Returning Faulty Goods Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015

When something you buy breaks, stops working, or was never right in the first place, you are not at the mercy of a shop's "policy". UK consumers have powerful statutory rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 (CRA). This guide walks through exactly what those rights are, the deadlines that matter, who you actually claim against, and how to put your complaint in writing so you get results.

1. The three basic guarantees

Under the CRA, every item sold to a consumer by a business must meet three standards (sections 9–11):

• Satisfactory quality – it must work, look and last as a reasonable person would expect, taking account of its description, price and any public statement the seller made.
• Fit for purpose – it must do what the seller said it would, and any particular purpose you made clear to them.
• As described – it must match the description, model and any sample or demonstration you were shown.

If it fails any of these, it is a breach of your statutory rights, and the trader is liable — regardless of their own returns policy or any manufacturer's warranty.

2. The first 30 days: short-term right to reject

Within 30 days of taking ownership (or delivery, if later), you have a short-term right to reject the goods (section 22) and claim a full refund. The refund goes back to your original payment method — if you paid by card, it goes back to that card; if by finance, to the lender.

The 30 days is a right to reject, not a "cooling-off" period for changing your mind (that is a different rule for distance/online sales). It runs from when you own the goods, which for most in-store sales is collection, and for online orders is delivery. For perishable or rapidly depreciating items the period reflects that.

3. 30 days to 6 months: repair or replace first

Once the 30-day window closes, you lose the automatic right to a refund. Instead (sections 23), the trader gets one attempt at a repair or replacement, and you choose which — unless one is impossible or disproportionately costly.

• If the repair or replacement fails, is late, or causes significant inconvenience, you can then claim a price reduction (up to 100%) or exercise a final right to reject for a refund.
• You must give the trader a reasonable time and one chance — not unlimited goes.

Crucially, for the first six months, the law presumes the fault existed at the time of purchase (section 23(3)). The trader must prove otherwise. This means you do not have to show when the fault started — that burden is on them.

4. After 6 months: proving the fault

Beyond six months, the burden of proof shifts to you (section 24). To get a remedy you must show, on the balance of probabilities, that the fault was present (or inherent) when the goods were supplied. Evidence that helps:

• An independent engineer's report or diagnostic.
• A pattern of the same fault affecting the model (recall notices, forum threads, your consumer-rights guide).
• Expert evidence for complex items.

This does not remove your rights — it just means you need to bring proof. Even after 6 months you can still claim a repair, replacement or price reduction if you can evidence an inherent fault.

5. Who do you claim against?

Your contract is with the retailer – the business you paid. You do not have to (and usually should not) chase the manufacturer for your statutory remedy, however tempting their helpline is. The manufacturer's warranty is a separate, additional promise; it does not replace your CRA rights. If the retailer sends you to the maker, you can insist the retailer deals with it.

Private sellers (eBay Gumtree-style sales between individuals) are different: the only statutory protection is that goods must be "as described". There is no satisfactory-quality or fitness guarantee — unless the "private" seller is actually a dealer trading as a consumer to dodge the rules (a "trade-in-disguise"), in which case the CRA still applies. If you paid via a credit card or finance, you may also have a claim against the lender under section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act.

6. Faulty digital content and downloads

The CRA covers digital content too (sections 34–39): apps, software, games, streaming, and digital files must be of satisfactory quality, fit for purpose and as described. If a download is faulty, you are entitled to a repair or replacement; if that is impossible, a price reduction (which for paid content is a refund). If faulty digital content damages your device, you can claim compensation for that damage too. See our consumer-rights overview for how this links to your other remedies.

7. Second-hand and sale goods

Buying from a business – even a charity shop, auction house acting as a business, or a "used" dealer – still gives CRA protection. The standard is "satisfactory quality for the age, price and description". A second-hand laptop should work, but you cannot expect it to be flawless. A sale item has exactly the same rights as a full-price one; "all sales final" signs do not override the law.

8. Refund amounts, deductions and time limits

• Within 30 days (reject): full refund, no deduction.
• Final right to reject after 30 days: the trader may make a deduction for use reflecting the value you had from the goods.
• Time limits to claim: you can bring a claim up to 6 years from supply in England/Wales (5 in Scotland), even though the strong presumptions only apply in the first 6 months.
• Speed of refund: the CRA says the trader must refund "without undue delay and in any event within 14 days" of the supplier agreeing the goods are faulty (for rejection) — though in practice a refund following repair/replacement follows the same prompt standard.

9. Write the complaint (and get it right)

A clear, dated, written complaint gets faster results than a shout at the counter. State: what you bought, when, the fault, which right you are relying on, and the remedy you want (refund, repair or replacement). Keep copies. If the retailer refuses, your next steps are a letter before action, then alternative dispute resolution or the small-claims route.

You do not have to draft this from scratch. Our generator turns your facts into a tailored, correctly-worded Consumer Rights Complaint letter in minutes — then you send it and keep the receipt.