Do you know your rights when it comes to shopping? Can you really not claim for a refund on a product if you don’t have a receipt? And do you have to put up with poor service? I’ve taken a look at some consumer rights to help you answer these, and more questions, and you might be surprised by my findings!
Faulty Goods
If your item is not meet the basic standards of the Sale of Goods Act 1979 then you are well within your rights to ask for a refund. You can also ask for a refund on sale items, but if the fault was already pointed out to you prior to purchase then you will not be able to get your money back.
There is also a good chance that you are able to get this refund even if it beyond the usual 30-day returns period. Most manufacturers like to avoid trouble, so will help if they can.
Warranty and Guarantees
It is recommended that you purchase insurance with any electronic items, or make the most of the free warranty offer from the manufacturer. It can be difficult to claim, as you need to often prove you didn’t cause the damage yourself. Every guarantee is also different – you may be entitled to a replacement, only a repair or nothing at all. Always check the small print before you take anything out.
No receipt
If you have lost your receipt you can still claim a refund as long as you have proof of purchase such as a credit card statement. It is always worth keeping every monthly bank/credit card statement just in case a situation arises. Also get on online banking if you aren’t already – your unlimited records are all there in one place.
Change of mind
Although retailers have no legal obligation to refund your money if nothing is wrong with an item, they usually will as gesture of goodwill. If you bought it from an independent shop, they have their own return guidelines you must follow before looking at manufacturer rules.
If you bought it online, you automatically have a 14 day cooling off period. This is because you hadn’t seen the product before (unless it was made to order or bespoke). There is no guarantee that a company will give you what you want, so always inquire and know the limits first.
Poor service
Advice from the Government states that you should complain about poor service if no reasonable care was given when the job was being undertaken.
If you aren’t happy with the service you have received, the law states that you should first ask them to do it again, if possible, before you make any official complaints. If it isn’t possible to get it done again, would take too long, or would inconvenience you, you may be able to come to another agreement if you’re happy with the offer.
If the company offer you a discount rather than redoing the service, you may be required to accept this as opposed taking it further. Notice the problem long after the work has been done? You are entitled to claim up to 6 years after the event in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and 5 in Scotland.
If you have complained and the situation has not been dealt with in a way which you feel appropriate, you can complain to an Ombudsman. This is somebody who investigated complaints about a company from a ‘middle-man’ perspective. There are different ombudsmen for different industries, so check here at the Ombudsman Association if you are encountering an issue.
Full rules can be found at the Citizens Advice website.
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