The same applies for physical goods bought in a shop, as your rights are enforceable against the retailer and not the manufacturer.
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Under the new Act, providers who do not carry out the work with reasonable care, as agreed with the consumer, will be obliged to put things right.
From this Thursday, if you buy a product and discover a fault within 30 days, you’ll be entitled to a refund – even when it’s a used vehicle.
Known as the “early right to reject”, this new legislation replaces the previous rule, which said retailers only need to fix or replace a faulty item or part.
Consumers are being advised to get familiar with the Consumer Rights Act, which comes into force on 1 October, to make the most of the new regime. The rules will cover any digital content -anything you download or stream – including apps, music, movies, games or ebooks.
‘Getting a refund or fix, dealing with issues with faulty digital downloads and understanding contracts should all be made much simpler.
And there’s improved protection if you discover a fault any time within six months.
Welcoming the new legislation Which? executive director Richard Lloyd said: ‘It’s timely that consumer law is being brought up to date to cope with the requirements and demands of today’s shoppers.
In what’s known as the “short-term right to reject”, consumers will now be able to return goods within 30 days for a full refund if they’re not of satisfactory quality, not fit for goal, not sold as described, or don’t match the goods the customer was shown before purchase. “They will now be entitled to get for the first time a free fix or replacement for any faulty digital content”.
Another change is that companies will no longer be allowed to “bury” charges in the small print of terms and conditions. Now the key terms of a contract, including price, may be assessed for fairness.
They must ensure staff are aware of the changes so they’re not short-changing customers or breaking the law.
Which? has also produced a useful guide to the Consumer Rights Act. Currently retailers often offer to fix faulty items, but now you will be fully within your rights to ask for replacements.
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“Businesses have a real opportunity to show they value their customers by upholding their new rights and signing up to an alternative dispute resolution scheme”.
