Your 30-day golden window
Good news if your new TV develops a fault within the first 30 days. The Consumer Rights Act 2015 entitles you to a full refund during this period - no questions asked. The retailer must give you your money back and can't insist on a repair or replacement instead. Just remember to keep your receipt or proof of purchase, as you'll need this when making your claim.
If you're unsure about your specific rights based on when the fault appeared, you can quickly check your legal position using our free Faulty Goods Rights Checker.
After 30 days but within 6 months
Between 30 days and 6 months, you're still protected, though the rules change slightly. During this period, any fault is automatically assumed to have been there when you bought the TV, unless the retailer can prove otherwise. This puts the burden of proof on them, not you.
However, the retailer now gets first choice on whether to repair or replace your faulty TV. They'll usually opt for whichever costs them less. But here's the thing - if the repair fails, takes longer than a few weeks, or they can't fix it after one attempt, you can then demand a replacement or partial refund. What counts as reasonable depends on the fault, but waiting more than 14-21 days for a simple repair would typically be considered excessive.
Find out your legal rights on a faulty product in less than a minute.
Try our Faulty Goods Rights Checker free, here on this site →The 6-month hurdle
After six months, the burden of proof shifts to you. You'll need to demonstrate that the fault existed when you bought the TV, which can prove challenging. An independent TV engineer's report typically costs £50-100 and may be necessary to support your case.
Your rights don't end at six months though. Under the Consumer Rights Act, goods should last a reasonable length of time. For a £500 television, 5-6 years isn't an unreasonable expectation. Retailers sometimes dispute this, but don't give up. Before heading to small claims court (which costs £35-80 to file online), consider free alternative dispute resolution services that many retailers belong to.
Your situation may be slightly different. ask a question below ↓ and our editorial team will reply with our advice.
Don't forget manufacturer warranties
Beyond your statutory rights, check what the manufacturer offers. Samsung, LG, and Sony typically provide 1-2 year warranties as standard, with premium models sometimes covered for up to 5 years. These warranties are in addition to your legal rights, not instead of them. Register your TV when you buy it - the process takes minutes and could save you hundreds later.
Bought online? You have extra protection
Online purchases come with additional safeguards under the Consumer Contracts Regulations. You generally have 14 days to return items for any reason, though this doesn't apply to TVs if you've removed them from sealed packaging.
Different retailers offer enhanced protection too. John Lewis provides 2-year guarantees on many TVs as standard, while Amazon's A-to-Z guarantee can resolve disputes quickly. Currys and other major retailers have their own policies that sometimes exceed your basic statutory rights.
Citizens Advice offers excellent template letters for formal complaints and their consumer helpline (0808 223 1133) provides free guidance. When dealing with retailers, stay firm but polite - you'll often get better results than by being confrontational. Document everything: keep emails, take notes of phone calls, and photograph any faults. These records strengthen your position if you need to escalate your complaint.
If goods have not lasted for a few years (up to 6 years depending on the price paid) then it is a manufacturer’s inherent fault (component has not lasted as long as expected), therefore, we are entitled to a remedy by law.
The remedy will be either a free repair, or a refund taking into account usage.
The retailer is entitled after six months to ask us to prove it is an inherent fault, ie we have not damaged it.
This could be an expert report.
However, if the expert reports states that we have not caused the fault, then we would be entitled to the remedy, plus any out-of-pocket expenses including the report costs.
If remedy is refused, then the retailer is in breach of contract which is breaking the law.
Therefore, we will be entitled to take the retailer to the small claim court.
The retailer is not entitled to ask us to get an uplift code etc, as this will have nothing to do with the manufacture.
Nowhere in the consumer rights act 2015, does it state you need to go to the manufacturer for an uplift code. If they insist, then get them to quote the consumer rights act section that states you need to go to the manufacture for an uplift code as by law you don’t need to give any uplift codes.
If the retailer states it's their policy, then state their policy does not override our statuary right under the consumer right act 2015.
A lot of retailer's state "sorry there is nothing we can do as the warranty has expired".
By stating that, they are in breach of contract as they are denying us our statuary rights.
We only have a contract with the retailer so they can't by law fob us off by telling us to contact the manufacture. If they do they are only trying it on so jerk their responsibilities to save them money (most likely, as relying on we don't know consumer law) or they are ignorant to the law!
If the retailer still refuses to sort the issue out after a year, then the options left are to go to the small claims court, or if purchased with a credit card and the goods are over £100 then do a section 75 claim for the retailer being in breach of contract. When doing the section 75claim you must quote "breach of contract". the claim could be denied for the first time just to save the credit card company money. My advice would be don't take no for an answer. Keep pushing for the section 75 claim. The credit card company are within their right to deduct reasonable usage.
Is there anything I can do.
One breaking fair enough but 2 that isn't right at all.
If anyone can help.
Neither Tesco or Toshiba want to help.
Backlights have failed. I agreed to pay £150 to have LG repair it.
Sent away and then returned-lights fixed but remote didn’t work.
Sent away again and this time they returned it with the screen smashed and frame completely snapped.
Purchased through Argos card and although the purchase is on my account there is no detail of the transaction. LG have refused to accept anything Argos send them as proof of purchase, won’t do anything until they have proof of purchase.
Ultimately I’ve paid £150 for them to break my tv
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