That sinking feeling when something expensive breaks after a week? Or when someone you paid to fix your boiler makes it worse? The good news: you're not powerless. The Consumer Rights Act 2015 has your back.
If you're not sure whether your situation is covered by this legislation, you can get clarity in under two minutes with our free Consumer Rights Act 2015 Checker.
This law came into effect on 1 October 2015, replacing three older acts: the Sale of Goods Act 1979, the Supply of Goods and Services Act 1982, and the Unfair Terms in Consumer Contract Regulations 1999. No more jumping between different laws when you're already stressed about a broken washing machine.
When You Buy Physical Products
Every product you buy must meet three standards. It must be of satisfactory quality (not broken or poorly made), fit for purpose (does what it's supposed to do), and as described (matches what the seller told you).
Your rights depend on timing:
First 30 days: You can reject faulty goods for a full refund. No ifs, no buts. The retailer can't fob you off with a credit note or insist on a repair. Exceptions: digital downloads lose this right once you start downloading, perishable goods need only last their reasonable lifespan, and personalised items can't be returned unless faulty.
30 days to 6 months: Any fault is presumed to have existed from day one: the shop must prove otherwise, not you. You can ask for a repair or replacement. The retailer can refuse only if your choice costs far more than the alternative. You can still get a refund if they can't repair or replace the item, their fix fails, or the replacement is also faulty.
After 6 months: You'll need to demonstrate the fault existed at purchase. This usually means an expert report, which may cost more than the item itself. Worth it for a £2,000 laptop, probably not for a £30 kettle.

Consumer Rights Act 2015 Checker
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Downloaded a game that won't run? Digital content gets the same protection as physical goods: it must be of satisfactory quality, fit for purpose and as described. You're entitled to a repair or replacement first, then a price reduction or refund if that fails. Unlike physical goods, there's no 30-day rejection period once downloading starts.
For services, anyone you pay must do the job with reasonable care and skill, stick to what they've told you, finish within a reasonable time, and charge a reasonable price if you haven't agreed one upfront.
If work goes wrong, demand the trader puts it right for free. Can't be fixed? You're entitled to money off: potentially the full amount if the work's completely useless. If there's no agreed deadline and work drags on, set a reasonable deadline yourself. Still not done? Cancel and claim the extra cost of getting someone else to finish.
Your situation may be slightly different. ask a question below ↓ and our editorial team will reply with our advice.
Online Shopping: Extra Rights
The Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 give online and phone buyers a 14-day cooling-off period starting when goods arrive. Changed your mind? Send them back. You get another 14 days to actually return items.
Exceptions apply: custom-made items, perishable goods, sealed hygiene products, and sealed media once opened.
Contract terms must also be clear and fair. Hidden charges, one-sided cancellation rights, excessive penalty fees, and confusing small print may all be unenforceable. Spot something dodgy? Write to the company first: unfair terms won't stand up in court. Still stuck? Citizens Advice can help.
Making It Work For You
Your first step is always the retailer, not the manufacturer. Bought a Samsung TV from Currys? Deal with Currys. Keep receipts, photograph faults, and note conversations.
Don't let shops bamboozle you with "store policy". Your statutory rights override any policy. Extended warranties are extras on top of your legal rights, not replacements. If staff say "contact the manufacturer", remind them your contract is with them: they sold it, they sort it.
These rights apply to UK purchases from businesses. Buying from individuals on Facebook Marketplace gives you far less protection.
The warranty period the shop mentioned is separate from your statutory rights. You may still have a valid claim, especially as the fault appears to stem from the original installation rather than wear and tear. If they've potentially made things worse by removing and refitting the carpet, document everything with photos.
I'd suggest contacting Citizens Advice or a consumer rights specialist who can help you understand your options and potentially draft a formal complaint to the company.
I contacted the carpet shop, and they said it was no longer under warranty as I was just outside of the 12 months, but as a goodwill gesture, they would replace the bottom 2 steps. They told me they had just 1 roll left of the carpet.
They attended the property, removed the carpet from those steps, then realised that the roll they had didn't match. So they replaced the old carpet. (I have yet to see if they did a good job or not).
Assuming they did a good job of putting it back, where do I stand with the fraying? Do I have consumer rights that protect me, even though I didn't report the problem within the 12 months? If the carpet was cut too short, it was cut too short. They are saying there's nothing more they can do, because if I'd reported within the 12 months, they would have been able to replace it.
If they've made the problem worse by removing the carpet then putting it back, do I have any additional rights?
I've searched but can't find anything relevant on carpet FITTING, only on carpet quality. Please help!
I just want the carpet to look good and last a few more years. I think at worst I would accept new carpet on the stairs and landing, and put up with it not matching the bedroom carpets and hall laminate. I appreciate I can't expect new carpets and laminate throughout!
Where do I stand as it goes?
I am not prepared to wait any longer.
Thanks very much.
The carpet looks horrendous now, it's all matted and different shades.
I was assured by an employee of the company that this carpet would last and stand well with wear.
I've had a man out to inspect and the response I've had from email is stating that it's just wear on the fibres and no defect with the carpet.
They're basically refusing to solve the issue.
The carpet is just over a year old and it looks like it has been down for many years!
What are my rights as a consumer?
Tracy
I’m not happy at all
To day I have the guy again and going to send me the letter ,,and did say I needed that as I want to go trade and standards but I don’t know what to do many thanks j
Notice my Hallviken sink had cracked after doing dishes. Ecomaster came out 2 weeks later ( bearing in mind still using sink) decided my problem not theirs!
After paying a lot of money for this kitchen, and being advised to this "bombproof" sink then the 25yr guarantee does not exist. Is absolutely appalling. I explained to Ikea all that Is done in sink Is dishes and it should be strong enough to withstand few knocks especially since Ikea said it was virtually indestructible.
Is anything I can do Ikea are saying it's not manufacture fault therefore no guarantee.
2 weeks ago I got nano ring hair extensions fitted at home. The lady prior to the fitting said no damage would be caused to the natural hair and these would last approx 6 months. After 1 week 6 extensions had fell out and two with white a lot of my own hair attached which had been pulled from my scalp. I contacted the lady to explain and she blamed me saying I was using too much heat. I also explained I had lots of itching and this was normal. 2 weeks after fitting I have noticed that every strand of extension is pulling my own hair out from the scalp and not just little bits. I have contacted the lady and she said she has fitted them correctly but she can't come to have a look at this for another week. I am really concerned that I have paid £220 for two weeks wear and major damage possibly baldness to my own hair. Can someone please advise??
So Tuesday 5th September I call the lady again at John Lewis at 10am to give her my credit card details and when she put me on hold for over 10 minutes whilst she was trying to transfer my call to a line near her computer, my house phone started to ring.
I answer, and it is John Lewis customer services asking me to place my order which is 'on hold awaiting payment'. But then she sees the order is for "9p"? I then gave her the reference number that I have on my invoice. She agrees three rolls of wallpaper total amount charged to my credit card £86.
Two hours later, Jane the lady from textiles department calls to apologise for leaving my original call on hold as she could not transfer the call and continues to talk about the wallpaper. I advised her that John Lewis had already called me and taken full payment when she said "no you can't the order is wrong, I have just spoken to the manufacturer and as it is a bespoke wall art, it is actually £29 per square meter and not per roll. Therefore as I require 15 square meters that would cost a over £435!!".
I then said "what, I can't agree to that"! I was completely shocked as I thought this had all been ordered and she said she would arrange a refund.
But I have now painted my lounge a green that I would have never picked normally and was specific to that paper. Can John Lewis actually take my order and then change the price after payment has been made on a credit card or do they have a duty to honour this?
Please advise what I should do?
Best wishes T
Two weeks later, I went back to the fish stall. Bare in mind they come only once a week. I would have gone back after the first week but I was busy then. Anyway, I explained the spoilt lobsters and oyster and I just wanted replacement or something, but I was turned away by the boss of the stall. He was unhelpful he told me I should have kept the lobster in the freezer and bring it in to show them. He said my photos I took could have been with other seafood I bought elsewhere! I was so furious as if I would have known all these rules he just said.
They have clearly sold me faulty food, nobody would have known at time of purchase because it's shellfish the goods are behind the shells. I really want to know if I legally deserve a refund or replacement in this matter. Thanks for any comments in advance.
I am also the fitter and the owner,.
If I fitted the sink for another customer I would not have noticed the crack on fitment.
when it was fitted no visible crack was there only after several dirty bowls of water had been poured down the sink did the cracks appear, should I press them further or do I replace myself?
What recourse does she have? i just said to tell them enough is enough as it's been almost half a year and they haven't fixed them and to just go to small claims court to get the money back and the money to fix structural problems that the windows created before it gets worse. Is that an option?
Thanks
The company are claiming that I cannot get a refund, only a replacement as the item was made to measure. Is this true?
From what I read on your page, I would expect that it's car phone warehouse who is responsible to replace the faulty handset despite the scratch on the screen?
Thanks in advance
Please can you tell me what my rights are and am I able to ask for a new mattress without having to pay for another delivery charge.
Thank you
Unhappy
We recently ordered a made to measure bookcase with drawers and a cupboard.
When the designer/salesman initially attended our home, I explained that I wanted a moving shelf inside the cupboard to accommodate the printer. The designer then measured our printer and I requested due to the location of the electric points I wanted the moving shelf to be sited on the bottom of the cupboard, we were assured this was possible and agreed to this.
After the designer supplied a price we placed our order and paid a percentage of the cost of the item.
Within a couple of weeks a surveyor attended our home to match the design/dimensions etc. We noticed that on his plans from the designer that the moving shelf to accommodate the printer was not on the plans he had been supplied with by the company.
We advised him that we had ordered the moving shelf and he said that was not a problem and added to the plan the moving shelf, as we had agreed with the designer.
Prior to the arrival of the fitter, I paid the second instalment of the price.
The fitter duly arrived and constructed the bookcase:cupboard:drawer item.
I was concerned by the size of the cupboard and in the presence of the fitter asked if I could place our printer on the moving shelf to ensure it fitted.
Although our printer fitted on the moving shelf , due to the size of the cupboard when pulling out the moving shelf with our printer on it, the printer could not pass by the hinge of the door of the cupboard.
The fitter suggested moving the moving shelf to sit above the fixed shelf inside the cupboard as no hinge would obstruct the movement of the shelf with our printer on it.
I agreed to this as a remedy to the problem even though it was not what I had agreed with the designer.
The moving shelf was moved and the printer placed onto this shelf. However the moving shelf we then discovered could not move freely as the width of the printer sat heavily on the wheels of the moving shelf.
The fitter immediately contacted the supplying company and advised them of this design fault , and I heard him suggest the best way to remedy the problem would be too discount from the third final payment an amount of money to cover the cost of a smaller printer with the same specifications.
Although the fitter suggested this without discussing it with me or me agreeing to this, I thought it a sensible way to remedy the problem .
I have since spoken to the supplying company who claim that the designer has informed them that the printer had in fact been measured by him but I had agreed that it would be positioned sideways on the moving shelf. I disputed this and advised them that this was untrue.
I had also in the presence of the fitter placed the printer on the moving shelf side on and it didn't fit as it was too long, this in my opinion proves the designer had made an error in his design leading to a cupboard not fit for purpose.
Am I correct therefore that as the cupboard has been made too small too acco
A couple of weeks later we received a letter through the post from the surveyor with an appointment which was totally unsuitable for us so we got in touch and was told that a surveyor could only be arranged on either a morning slot and afternoon slot and no surveys were carried out over the weekend. We got in touch with Anglian who advised us they would look into this and get back to us (they didn't get back to us)
We requested a refund of the £500 deposit (rounabout middle of Feb) as we felt that Anglian were unable to provide a surveyor when it suits us.
To this date every contact made as been by me, not once have Anglian initiated any contact. I have contacted them nearly every week and have been told everytime that it should be sorted out soon ?
I really don't know what I can do next, clearly I would like my £500 refunding.
My last contact with Anglian was yesterday (20/4/16), spoke to a manager who has said that because we have broke out contract we will be subject to paying 25% of the total cost and will not get our deposit back.
My argument is that we didn't cancel within the 'cooling off' period as we were unaware that Anglian didn't carry out surveys during the times that we need one.
I look forward to hearing from in anticipation.
This happend again but warning fault came on unfortunately in Italian the garage said I can't let you drive vehicle as not safe to do so. They gave now had car 40 days still not rectified problem. During this period we decided we did not want vehicle back and wrote to finance company we wanted to hand vehicle back as we felt it was faulty and had no confidence in driving the car. What are my rights ?
However, it turned out wrong blinds which are bigger than my Recess window. When i worried about wrong measurement, they said 1 or 2cm is fine but now those are not fit to my window. So i searched how normally blind marker make Recess blind, it is said they will make deduction for essential install part , which means there will make reduction on the measurement what i gave. I guess that is the reason why they said few cm is fine.
So the reason it is not fit is not my fault and they accepted it and sent factory for reparing. But still no answer even if they promised againly, they will update on this Monday. Just what i want is refund. It make me bother for almost3months for chasing. Can i get it?
In March 2015 the same thing happened again so I contacted acer to explain and once again they said they would pick it up and repair it because it was still in warranty, I stated I didn't want it repairing again in case the same thing happened again and that I would rather have a refund but they said they would only give me a refund if it couldn't be repaired, so they picked it up again and replaced the hard drive again and returned it to me.
Today November 13th 2015 the same thing has happened again. I phoned acer only to be told that there was noting they would do because it is out of warranty!
I find this to be totally out of order, you don't expect a laptop to break down with the same problem in 13 months of purchase.
Is there anything I can do?
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