FTC Warns 8 Companies for Violating Consumers’ Repair Rights

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) sent letters to eight companies warning that their warranty policies could be violating customers’ right to repair products they’ve purchased. The letters focus on a breach of the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act (MMWA), a law enforced by the FTC that governs consumer product warranties, according to a July 3 press release. Five of the firms allegedly maintained that consumers should only use specific parts or service providers if they wanted to keep their warranties intact. “Unless warrantors provide the parts or services for free or receive a waiver from the FTC, such statements are generally prohibited by the MMWA. Similarly, such statements may be deceptive under the FTC Act,” the FTC stated....