The Consumer Rights Act: refunds and returns

Whether you buy a faulty phone, damaged clothing, or malfunctioning kitchen equipment in the UK, the Consumer Rights Act 2015 protects you with clear legal remedies. This guide explains your right to reject faulty goods within 30 days, when repair and replacement apply, your 14-day online cooling-off period, and the critical difference between statutory rights and store policy. Understanding these rights is essential for all UK shoppers, especially newcomers who may not be familiar with how British consumer law works.

What Makes Goods Faulty? The Three Core Standards

Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, goods you buy from any retailer must meet three legal standards. They must be of satisfactory quality, meaning they are free from defects and durable. They must be fit for purpose, so they can do what they are sold to do. And they must be as described, matching any description or image provided when you bought them. If a product fails any of these tests, it is legally faulty, and you have statutory rights to a remedy. This applies regardless of whether you bought the item at full price, on sale, online, in-store, or by phone.

The 30-Day Short-Term Right to Reject

If you discover a fault within 30 days of taking delivery, you have a powerful legal right: you can reject the faulty goods and claim a full refund. You do not have to accept a repair or replacement first during this window. The 30-day period starts from the day you receive the item (or from installation, if installation is required). This is a strict legal right that no retailer can override, even if their store sign says 'no refunds' or the goods were bought in a sale.

After 30 Days: Repair, Replacement, or Refund

Once the 30-day window closes, your rights change. If a fault appears between 30 days and six months, the retailer has the right to attempt a repair or replacement first, at no cost to you. They must complete this within a reasonable time and without significant inconvenience. You can express a preference for replacement, but the retailer may legally choose to repair instead.

If the repair or replacement fails, or if it is not done within a reasonable time, you can then claim a refund or a price reduction. An important advantage here is the reversed burden of proof: during the first six months after purchase, the law assumes the fault existed when you bought the item unless the retailer can prove otherwise. After six months, you must prove the fault was present at purchase, which can be harder to do.

Beyond Six Months

You can still claim for faulty goods up to six years from purchase in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland (five years in Scotland). However, after six months, you bear the burden of proving the fault existed at the time of purchase, not the retailer. This is why gathering evidence and acting quickly is important.

The 14-Day Cooling-Off Period for Online Purchases

Online and distance purchases carry a separate statutory right. Under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, if you buy by internet, phone, mail order, or at a doorstep, you have 14 days from delivery to cancel your order for any reason, even if nothing is wrong with the item. This is called the cooling-off period, and you do not need to give any explanation. The 14-day period starts the day after you (or someone you nominate) physically receive the goods. For services or digital content not supplied on a physical medium, the clock starts the day after the contract is concluded.

To exercise this right, you must notify the retailer clearly and within the 14-day window. You can use a cancellation form provided with your order or send a simple email or letter stating your intention to cancel. The timing of sending matters, not when the retailer receives it, so send your notice before the deadline expires. You generally must return the goods within a reasonable time after notifying cancellation, usually 14 days. The retailer must then refund all money paid, including standard delivery charges, within 14 days of receiving your returned goods or proof you have sent them.

Exceptions to the Cooling-Off Period

Some items are exempt from the 14-day cooling-off period. These include bespoke or customised items made to your specifications, perishable goods, sealed items for health or hygiene reasons once you have opened them (such as cosmetics), newspapers, contracts concluded at public auction, and certain services once they have begun. Digital goods such as music and software are covered if they have not been downloaded, but once downloaded they may no longer be returnable under the cooling-off period.

Change of Mind Returns in Shops: Store Policy, Not Law

This is where many shoppers get confused. If you walk into a physical shop, try on a coat, buy it at the till, and then change your mind at home because the colour does not suit you, the law does not give you an automatic right to a refund or exchange. There is no legal right to return non-faulty goods bought in person simply because you changed your mind. However, many retailers offer this as a goodwill gesture through their own returns policy, typically allowing 28 to 90 days for returns.

If a retailer displays a returns policy in-store or states one on your receipt, they must honour it. But if they display a sign saying 'no refunds' or 'no returns on sale items' and there is no store policy offering returns for change of mind, they can legally refuse. The retailer may offer a credit note or exchange instead of a cash refund for change-of-mind returns. Before you buy something in-store and you think you might want to return it, check the displayed returns policy.

How to Make a Claim

If you have faulty goods or want to exercise your cooling-off period, contact the retailer promptly. In writing is best; email works well because it creates a record. Clearly explain what is wrong with the item, when you bought it, and what remedy you want (refund, repair, or replacement). Include photographs of the fault if possible. Keep copies of your order confirmation, receipt, correspondence, and any photographs.

If the retailer refuses or does not respond within a reasonable time, you can escalate your complaint. Contact the retailer's head office in writing, giving them a deadline to respond (typically 14 days). You can also use free dispute resolution schemes or complain to Trading Standards in your local council. For credit card purchases between £100 and £30,000, Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 makes your credit card provider jointly liable with the retailer, giving you an additional avenue for recovery.

Sale Items, Warranties, and Legal Rights

Whether an item was at full price or on sale makes no difference to your legal rights. Faulty goods bought in a sale are covered by the same statutory protections as full-price goods. Similarly, a product warranty or guarantee is a voluntary service agreement offered by the shop or manufacturer on top of your legal rights. If a retailer tells you a faulty item is out of warranty and they cannot help, do not accept this. Your statutory rights under the Consumer Rights Act exist independently of any warranty.

Common Myths and Clarifications

• A 'no refunds' sign cannot override your legal rights for faulty goods. Signs that suggest you have no right to a refund even when goods are faulty are misleading and unenforceable.
• The 14-day cooling-off period for online purchases is different from the 30-day short-term right to reject faulty goods. They are separate statutory rights that can both apply to the same purchase.
• A retailer's returns policy cannot be stricter than the law for faulty goods, but it can be more generous. You always get the benefit of whichever is more favourable.
• If you buy from an overseas retailer, you still have UK consumer rights in principle, but enforcement can be difficult if the retailer does not cooperate. Paying by credit card gives you extra protection under Section 75.

Key Takeaway

UK consumer law is strong and exists to protect you. Faulty goods purchased online or in-store are covered by the Consumer Rights Act 2015. You have a 30-day right to reject for a full refund, repair or replacement rights after 30 days, and a 14-day cooling-off period for online purchases even if nothing is wrong. Store policies for change-of-mind returns in shops are separate and voluntary. If a retailer refuses to honour your statutory rights, remember that the law is on your side, and you have formal escalation routes available.