The Consumer Rights Act

Additional rights for consumers when they make a complaint

Guide

Customers who are also consumers and not other traders have additional rights. These rights last for up to six years after the sale.

Consumers are entitled to ask for either a repair or a replacement in addition to their right to a refund.

If they ask for a repair or replacement you should honour their request. But if it's impossible or disproportionately expensive to repair a product, you can offer a replacement instead.

Partial or full refund

If neither repair nor replacement are practical options, you can offer a partial or full refund if this would be cheaper for the business. When you're considering whether to give a full or partial refund, you can take into account the benefits the consumer has gained since they bought the goods.

Dispute a claim

If you want to dispute a claim by a consumer for a repair or replacement, remember that for the first six months it's up to you to prove that the fault was not present at the time of the sale. However, after six months it's up to the consumer to prove that the goods were faulty when sold.

If a consumer complains about the service you have provided then you should offer a repair or appropriate compensation.