John Lewis Returns and Refunds: Policy and Your Rights
What John Lewis says about returns and refunds: the window, costs, refund timing, exclusions and faulty items, plus your legal rights.
John Lewis’s returns page sets out its change-of-mind window, refund timing and what it will not take back. Consumer Protection UK is independent and is not connected to John Lewis. This page sets out what John Lewis itself says on its official page, checked on 4 October 2026.
Short answer: the window and costs below are John Lewis’s own. They are for changing your mind. If an item is faulty your legal rights are separate and stronger: 30 days to reject it for a refund, then repair or replacement, with a 6-month presumption that the fault was there from the start.
John Lewis’s Returns Policy, in Brief
| Question | As John Lewis states it |
|---|---|
| Return window | 30 days from purchase, in original condition. For gifts bought between 1 October and 24 December 2026 it extends to 23 January 2027. |
| Cost of returning | Small items that can be posted or taken into a shop are free to return. Large items carry a £29.95 collection fee unless they are damaged or faulty. |
| Refunds | John Lewis says refunds go to your original payment method within 14 days of returning the item. It breaks that down as up to 7 days to reach its centre, 2 days for checking and 5 days for the refund to appear. |
| Cannot be returned | Opened or used items, beauty products without intact seals, underwear, swimwear, earrings, opened software, perishable food such as hampers, and items over 30 days old unless faulty. |
| Faulty items | Within 30 days, a faulty item gets an exchange or refund with proof of purchase. After 30 days it is repaired or replaced in line with the Consumer Rights Act 2015. |
Your Rights on Top of the Store Policy
- For goods bought online, by phone or by mail order you can usually cancel within 14 days of receiving them, and the seller must refund within 14 days of getting them back. See changed your mind about an online order.
- For a faulty item, see your right to a refund, repair or replacement and our rights checker.
If It Is Not Put Right
See our John Lewis complaints guide for the route if it is not resolved.
Official page: John Lewis returns and refunds (opens in a new tab). Check it before you claim, because figures and rules change.
Related
Sources
Last checked 4 October 2026. Rules change, so check the official page before you rely on this. This is general information, not legal advice.
Ready to Take Action?
Tell us what happened. Our initial case review is free.