UK Consumer Rights Act Refunds: A Practical Guide for 2026/27
The Consumer Rights Act 2015 is the main law protecting UK shoppers when goods, services or digital content go wrong, but its layered timeline of remedies — a 30-day right to reject, a six-month reversed burden of proof, and a six-year overall claim window — confuses many consumers and, occasionally, retailers themselves. This pillar guide explains each stage in detail, what counts as satisfactory quality, how services and digital content are covered separately, how Section 75 and chargeback fit alongside the Act, and exactly how to escalate a dispute when a retailer refuses to play fair.
The Consumer Rights Act 2015 gives consumers a short-term right to reject faulty goods for a full refund within 30 days of delivery (or from installation, for goods that require it). Within this window, the consumer does not have to accept a repair or replacement first — if the goods are faulty (not of satisfactory quality, not fit for purpose, or not as described), a full refund can be demanded outright.
This is deliberately a bright-line rule to give consumers certainty in the early period after a purchase, when a fault is most likely to reflect a manufacturing or supply issue rather than wear from use. Perishable goods effectively have a shorter practical window given their nature, though the legal 30-day period is the same.
Once the 30 days have passed, this automatic right to an outright refund ends, and the consumer's primary remedies shift to repair or replacement.
Day 31 to Six Months
Between day 31 and six months from delivery, the trader can choose between offering a repair or a replacement (the consumer can express a preference and the trader must consider whether it would be disproportionate to refuse it). The key protection during this period is a reversed burden of proof: any fault is legally presumed to have existed at the time of delivery unless the trader can prove otherwise — the consumer does not have to prove the fault was inherent.
If a repair or replacement fails to resolve the problem, is not completed within a reasonable time, or causes significant inconvenience, the consumer becomes entitled to a refund. Within the first six months, a failed first repair attempt typically results in a full refund with no deduction for use; later attempts or later time periods can see a reasonable deduction applied to reflect use already had from the goods.
After Six Months
Once six months have passed since delivery, the burden of proof reverses back to the consumer, who must now show the fault existed at the time of purchase rather than arising later through wear, misuse or an unrelated cause — often demonstrated through an independent engineer's report for higher-value or technical items. The overall time limit to bring a claim under the Act is six years from purchase in England, Wales and Northern Ireland (five years from discovery of the fault in Scotland), though claims naturally become harder to prove — and therefore less likely to succeed — the longer they are left.
Satisfactory Quality
Goods must be of satisfactory quality, fit for their intended purpose and as described. Satisfactory quality is judged against price, description and what a reasonable person would expect — a low-cost item is not judged to the same standard as a premium one, but even budget goods must be safe, durable, free from significant defects and fit for ordinary use. A breach can arise from a functional fault, from premature failure relative to a reasonable expected lifespan, or from the product not matching its advertised specification.
Rights for Services
Services bought from a trader must be carried out with reasonable care and skill, within a reasonable time if none was agreed, and for a reasonable price if none was agreed. Where a service is substandard — a botched repair, a poorly executed renovation, a service delivered late without good reason — the consumer is entitled to have it redone at no extra cost where that is possible, or to a price reduction if a repeat performance is not possible or has already failed. There is no equivalent fixed 30-day window for services as there is for goods, but the general six-year claim time limit still applies.
Faulty Digital Content
Digital content — downloaded software, apps, games, ebooks, streamed media and similar — is covered separately and must also be of satisfactory quality, fit for purpose and as described. If faulty digital content cannot be repaired or replaced within a reasonable time, the consumer is entitled to a price reduction or, for content costing £100 or less, a full refund. If faulty digital content damages a device or other digital content — for example a corrupted download that breaks existing software — the trader must repair the damage or compensate the consumer, provided the consumer used reasonable care and followed the trader's instructions.
Private Sales Are Different
The Consumer Rights Act only applies to purchases from a trader acting in the course of business — not to private sales between individuals, such as classified adverts or sales by a private individual on a marketplace platform. Private sales instead fall under the more limited Sale of Goods Act protections (broadly, goods must match their description and the seller must have the legal right to sell them), offering far less recourse than a purchase from a business seller, which retains full Consumer Rights Act protection even when made through the same online marketplace.
Section 75 and Chargeback
Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 makes a credit card provider jointly and severally liable with the retailer for purchases between £100 and £30,000, giving the consumer a direct route to claim against the card provider if the retailer will not help, has ceased trading, or cannot be reached — a valuable backstop that exists alongside, not instead of, a Consumer Rights Act claim against the retailer.
Chargeback is a separate, voluntary scheme operated by card payment networks, available for both debit and credit cards with no minimum transaction value (though usually time-limited to around 120 days from the transaction), allowing a bank to reverse a disputed payment in defined circumstances. Both routes complement the underlying legal claim against the retailer rather than replacing it.
Escalating a Dispute
If a retailer refuses a legitimate claim, put the complaint in writing citing the Consumer Rights Act 2015 and the specific remedy sought. If that fails, options include a Section 75 claim (credit card, qualifying value), a chargeback request (debit or credit card), a free Alternative Dispute Resolution scheme where the retailer is a member (common in travel, energy and parts of retail), or — as a last resort — a small claims track claim in the county court, designed to be usable without a solicitor for claims typically up to £10,000 in England and Wales. Citizens Advice and the Competition and Markets Authority both offer free guidance throughout the process.
Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, a consumer who buys faulty goods has 30 days from the date of delivery (or, for goods requiring installation, from installation) to reject the item outright and demand a full refund, without needing to accept a repair or replacement first. This 30-day window is a clear, easy-to-apply rule — the goods simply need to be faulty (not of satisfactory quality, not fit for purpose, or not as described) within that period, and the trader cannot insist on a repair attempt before giving a refund. Perishable goods have a shorter effective window given their nature. After 30 days, the right to an automatic full refund ends and the remedies shift to repair or replacement first.
What happens after the first 30 days but within six months?
Between day 31 and six months from delivery, the consumer's primary remedies are a repair or a replacement, chosen by the trader if both are reasonably possible (the consumer can express a preference, and the trader must consider whether it is disproportionate to refuse). Crucially, during this period the burden of proof is reversed in the consumer's favour: any fault that appears is legally presumed to have been present at the time of delivery unless the retailer can prove otherwise. If a repair or replacement does not fix the problem, or is not provided within a reasonable time or without significant inconvenience, the consumer becomes entitled to a refund, which can be reduced to account for use already had from the goods (except in the first six months, where a first failed repair attempt typically leads to a full refund with no deduction).
What changes after six months?
After six months from delivery, the burden of proof reverses back to the consumer — they must show that the fault was present at the time of purchase (rather than caused by later wear, misuse or an unrelated event) to bring a successful claim. This is often demonstrated through an independent inspection or engineer's report, particularly for higher-value or technical goods. The overall time limit to bring any claim under the Consumer Rights Act is six years from the date of purchase in England, Wales and Northern Ireland (five years from discovering the fault in Scotland), though the practical likelihood of success generally declines the longer a claim is left, since proving a pre-existing fault becomes harder with age and use.
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What counts as goods not being of satisfactory quality?
Goods must be of satisfactory quality, fit for their intended purpose, and as described. Satisfactory quality takes into account the price paid, the description, and what a reasonable person would expect — a budget item is not held to the same standard as a premium one, but even budget goods must be free from significant faults, safe, durable and fit for normal use. Minor cosmetic imperfections not disclosed at the point of sale, goods that stop working prematurely relative to their expected lifespan, or goods that do not match their advertised specification can all breach the satisfactory quality requirement, giving rise to a claim.
Do these rights apply to services as well as goods?
Yes — the Consumer Rights Act 2015 also covers services, requiring that a service be carried out with reasonable care and skill, within a reasonable time (if no time was agreed) and for a reasonable price (if no price was agreed). Where a service falls short — a botched home renovation, a poorly performed repair, a late delivery of a booked service — the consumer is entitled to have the service redone at no extra cost where possible, or a price reduction if a repeat performance is not possible or has already been attempted without success. Unlike goods, there is no fixed short-term reject window for services, but the general six-year time limit for bringing a claim still applies.
What are the rules for faulty digital content?
Digital content — downloaded or streamed software, apps, games, ebooks, music and similar — is covered separately under the Act and must also be of satisfactory quality, fit for purpose and as described. If digital content is faulty and cannot be fixed within a reasonable time, the consumer is entitled to a price reduction or a full refund (for content that cost £100 or less, or a proportionate reduction for more expensive content where only part of the fault can be attributed to price). Notably, if faulty digital content damages a device or other digital content (for example, a corrupted download that breaks other software), the trader must repair the damage or compensate the consumer, provided reasonable care was used and the trader's instructions were followed.
Does the Consumer Rights Act cover private, second-hand sales?
No — the Act only applies to purchases from a trader (a business acting in the course of its trade), not to private sales between individuals, such as items bought via a classified advert or from an individual seller on a marketplace platform who is not trading as a business. Private sales are instead covered by more limited protections under the Sale of Goods Act (goods must broadly match their description and the seller must have the right to sell them), with far less consumer protection than a Consumer Rights Act purchase from a trader. Buying from a business seller on an online marketplace, as opposed to a private individual, still attracts full Consumer Rights Act protection.
What is Section 75 and chargeback, and how do they differ from the Consumer Rights Act?
Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 makes a credit card provider jointly and severally liable with the retailer for goods or services between £100 and £30,000 in value, meaning the card provider can be claimed against directly if the retailer refuses to help, has gone out of business, or is unreachable — a valuable backstop alongside Consumer Rights Act claims against the retailer itself. Chargeback is a separate, voluntary scheme run by card payment networks (available for both debit and credit cards, with no minimum transaction value, though typically time-limited to around 120 days from the transaction) allowing a bank to reverse a payment in certain dispute circumstances. Both are additional routes to pursue alongside, not instead of, the underlying Consumer Rights Act claim against the retailer.
How do I escalate a dispute if the retailer refuses a refund?
First, put the complaint in writing (email is sufficient) clearly citing the Consumer Rights Act 2015 and the specific remedy sought, keeping a paper trail. If the retailer still refuses, options include: raising a Section 75 claim with the credit card provider if paid by credit card and the value qualifies; requesting a chargeback from the bank if paid by debit or credit card; using a free Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) scheme if the retailer is a member of one (common in sectors like travel, energy and some retail); or, as a last resort, bringing a claim in the small claims track of the county court, which is designed to be usable without a solicitor for claims typically up to £10,000 in England and Wales. Citizens Advice and the Competition and Markets Authority provide free guidance throughout this process.
Can a retailer refuse a refund by pointing to their own returns policy?
No — a retailer's own discretionary returns policy (for example, a policy offering exchanges only, or store credit instead of cash) cannot override the statutory rights under the Consumer Rights Act for genuinely faulty goods; those rights exist regardless of what any in-store sign or online terms say, and a business cannot contractually exclude or restrict them for consumer transactions. However, discretionary returns policies for goods bought correctly but simply no longer wanted (a change-of-mind return, as opposed to a fault) are exactly that — discretionary, offered as a goodwill gesture by the retailer rather than a legal right, except for online, phone or mail-order purchases, which separately benefit from a statutory 14-day cooling-off cancellation right under the Consumer Contracts Regulations regardless of fault.
Disclaimer: Consumer rights rules and time limits are subject to change. Figures here reflect the position in 2026/27. Always check gov.uk and seek advice from Citizens Advice or a qualified consumer law specialist for your specific circumstances.
