Guides › Faulty Goods and Refunds › What Is the Consumer Rights Act 2015?
What Is the Consumer Rights Act 2015?
The Consumer Rights Act 2015 is the main UK law on buying goods, services and digital content from businesses. Goods must be as described, of satisfactory quality and fit for purpose. You can usually reject faulty goods within 30 days for a refund, and after that ask for a repair or replacement.
At a Glance
Your Rights
What the rules say, with a link to the official source for each.
The Short Answer
What Goods Must Be
Goods you buy from a business must be as described, of satisfactory quality and fit for their purpose (Consumer Rights Act 2015). Your contract is with the seller, not the manufacturer, so the seller is the one to complain to. source
Reject Within 30 Days
Within 30 days of delivery you can usually reject faulty goods and get a refund. You will normally need to show the fault. source
Repair or Replacement
After 30 days you can ask for a repair or replacement at no cost to you. The trader must do it within a reasonable time and without significant inconvenience. source
The First 6 Months
If a fault shows up within six months of delivery, it is presumed to have been there at delivery unless the trader proves otherwise. After six months, you have to show it. source
Care and Skill
Services must be performed with reasonable care and skill (Consumer Rights Act 2015); if not, you can ask for the work to be redone or a price reduction, and go straight to a price reduction if redoing is impossible, takes too long or causes significant inconvenience. source
Time Limits to Know
Miss a deadline and you can lose a right. Check the dates on your own paperwork.
- 30 daysReject a faulty item for a full refund30 days from delivery, or from when any installation is finished
- 6 monthsFault presumed to have been there from the startFaults that appear within 6 months of delivery
- 6 yearsTime limit for a court claim6 years in England, Wales and Northern Ireland; 5 years in Scotland
Steps to Take
Step 1 of 4
Work out whether your problem is with goods, a service or digital content.
Step 2 of 4
Complain to the seller, not the maker.
Step 3 of 4
Say which remedy you want.
Step 4 of 4
Use our free letter templates.
(Tap the numbers to reveal steps)
Where to Go If It Is Not Put Right
Your options, in order, and when each one applies.
The Retailer's Complaints Team
Always start here, in writing, and say which remedy you want.
Citizens Advice Consumer Service
Free advice, and help deciding whether to start a small claim, once the seller has not put it right.
Want Help?
If you would like one of our team to look at your problem, our initial case review is free. We cannot guarantee any outcome and we do not give legal advice.
Lead reviewer
Luke Marley
Founder and Lead Reviewer
Luke founded CPUK in 2026 after seeing how hard it is for ordinary people to get problems with companies put right. He oversees our guides and checks them against official sources.
Research by Katie Burt, Co-founder and Operations Lead (17 years in the care sector, including managing services for vulnerable adults), and the CPUK Research Team. Researched with AI-assisted research tools, then checked and corrected by our team.
Last checked: 13 October 2026. We are not paid by the companies we write about. Adverts never affect our guidance. Read our editorial policy.
Sources and official links
- nibusinessinfo.co.uk/content/what-do-if-problems-arise-supplied-goods Checked 12 October 2026
- businesscompanion.info/node/623/printable/print Checked 12 October 2026
- citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/somethings-gone-wrong-with-a-purchase/complain-about-a-service Checked 13 October 2026
- citizensadvice.org.uk/law-and-courts/legal-system/small-claims/deciding-whether-to-make-a-small-claim Checked 8 October 2026