You buy things every day, but do you know your rights under the law? Most merchants are honest, but not all of them. Here’s how to protect yourself and what the law says about your rights before, during, and after the sale.
Basic Rights
You have some basic rights anytime you buy a physical product from a shop. The core of the regulations guarantees that your rights are upheld, even if a merchant doesn’t want to honor a contract or makes a contract with you that is not consistent with the law.
Regulations supersede any contract.
Part of those regulations require that the seller discloses the business name, geographical location, if the payment is received in advance, the price of what you bought, as well as VAT and delivery costs and a satisfactory description of what what purchased.
You also have the right to a cooling off period.
Cooling Off Period
The cooling off period is a 7-day period in which you may cancel your order and return everything for a refund. If you keep the product, you have 30 days in which to return the product, but the shop has the right to attempt to fix any problems before giving you a refund.
Unless otherwise agreed to, it is assumed that you will receive your goods within 30 days after the order. The seller must also supply you with the terms and conditions of the sale, written confirmation of when the order was placed and any after-sale guarantees or services.
If no 7-day cooling off period was stated in the sales contract, then you are automatically entitled to a 3 month period in which you can cancel and receive a refund.
Protection From Defective Products
You also have a protection against faulty products. If something is not as advertised, or if the product is not fit for its intended purpose, or if it breaks as a result of a manufacturing defect, then you’re entitled to a replacement, repair, or a refund. You must notify the shop about the problem and give it the chance to repair or replace the product free of charge.
If you believe you’ve been injured by a product defect, consult an attorney about your rights and the manufacturer’s or shop’s liability.
In general, the shop must replace or repair the product within 30 days, or give you a refund of your original purchase price.
Protection If A Shop Goes Bust
It’s becoming increasingly common for shops to go under. It’s unfortunate, and it’s especially problematic if this happens over Christmas holiday. One way to protect yourself is to buy your merchandise on credit.
No, you don’t want to pay interest charges, but if you’ve purchased something using your credit card, you have extra protections if things go wrong compared to paying with cash or check.
Under section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act, you’re able to bring a claim against your card provider if something goes wrong after a purchase. In simple terms, it means that, if something happens and you’re not able to work it out with the merchant, you can work it out directly with the credit card company.
In this sense, the card company acts as a sort of insurance against loss. You can be compensated for anything between £100 and £30,000.
What’s more, you don’t even have to have paid the balance off in full to get the protection. The card company is liable even if you’ve just started making payments. Obviously if you’re awarded a refund, then you won’t have to keep paying down the balance of your card.
Finally, if you’ve got any vouchers for a company that’s gone bust, you can try making a claim with the administrators with proof of the vouchers. You’re not guaranteed to get money back, but it’s worth a shot.
Anna Byrne has an online business. She enjoys writing about her experiences to post online. You can find her articles on many business sites.
