Instructions for operation, maintenance and care must be provided for goods whose use requires instructions. Instructions must be supplied in Finnish and Swedish. Information such as washing instructions may, however, be provided by using generally understood symbols.
Operating instructions must also be provided in online commerce if the website is in Finnish and the marketing is clearly directed at Finnish consumers. The responsibility to provide instructions may not be dismissed simply by the marketing content indicating that the product only has operating instructions in English, for instance.
The retailer is always responsible for sales transactions and for ensuring that operating instructions are provided. The consumer may not be told to contact the importer to receive operating instructions - it is the retailer's responsibility to take care of their provision. Operating instructions in Finnish or Swedish must be free of charge.
Operating instructions must be provided in such a form that the consumer can easily access and read them. If the buyer does not have the ability to access, for example, operating instructions supplied on a CD, the instructions must be provided to him in printed form. If a product does not include operating instructions and they are not provided within a reasonable time after purchase, the consumer may even demand that the transaction be cancelled. The consumer may also negotiate for other types of compensation such as a price discount.
If instructions for operation or assembly are unclear or incomplete or contain numerous linguistic errors or mistranslations, the consumer should at the very least give feedback on this to the retailer or importer.
Appliances with incomplete or erroneous operating instructions should not be used. This may result in damage to the appliance or pose a hazard to people or property.
If a product poses a safety hazard due to incomplete or erroneous operating instructions, file a report with the Consumer Agency. You should also contact the retailer and request that proper operating instructions be provided. Disputes between the seller and buyer regarding operating instructions are settled on a case-by-case basis for example by the Consumer Dispute Board.