Consumer Rights Act 2015
The Consumer Rights Act 2015 is the main piece of legislation protecting consumers in the UK when buying goods, digital content, and services. It provides that goods must be of satisfactory quality, fit for purpose, and as described; services must be performed with reasonable care and skill. Consumers have a short-term right to reject faulty goods within 30 days, and further rights to repair, replacement, or price reduction after that.
The Consumer Rights Act 2015 consolidated and modernised consumer law across three categories. For goods: the 30-day short-term right to reject a faulty item gives a full refund; after 30 days but within six months, the burden of proof reverses — the trader must show the fault did not exist at the time of sale; if one repair or replacement fails, the final right to reject allows a refund (though the trader can make a deduction for use after the first six months). For services: if performed with less than reasonable care and skill, you can require the trader to redo the service at no extra cost or, if that is not possible, get a price reduction. For digital content (including software and streaming): the same quality standards apply, and the trader must repair or replace defective content — this was a significant new right in 2015 that codified protection for downloaded products.
What it means in practice. Your rights are against the retailer who sold you the goods, not the manufacturer, and they are not affected by the length of any warranty. A manufacturer's twelve-month guarantee is an extra, freely given promise; it does not shorten the statutory rights, which run for up to six years in England and Wales (five in Scotland) subject to what is reasonable for that kind of product. The Act also strikes out unfair contract terms, so a sign saying "no refunds" or "goods sold as seen" cannot remove rights the statute gives you.
A worked example. Owen buys a £700 washing machine. It fails after five months. Because the fault appeared within six months, the law presumes it was there at the time of sale unless the retailer can prove otherwise, so it is for the retailer to arrange a free repair or replacement. The retailer repairs it, and it fails again two months later. Having had one failed attempt at repair, Owen now exercises the final right to reject and receives a refund, from which the retailer may make a modest deduction for the use he has had.
Common pitfalls. Going to the manufacturer first is the classic detour — it is often quicker, but the legal duty sits with the retailer. People also miss the 30-day window for a full refund, which is short and starts from delivery. And paying by credit card for anything between £100 and £30,000 gives you an additional claim against the card provider under section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974, which is invaluable if the retailer goes out of business.
How it relates to other terms. Where a retailer refuses to comply, the escalation route is its ADR scheme once you hold a final response letter, or an ombudsman in a regulated sector, and failing that the small claims court. Trading Standards enforce the Act but do not obtain refunds for individuals — that is the same regulator-versus-redress distinction described under regulatory body.
What to do next. Identify which remedy applies using our Consumer Rights Act overview, then follow faulty goods and refunds to put the claim to the retailer in writing. If you are returning something that is not faulty, returns and cancellation rights explains the different rules that apply.
Related guides
Consumer Rights Act 2015 Overview
The Consumer Rights Act 2015 (CRA 2015) is the cornerstone of UK consumer law. It consolidates and updates rights around goods, services, and digital content, giving you clear remedies when something you buy fails to meet the required standard — from a faulty product you can reject within 30 days to a tradesperson whose work was not carried out with reasonable skill and care.
6 min
Refunds for Faulty Goods
When something you buy from a retailer turns out to be faulty, you have a clear legal right to a remedy under the Consumer Rights Act 2015. The nature of the remedy — full refund, repair, replacement, or price reduction — depends on how quickly you act and what stage the fault is discovered. This guide walks through each stage.
6 min
Consumer Rights and Returns
This guide focuses on your legal rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 and the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 — the specific statutory entitlements that apply regardless of any retailer policy. Many people are unsure about their returns rights — some retailers suggest that returns are a privilege rather than a right. In fact, UK law gives you strong statutory rights to return goods that are faulty and to cancel most online purchases within 14 days even if there is nothing wrong with them. For the step-by-step complaint process, see our <a href="/complaints-ombudsmen/retail-complaints">retail complaints guide</a>. For dangerous or defective products, see our <a href="/complaints-ombudsmen/faulty-goods-complaints">faulty goods guide</a>.
5 min