UK consumer law is unusually strong — if you know how to use it. This guide covers the four laws that protect you when buying online, what each one actually entitles you to, and the script to use when a retailer tries to fob you off.
The four laws you should know exist
You don't need to memorise these, but knowing they exist is half the battle in any complaint:
- Consumer Rights Act 2015 — covers everything you buy. Goods must be of satisfactory quality, fit for purpose, and as described. If they're not, you have rights to reject, repair, or refund.
- Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 — covers online purchases specifically. Gives you a 14-day no-questions cooling-off period to cancel an order and get a full refund (including outbound delivery).
- Sale of Goods Act (largely replaced by CRA 2015 but still relevant for older purchases)
- Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 — covers misleading pricing, false claims, and aggressive sales tactics.
Your three windows of protection
Window 1: 14 days, no reason needed
Under the Consumer Contracts Regulations, you have 14 days from the day you receive a non-faulty item to tell the retailer you want to cancel. You don't need to give a reason. You then have a further 14 days to return the item. Once returned, the retailer must refund you within 14 days — including the standard outbound delivery cost. You usually pay return postage unless the retailer's terms say otherwise.
This doesn't apply to:
- Personalised or made-to-measure items
- Sealed health/hygiene items once unsealed (cosmetics, earphones)
- Perishable goods
- Digital downloads once you've started downloading them
Window 2: 30 days, short-term right to reject
If something you buy turns out to be faulty, not as described, or unfit for purpose, you have a "short-term right to reject" for 30 days from delivery. That means a full refund — you're not obliged to accept a repair or replacement during this window. Use this window if the fault is significant.
Window 3: 6 years (5 in Scotland), latent defects
For up to 6 years after purchase in England and Wales (5 in Scotland), you can claim against the retailer for faults that were present at the time of purchase but only became apparent later. The catch: after the first 6 months, the burden of proof shifts to you — you have to show the fault was inherent, not caused by wear and tear or misuse. An independent inspection report often does the job.
Delivery problems
The retailer is responsible for the goods until they're delivered to you. If a courier marks a parcel "delivered" but you never received it, that's the retailer's problem to resolve with the courier — not yours. Insist on this.
If delivery is late beyond the agreed date, you can:
- Set a new "reasonable" delivery deadline in writing
- If that deadline is also missed, cancel the order and demand a full refund
For "essential delivery dates" (e.g. a wedding cake for Saturday), you can cancel immediately if the deadline is missed without needing to extend.
Paying by card: extra protection
If you paid by credit card and the item cost between £100 and £30,000, Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act makes the card issuer equally liable with the retailer. If the retailer disappears, refuses to refund, or goes bust, the credit card company has to pay up.
For purchases under £100, or paid by debit card, you can usually use the bank's chargeback scheme instead. Chargeback is not a legal right (unlike Section 75) but most UK banks operate it as a courtesy — you have 120 days from the transaction to claim.
The script for when the retailer says no
Stay calm, stay specific, escalate in stages. The phrases below work because they reference the actual law:
- First message (email or chat): "Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, the goods I received are not of satisfactory quality because [specific defect]. I am exercising my short-term right to reject and requesting a full refund. Please confirm how you'd like the item returned."
- If refused: "Please escalate this to your customer services manager. If we cannot resolve it, I will be raising a Section 75 claim with my credit card provider / opening a chargeback with my bank, and referring the matter to [the relevant ADR scheme, e.g. Retail ADR for many UK retailers]."
- Final step: Open the Section 75/chargeback claim, raise an ADR complaint, and if all else fails, the small claims court (Money Claim Online, costs from £35).
When ADR (alternative dispute resolution) helps
Most large UK retailers are signed up to an ADR scheme — an independent ombudsman who reviews complaints for free. The biggest are:
- Retail ADR — covers a wide range of high-street and online retailers
- The Furniture & Home Improvement Ombudsman — covers furniture and home appliances
- Communications Ombudsman — covers broadband, phone, and TV contracts
ADR decisions are binding on the retailer (if they're a member) but not on you — you can still go to court if you disagree.
Who else can help, free
- Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline — 0808 223 1133. Free, impartial, specifically trained on consumer law.
- Trading Standards — for businesses behaving illegally (fake reference prices, misleading claims).
- Which? Consumer Rights — free online guidance with template letters.
This guide is general consumer information for England and Wales. Scotland and Northern Ireland have slightly different time limits in places. It is not legal advice — if a lot of money is at stake, speak to Citizens Advice or a solicitor.