Faulty goods, refunds and cancellations
The Consumer Rights Act 2015 sets out what you can ask for when goods are faulty, and the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 let you cancel most online and doorstep purchases. We put the right remedy to the trader, in writing, at the right time.
What the trader must supply
When you buy goods from a business, the contract is treated as including terms that the goods will be:
- of satisfactory quality, meaning the standard a reasonable person would expect, taking account of the description, the price and the other circumstances (section 9)
- fit for a particular purpose you made known to the trader before buying (section 10)
- as described, including any description on the website, packaging or label (section 11)
Goods must also match any sample or model you were shown (sections 13 and 14), and if the trader installs them, the installation must be done correctly (section 15). Your rights are against the trader who sold you the goods, not the manufacturer. A manufacturer's warranty is an extra promise and does not replace them.
Satisfactory quality does not cover a fault the trader specifically pointed out before you bought, or one that an examination you actually made ought to have revealed. Second-hand and sale goods are covered, but the price and description are taken into account.
What you can ask for, and when
The remedies come in a set order. Which one is open to you depends mainly on how long you have had the goods.
| Remedy | When it is available | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Short-term right to reject (sections 20 and 22) | Usually within 30 days, counted from the day after you have the goods, they are delivered and any installation is done. Shorter for goods expected to perish sooner. | You reject the goods and are entitled to a refund, which should be paid within 14 days of the trader agreeing you are entitled to it. |
| Repair or replacement (section 23) | At any point, including inside the 30 days if you prefer. | You choose which, unless it is impossible or disproportionate compared with the other. The trader must do it within a reasonable time, without significant inconvenience to you, and at its own cost. The 30-day period pauses while you wait. |
| Price reduction or final right to reject (section 24) | After one repair or one replacement has not fixed the problem, or if neither is possible, or the trader has not done it within a reasonable time. | You choose one: keep the goods with an appropriate reduction in price, or reject them for a refund. A deduction for use can be made from a final rejection refund, but not in the first six months, except for motor vehicles. |
Faults that appear in the first six months
If a fault appears within six months of delivery, the goods are taken not to have conformed to the contract when they were delivered, unless the trader proves that they did, or the presumption does not fit the nature of the goods or the fault (section 19(14) and (15)). This helps with repair, replacement, price reduction and the final right to reject. After six months, you usually need to show that the fault was present at delivery, for example because the goods were not durable enough.
Late, lost or damaged deliveries
Unless another time was agreed, goods must be delivered without undue delay and within 30 days (section 28). They remain at the trader's risk until they come into your physical possession, or that of someone you nominated (section 29), so a lost or damaged parcel is usually the trader's problem, not yours. The exception is where you chose and arranged your own carrier and the trader did not offer it.
Digital content
Paid-for digital content, such as downloads, apps and games, must also be of satisfactory quality, fit for purpose and as described (sections 34 to 36). The remedies are repair or replacement, then a price reduction (sections 43 and 44). There is no right to reject digital content in the way you can reject goods. If faulty content damages your device or other content, and the damage would not have happened had the trader used reasonable care and skill, the trader must repair the damage or pay compensation (section 46).
Cancelling an online, phone or doorstep purchase
The Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 give you a right to cancel most distance contracts (online, phone and mail order) and off-premises contracts (for example, one made in your home), without giving a reason. This is separate from your rights about faulty goods and applies even if nothing is wrong.
- For goods, the cancellation period usually ends 14 days after the day you receive them (regulation 30).
- For services, it usually ends 14 days after the day the contract is made.
- The trader must refund you without undue delay. For goods, that is within 14 days of the trader receiving them back or of you providing evidence that you have sent them, whichever is sooner, unless the trader has offered to collect (regulation 34).
- If the trader did not tell you about the right to cancel, the period can be extended by up to 12 months (regulation 31).
Some purchases are excluded (regulation 28). They include goods made to your specifications or clearly personalised, goods that perish quickly, sealed goods unsealed after delivery where they are not suitable for return for health or hygiene reasons, sealed recordings and software that have been unsealed, urgent repair visits you asked for, and accommodation, vehicle hire, catering and leisure services booked for a specific date or period.
If you asked for a service to start during the cancellation period and then cancel, you may have to pay for what has been provided up to that point (regulation 36).
What we do
- Review the order, receipts, photos and messages, and identify which remedy is open to you and which deadline matters
- Write the rejection, repair request or cancellation to the trader in your name, citing the relevant section
- Deal with the trader by email on your written authority
- Prepare a letter before claim if the trader does not put things right
- Take the complaint to an ombudsman or dispute scheme if the trader belongs to one
- Help you prepare a small claim if it comes to that
What we do not do
- Make chargeback requests, Section 75 claims or any other claim or complaint to your bank or card provider
- Receive the refund for you. The trader pays you directly.
- Test or inspect goods ourselves, or give technical opinions on faults
- Publish reviews or posts about the trader
- Issue a court claim or file documents at court for you
For card claims you can make yourself, see chargeback and Section 75.
The 30 days go quickly
The short-term right to reject only works if you make it clear to the trader that you are rejecting the goods. Saying you are unhappy, or agreeing to "send it away to be looked at", may not be enough. Keep the goods, the packaging if you can, and photos of the fault, and send us the paperwork as soon as the problem appears.
Common questions
The shop says I have to contact the manufacturer. Is that right?
Usually not. Your rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 are against the trader you bought from. You can use a manufacturer's warranty if you want to, but the trader cannot insist that you do.
Can the trader reduce my refund because I have used the item?
A deduction for use is only allowed when you use the final right to reject, and not in the first six months after delivery, except for motor vehicles. Any deduction is to take account of the use you have actually had since delivery.
How long do I have to make a claim?
A court claim for breach of contract can usually be brought up to six years after the breach. In practice, the sooner you complain, the easier it is to show what went wrong, and ombudsman schemes often have shorter time limits of their own.
I bought from a private seller. Is it the same?
No. The Consumer Rights Act 2015 applies to goods bought from a trader. A private sale gives you much narrower protection. Tell us how and from whom you bought, and we will tell you whether we can help.
Our status
Appeal Specialists is an independent consultancy, not a law firm. We are not solicitors or barristers and we are not regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority or any other legal regulator, so you cannot complain about us to the Legal Ombudsman.
We provide non-reserved legal services only. We do not conduct litigation, file or serve court documents, or accept service of court documents for you. Where the law allows, we can speak for you at a small-claims hearing or a tribunal, but only with your agreement and, at small-claims hearings, only if you attend.
What you tell us is not protected by legal professional privilege. We never hold your money. We work on matters in England and Wales only. We do not guarantee any outcome.
All correspondence by email
We deal with everything in writing, so every point and every deadline is on the record. If you are replying to a letter from us, please quote our reference.