The Consumer Rights Act

The Consumer Rights Act 2015 is the main law helping buyers when their purchases 'go wrong'. If you sell goods or services, it's important to understand the Act and your legal duties.

Sale of goods

Consumer rights when buying goods include:

• Consumers have 30 days to reject a faulty item and ask for a refund.
• Traders get one chance to repair or replace a faulty item before the consumer can ask for a full or partial refund.
• Goods must also be installed correctly if that is part of the contract.
• Traders may have to pay compensation to consumers for any losses they may have suffered because of faulty goods.

Provision of services

When selling services, your duties include:

• Traders must provide services: with reasonable care and skill; at reasonable cost; and within reasonable time.
• If a service is unsatisfactory, the trader is obliged to carry out the service again free of charge or to give a price reduction. Where the service cannot be repeated (e.g. wedding photography) the trader may have to give a price reduction. This may be up to 100% of the total cost.

Digital downloads

The law sets out specific rules for selling digital content such as e-books, phone apps, downloaded computer software or games, streamed films or music etc. The rules state: 

• Any digital content you sell must be: of satisfactory quality; fit for a particular purpose; and as described.
• If you sell faulty digital content, you may have to provide a repair, replacement, price reduction or refund.
• Occasionally, a digital content purchase can corrupt the operating system, device or other content such as photos. In those instances the trader is obliged to repair the damaged equipment or content or pay compensation even if the content was a free download.

Unfair contracts

These provisions make it easier for consumers to challenge unfair contracts, including hidden charges.

Terms that unfairly disadvantage a consumer are not legally binding.