Whenever you buy goods from a business — in a shop, online or over the phone —
the Consumer Rights Act 2015 treats three promises as built into your
contract. The goods must be of satisfactory quality (the
standard a reasonable person would expect for the price),
fit for any particular purpose you made known to the seller,
and as described, including any model or sample you were
shown. These rights are against the retailer who sold you the item — not the
manufacturer — so that’s who you claim from.

Your remedies, in order

If goods fall short, the Act gives you a clear sequence of remedies:

  • The first 30 days — reject for a full refund. This
    short-term right to reject lets you hand faulty goods back and get all your
    money back. The 30 days runs from when you took ownership (less for
    perishables).
  • After 30 days — a repair or replacement. The trader must
    sort it within a reasonable time, without significant inconvenience, and
    cover any costs like postage.
  • If that fails — a price reduction or a refund. Where a
    repair or replacement doesn’t fix things, you can keep the goods for a lower
    price or reject them (a refund may be reduced for use after the first six
    months).

A key protection sits behind all of this: if a fault shows up in the
first six months, the law assumes it was there from the
start, so it’s the trader — not you — who has to prove otherwise. You
generally have up to six years to bring a claim (five in Scotland).

A worked example

You buy a washing machine online and three weeks later it won’t spin. Because
you’re inside 30 days, you can reject it for a full refund — you don’t have to
accept a repair. If the same fault appeared at four months, you’d be entitled
to a repair or replacement, and the retailer couldn’t demand you prove the
fault was there from the start.

Common questions

How long do I have to reject faulty goods?

Thirty days for a full refund; after that you move to a repair or replacement.

Can the shop send me to the manufacturer?

No — your claim is against the retailer that sold you the item.

Do I need the original packaging?

No. You may need proof of purchase, but a receipt isn’t the only acceptable
evidence — a bank statement works.

What to do next

Put your complaint to the retailer in writing. If they refuse a remedy you’re
entitled to, see Legal claims for how to
escalate, and check the company in our
Complaints Directory. If you paid by card,
Section 75 or chargeback
may also help.

Sources

Consumer Rights Act 2015, ss. 9–11 (quality rights), 19 (six-month
presumption), 20–24 (remedies) — legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2015/15; Citizens
Advice, “Return faulty goods”. Reviewed: 3 September 2026.