Consumer rights
It’s happened to all of us at some point. You’ve seen that perfect something, the description on the box makes you realise it’s going to answer all your dreams, but you get home to find a part missing and it doesn’t work. Frustrating, especially if you’ve saved up for ages! That doesn’t have to be the end of it though. When you buy something from a shop or even the internet and there’s something wrong with it then you have a right to do something about it. It doesn’t mean that you can return something because now you’ve decided that buying the same top in every colour was not the best idea!
There is a big piece of law which covers consumers against situations like this including;
The Sale of Goods Act 1979 – this is the original law covering consumers, but obviously a lot has moved on since 1979 so amendments have been made and the next three pieces of legislation make sure consumers are well covered in the modern-day shopping experience!
The Sale and Supply of Goods Act 1994
The Sale of Goods Amendment Act 1995
The Sale and Supply of Goods to Consumers Regulations 2002
There are three main areas of protection;
The goods must be ‘of satisfactory quality’. The quality of goods includes their appearance, safety, whether they have any faults and how long they last.
The goods must be ‘fit for purpose’. They must do what the supplier says they will do.
The goods are ‘as described’. Adverts and product descriptions must be accurate.
You have no grounds for complaint if;
You were told about the fault before you bought the goods.
You checked the goods and should have noticed the fault
You damaged the goods yourself
You bought the goods by mistake
You have changed your mind……you’ll have to make room in our wardrobe for all those tops afterall!
So, if you have reason to make a complaint, what happens next?
You will need to return the goods to the retailer. You should do this as soon as possible. You often have a timeframe in which you can return things - most shops say 28 days. If you have not complained within this timeframe you will be seen to have ‘accepted’ the goods and you may not be given a full refund. If you do return the goods in time you are legally entitled to a full refund.
If you return the goods after some time, you may be offered the cost of a repair. If the fault can’t be corrected or it would cost a fortune to do so, then you may be able to claim suitable compensation.
You have the right to ask for a repair or replacement as long as it doesn’t cost more than you paid for the item.