2,253. If it does, and can persuade Canon to issue a refund, Stuart will need to send the camera back to the company in Singapore. He would find it easier if he could post it to someone there, who could return it in person on his behalf.