What are your statutory rights as a UK consumer?
They are the protections the law hands you automatically on every purchase you make from a business. You do not have to ask for them, pay extra for them, or register anything, and a shop cannot take them away in its terms. They come from a handful of Acts:
The laws that give you consumer rights
- Consumer Rights Act 2015 – Your main rights for goods, services, and digital content
- Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 – Rights for online and distance purchases
- Consumer Credit Act 1974 – Section 75 credit card protection
- UK261 Regulation – Flight delay and cancellation compensation
- Package Travel Regulations 2018 – Protection for package holidays
- Consumer Protection Act 1987 – Product safety and liability for defective goods that cause damage
- Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 – Bans misleading and aggressive selling practices
- Sale of Goods Act 1979 - Still the rule for private sales, where only the “as described” duty carries over
Can a shop override your rights with its own policy?
No. A returns policy can be more generous than the law, never less. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 a term or notice is not binding on you if it tries to exclude the trader’s liability for goods that are faulty, not as described or not fit for purpose. So “it’s against our policy” is an answer about the shop, not about your rights.
What a policy can decide is everything the law leaves open: whether you can bring back a perfectly good jumper you have gone cold on, whether you get cash or a credit note, how long the goodwill window runs. Faults are not in that category.
Worth knowing
These rights apply when you buy from a business. In a private sale between two individuals, the Sale of Goods Act 1979 still requires the goods to match the description you were given, but the satisfactory quality and fit for purpose rules do not apply.
What does the Consumer Rights Act 2015 cover?
Three things: goods, services and digital content. It replaced most of the Sale of Goods Act 1979 for consumer purchases, and it is the Act you cite when something you bought turns out to be a dud.
Your rights when you buy goods
Every product you buy from a business must be:
Of satisfactory quality
Free from defects, safe, durable, and of a standard a reasonable person would expect given the price and description.
Fit for purpose
Suitable for any specific purpose you made clear to the seller before buying, as well as its general purpose.
As described
Must match any description given by the seller, on packaging, in advertising, or verbally.
A match for the sample
If you bought based on a sample, the final product must match it in quality and features.
Your rights when you pay for a service
When you pay for a service, it must be:
- Performed with reasonable care and skill
- Completed within a reasonable time (if no time was agreed)
- Charged at a reasonable price (if no price was agreed)
Your rights for digital content
Digital content (apps, games, downloads, streaming) must be:
- Of satisfactory quality
- Fit for purpose
- As described
- Free from defects that would damage your device
How long do you have to return something bought online?
14 days from the day the goods land, for any reason you like or none at all. That comes from the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, which apply to anything bought online, by phone or by mail order, and it sits on top of your Consumer Rights Act protections rather than replacing them. Buy the same item in a shop and you get no such window.
The 14-day cooling-off period
You have the right to cancel most online purchases within 14 days of receiving the goods, for any reason or no reason at all. You don't need to give an explanation.
- • The 14 days start when you receive the goods (not when you order)
- • You have a further 14 days to return the goods after cancelling
- • The seller must refund you within 14 days of receiving the return
- • Basic return shipping costs may be your responsibility
What you cannot send back under the cooling-off period
The 14-day window does not cover:
- • Perishable goods (fresh food, flowers)
- • Sealed goods that have been opened (hygiene products, underwear)
- • Personalised or custom-made items
- • Sealed audio, video, or software if unsealed
- • Newspapers and magazines (except subscriptions)
- • Digital content once download/streaming has started (with consent)
What are your delivery rights?
The parcel is the retailer’s problem until it reaches you, not the courier’s and not yours:
- Goods must be delivered within the agreed timeframe
- If no time agreed, delivery must be within 30 days
- The seller is responsible for the goods until you receive them
- If delivery fails, you can cancel and get a full refund
Not sure your cancellation window is still open? The cooling-off period checker dates it for you, and for a parcel that never turned up the delivery compensation checker works out what the retailer owes.
Can a shop refuse to give you a refund?
Sometimes yes, often no, and the difference comes down to one question: is the item faulty, or did you just change your mind?
If the goods are faulty, not as described or not fit for purpose, the shop cannot refuse. You have a statutory right to reject them and take a full refund inside 30 days, and no returns policy, till sign or store rule changes that. If the goods are fine and you have simply gone off them after buying in person, the shop can refuse, because there is no legal right to return non-faulty goods bought face to face. Anything you get there is goodwill.
Two things shift the balance back to you: buying online gives you 14 days to change your mind whatever the reason, and paying by credit card gives you a second route if the shop digs in. Here is how long each right lasts.
Refund timelines: 30 days, 6 months and after
Within 30 days: the short-term right to reject
If goods are faulty, you can reject them and demand a full refund. The retailer cannot insist on repair or replacement.
30 days to 6 months
The retailer can choose to repair or replace first. If repair/replacement fails or is impossible, you get a full refund. The fault is assumed to have been present at purchase.
After 6 months
You must prove the fault was present at purchase. You may only be entitled to a partial refund (with deduction for use) rather than full refund.
Change of mind vs faulty: the line that decides it
Changed your mind, bought in store
No legal right to return. Whatever the shop offers, store credit or an exchange, is its choice.
Changed your mind, bought online
The 14-day cooling-off period applies, and the refund is full.
Are “no refunds” signs legal?
A sign at the till cannot remove a statutory right. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 a term or notice is not binding on you if it tries to exclude the trader’s liability for goods that are faulty, not as described or not fit for purpose. What a “no refunds” or “no refunds on sale items” notice can lawfully mean is narrower than it sounds: no change-of-mind returns. Point that out, in writing, and most shops move.
Do you need a receipt to get a refund?
No. You need to show you bought the item from that trader, and the receipt is only the most convenient way of doing it. A card or bank statement, an order confirmation email, a delivery note or a loyalty-card record all work just as well. The rights belong to whoever paid, so a gift is normally claimed through the person who bought it.
Who is responsible for faulty goods, the shop or the manufacturer?
The shop that sold it to you. Your contract is with the retailer, so your claim for a refund, repair or replacement goes to them, and a retailer that tells you to take it up with the manufacturer is passing the buck.
A manufacturer’s guarantee or warranty sits on top of that as an extra, voluntary promise. Use it if it is faster or covers more, but it is your choice, and it never replaces your statutory rights or shortens them once it expires.
What counts as faulty?
A product is legally faulty if it:
- Doesn't work or has defects
- Is unsafe or doesn't meet safety standards
- Doesn't match the description or sample
- Isn't fit for its normal purpose or a purpose you specified
- Doesn't last a reasonable amount of time
What can you ask for, and when?
| Timeframe | Your Rights | Burden of Proof |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30 days | Full refund on demand | On seller |
| 30 days - 6 months | Repair or replace first, then refund | On seller |
| 6 months + | Repair or replace, partial refund possible | On buyer |
How long do goods have to last?
The law sets no fixed lifespan. Goods have to last a reasonable time given what they are, what you paid and what the seller claimed about them, which is why a £1,500 fridge is held to a different standard than a £40 kettle. A manufacturer’s one-year warranty running out does not mean your rights have.
The outer limit is how long you have to bring a court claim: 6 years in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, 5 years in Scotland. That is not 6 years of guaranteed cover, though. Past the first 6 months the burden flips to you, so you need evidence, usually an engineer’s report, that the fault was built in rather than caused by wear or by you.
What if a service was done badly?
If a service wasn't performed with reasonable care and skill:
- 1.The business must repeat the service at no extra cost
- 2.If repeat isn't possible, you're entitled to a price reduction
- 3.Price reduction can be up to 100% (full refund) in serious cases
Still in warranty, or only just out? Check your warranty dates before you accept a shop’s word for it.
What are your rights when a flight is delayed?
UK261, the retained UK version of EU Regulation EC261/2004, gives you a fixed cash payment for delays of 3 hours or more, cancellations and denied boarding. It is a flat rate by distance, not a refund of what you paid, and you can claim it on top of any refund you are owed.
To put a number on your own flight, use the flight delay compensation calculator, which checks the route, the delay and the airline’s excuse for you.
When can you claim?
UK261 applies to flights:
- Departing from a UK airport (any airline)
- Arriving in the UK from outside the UK (UK or EU carrier only)
How much is it worth?
£220
Flights under 1,500km
£350
Flights 1,500km - 3,500km
£520
Flights over 3,500km
Which situations qualify?
- Flight delayed by 3 hours or more at arrival
- Flight cancelled with less than 14 days' notice
- Denied boarding due to overbooking
- Missed connection causing 3+ hour delay (same booking)
When the airline can refuse to pay
Airlines don't have to pay compensation if the disruption was caused by "extraordinary circumstances" outside their control:
- • Severe weather conditions
- • Air traffic control restrictions
- • Security threats or political instability
- • Bird strikes
Note: Technical faults and staff strikes are generally NOT extraordinary circumstances.
How long do you have to claim?
In England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, you have 6 years to make a claim. In Scotland, you have 5 years.
When can you claim from your credit card company?
When you paid by credit card, the purchase cost between £100 and £30,000, and the retailer has broken the contract or misled you. Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 makes your card provider jointly liable with the retailer, which means a shop refusing to help is no longer the end of the road.
The Section 75 checker tells you in a minute whether your purchase qualifies, and the chargeback letter generator covers you if you paid by debit card instead.
How it works
If you pay for something (or even just a deposit) using a credit card and something goes wrong, you can claim from your credit card company instead of (or as well as) the retailer.
This is especially valuable when a company goes bust, or refuses to respond to your complaint.
What has to be true
- Item/service cost between £100 and £30,000
- Paid (at least partially) by credit card (not debit card)
- There's been a breach of contract or misrepresentation
Section 75 vs chargeback
| Feature | Section 75 | Chargeback |
|---|---|---|
| Legal basis | Statutory right | Card network rules |
| Card type | Credit cards only | Credit & debit cards |
| Minimum value | £100 | No minimum |
| Time limit | 6 years | 120 days typically |
| Claim amount | Full loss (not just amount paid) | Amount paid only |
How do you write a complaint a company cannot ignore?
A well-structured complaint dramatically increases your chances of success. Follow these steps:
Gather your evidence
Collect receipts, order confirmations, photos of faults, screenshots of communications, and any other relevant documents.
Contact the right person
Start with customer service, but be prepared to escalate to the complaints department or management. Written complaints (email) create a paper trail.
State the law
Reference the specific consumer protection law that applies. This shows you know your rights and aren't making unreasonable demands.
Be clear about what you want
State exactly what resolution you're seeking: full refund, repair, replacement, or compensation.
Set a deadline
Give a reasonable deadline (14 days is standard) and state what you'll do if they don't respond (e.g., escalate to ombudsman).
Phrases worth using word for word
- "Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, goods must be..."
- "I am exercising my statutory right to a full refund..."
- "This constitutes a breach of contract because..."
- "Please respond within 14 days, failing which I will escalate to..."
- "I reserve my right to pursue this matter through the small claims court..."
Who do you complain to if a company ignores you?
An ombudsman, in most cases, and it costs you nothing. The sector regulators are the common wrong turn: Ofgem, Ofcom and the FCA set the rules and fine companies for systemic failures, but none of them will settle your individual dispute. The ombudsman or ADR scheme for that sector does, usually once the company has had 8 weeks or has sent you a final response.
Shops are the exception. Retail has no ombudsman at all, so there the ladder runs Section 75 or chargeback, then Trading Standards through Citizens Advice, then the small claims court. Not sure which scheme covers you? The ombudsman finder matches your complaint to the right one.
The main ombudsman and ADR schemes
Financial Ombudsman Service
Banks, credit cards, loans, insurance, investments
financial-ombudsman.org.ukHow to escalate to the Financial OmbudsmanEnergy Ombudsman
Gas and electricity suppliers
energyombudsman.orgHow to escalate to the Energy OmbudsmanCommunications Ombudsman (CISAS/Ombudsman Services)
Phone, broadband, TV providers
cedr.com/consumer/cisasHow to escalate a broadband or mobile complaintAviation ADR (AviationADR or CEDR)
Flight delays, cancellations and airline complaints. There is no single airline ombudsman: the CAA approves the ADR schemes that decide individual cases.
caa.co.uk/passengersHow to escalate a flight complaint with aviation ADRWhat about the small claims court?
If an ombudsman can't help or doesn't cover your issue, you can take the matter to small claims court:
- England & Wales: Claims up to £10,000
- Scotland: Simple Procedure for claims up to £5,000
- Northern Ireland: Small claims up to £3,000
Court fees vary by claim value. You don't need a lawyer for small claims, and hearings are informal.