Just a heads up. The Consumer Rights Act comes into force from 1st October 2015 and all purchases from this date onwards will be governed by this legislation.
The Act retains the Sale of Goods Act's definitions in terms of quality and fitness for purpose, but its main function is to specify detailed options when something goes wrong. What you can claim depends on how much time has passed since you made the purchase. In a nutshell, the Consumer Rights Act introduces:
Rejecting faulty goods: for the first time a specific period has been introduced during which you can reject a faulty item and get a full refund. What you can claim depends on how much time has passed since you made the purchase.
Your rights to a refund are clearly set out. Whether you're entitled to a refund depends on how long you've owned the product or the nature of the service you've received.
After one failed attempt by the retailer to repair or replace a faulty product, you're entitled to ask for a refund or price reduction for the use you've already had.
A second repair or replacement. If you don't want a refund or price reduction, you have the right to request another repair or replacement at no cost to you.
No deduction can be made from a refund in the first six months after purchase. The only exception to this is motor vehicles, where a reasonable reduction may be made for the use you’ve had of the vehicle.
This new law applies to digital content that is paid for, digital content supplied free with other paid for items and digital content supplied on a physical medium, such as a DVD.
Changes to unfair terms in contracts mean the main elements of the contract and the price must be brought to your attention.
The Consumer Rights Act states that if a retailer provides pre-contract information in relation to a service and the consumer takes this information into account, the service must comply with that information.
