Consumers shall safeguard their legal rights as early as possible when their legal rights and interests are infringed upon. In accordance with the relevant regulations of Law of the PRC on the Protection of the Rights and Interests of Consumers, consumers shall claim rights within 1 year in cases concerning the following:
(1) claims for compensation for bodily injuries;
(2) sales of substandard goods without proper notice to that effect;
(3) delays in paying rent or refusal to pay rent;
(4) loss of or damage to property left in the care of another person.
Consumers shall claim rights within 2 years in other cases. If consumers claim their rights when the limitation of action has expired, their rights of applications to People‘s Courts for protection of civil rights and interests would be deprived.
Specifically, as stipulated by Law of the PRC on the Protection of the Rights and Interests of Consumers, for durable commodities such as motor vehicles, computers, televisions, refrigerators, air conditioners, and washing machines and services such as decoration and remodeling services provided by business operators, if consumers discover any defects within six months of receiving commodities or services and disputes arise therefrom, business operators shall bear the burden of proof regarding the defects. Therefore, when the preceding cases occur, consumers had better claim rights within 6 months in order to safeguard their own legitimate rights and interests effectively.