Thinking of making a major purchase? Hang on to every last bit of paperwork, from the cashier's receipt to any instruction booklets or owner's guides you find when you unpack whatever it was you bought. If it is only fifteen days into your guarantee period that you can just go back into the shop where you bought the appliance and everything will be fixed with no argument at all. The only no-quibble guarantee period is in the first fortnight after purchase (in Spain a 'fortnight' lasts for fifteen days). Providing you have your receipt then you are entitled to your money back or an identical replacement.


Do yourself a big favour and buy an inexpensive stapler and a cheap cardboard folder. Keep the receipt from each major purchase and staple it to the front cover of the user's manual or guarantee . Next time you go to the shop where you bought your fridge (cooker, iron whatever), take the manual (or assembly instructions) with you. There is usually a space on (or near) the back  of one of the enclosed documents, where the shop can put their company stamp and enter your date of purchase. It is desirable (but not wholly essential) that you do this just after fifteen days of purchase
.

To get your guarantee stamp, say the following:


Spanish:: "Quierro mi sella para garantía"

Phonetics: Kee-yayrro mee sail-yah parra garran-teeyah

English: I want my guarantee stamp


Remember that all Spanish 'r's' are rolled (or 'trilled'), no Spanish 'a' is ever said as though there is an invisible 'r' after it  (more like the 'a' in lamb) and no Spanish 'o' is never said like the 'o' in "toe" but as the 'o' in "trough." Don't add 'por favor' to anything you say ...unless you want to look silly.


Your relationship with your retailer is closer than you realise and you will find it extremely difficult to get the item repaired (or replaced) elsewhere. Therefore, it is quite important to be in a position to prove (beyond doubt) that you bought the item from the aforesaid retailer and within the guarantee period. I have a fridge that is still working but its thermostat failed within days of the end of the guarantee. I went back to Carrefour and they sent a repairman out to mend it (took two tries, but spared me the cost of replacing it). It was vitally important that I was able to produce proof of the day of purchase to both the store and the visiting engineer (on both of his visits).

You can complain to each other about the bureaucracy in Spain but this won't help you one jot when your telly breaks down, six months into its one-year guarantee.