Problems with faulty goods (2024)

Introduction

The Consumer Rights Act 2022 (pdf) introduces new rights when you have a problem with goods you bought in a shop or online. This page explains these consumer rights. They only apply to goods you bought on or after 29 November 2022.

You have different rights if you have a problem with goods you bought on or before 28 November 2022.

If something goes wrong

If things go wrong, it is always the seller who should put things right. The seller must resolve any issue, so the product meets what was agreed in the contract. Read more about what you can expect when you buy goods in a shop and online.

If there is an issue with the product, you can either:

• Ask for the product to be repaired or replaced
• End the contract and get a refund
• Ask for a price reduction
• Withhold a proportionate amount of any outstanding payment

In most cases, you can decide which of the remedies above you would prefer.

If the fault appears within the first 12 months, it is automatically assumed the fault was there when you bought it. This means you do not have to prove anything.

You have 6 years to use your right to the remedies outlined above.

Short term right to cancel

You have a legal right to return something faulty if the issue occurs within 30 days. You can return the product and get a full refund.

You must tell the seller you are ending the contract. You can do this verbally or in writing. You must return the goods to the seller. The seller must cover the cost of the return. They can ask you to cover the costs of the return upfront and refund you once they receive your return.

The seller must give you your refund within 14 days. The refund must be in the same form as the original payment, unless you agree some other method.

The 30-day period is shorter for goods with a short shelf life.

If the issue occurs after 30 days, you can ask for the goods to be repaired or replaced, ask for a refund or withhold a proportionate amount of any outstanding payment that you owe.

Right to a repair or replacement

If something you bought turns out to be faulty, you can decide to get a repair or a replacement.

The seller must repair or replace the product for free, within a reasonable time and without significant inconvenience to you. A reasonable time means the shortest possible time to fix the issue. For a replacement, you must get the same or a similar product.

The seller must cover any extra installation costs for the replacement.

If it is not possible or too expensive for the seller to resolve the issue, you have the right to either a price reduction or refund.

Right to a refund

You have the right to end the contract and get a refund where:

• The seller has not offered a repair or replacement
• The fault is serious
• The seller cannot fix the issue within a reasonable time
• You told the seller you needed the product for a specific date and the seller agreed to this
• The same or another issue happens again after the seller repaired or replaced the product

You also have a legal right to return something faulty if the issue occurs within 30 days. You can return the product and get a full refund – see ‘short term right to cancel’ above.

What you must do to end the contract

You must tell the seller you are ending the contract. You can do this verbally or in writing. You must return the goods to the seller. The seller must cover the cost of the return. They can ask you to cover the costs of the return upfront and refund you once they receive your return.

Where the content or service contract is terminated, any ancillary contract is also automatically terminated. For example, if you return a printer and you also bought ink from the same seller, you will automatically be entitled to return the ink and get a refund.

Getting your refund

The trader must give you your refund within 14 days. The refund must be in the same form as the original payment unless you agree some other method. For example, if you originally paid in cash, you can insist on any refund also being in cash.

Right to a price reduction

If you prefer, you can ask for a proportionate reduction in price instead of a refund. A proportionate reduction in price must reflect the reduced value of the goods to you.

If the fault is minor, you can only ask for a price reduction. If there is a dispute, it is up to the trader to prove that the fault is minor.

You already paid in full

If you have already fully paid for the goods, the seller must refund you the difference in price due to the issue. You must get the refund within 14 days and in the same form as the original payment, unless you agree some other method.

Right to withhold payment

If you have not already fully paid for the goods, you can withhold a proportionate amount of any outstanding payment. You must tell the seller if you choose to withhold any payment.

The amount you withhold must match the reduction in value due to the fault.

Faulty gifts

If a gift you received is faulty, you have all the same rights and remedies as the person who bought the product.

Get more help

If you want to make a complaint, always approach the seller first, to give them the chance to put things right.

You can get more advice if you want to make a complaint about faulty goods.

Take your complaint further

If your complaint is not resolved within a reasonable timeframe or you are not happy with the response, you can:

• Use out-of-court procedures such as the European Consumer Centres Network (for cross-border disputes only) and Online Dispute Resolution (for national and cross-border online disputes)
• Take a claim against the seller using the Small Claims Procedure. For cross-border disputes within the EU, you can use the European Small Claims Procedure.
• Contact the card provider and ask them to reverse the transaction, if you paid by credit or debit card. This is known as chargeback. Some other payment methods also provide protection schemes (for example, PayPal buyer protection). The CCPC has more information on chargeback.

The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) can give you more information on your rights if you have problems with faulty goods.

Read more about the Consumer Rights Act and what it means for you on the CCPC website.