Protect Your Consumer Rights When You Buy Products or Services
If you are shopping on the high street for fashion or household items or buying high end goods, such as a car or top spec technology, regardless what you have spent on your purchase you will expect these to be fit for purpose. Similarly, if you have paid for a service, a haircut, massage, a gardener or a building contractor at home, you would again expect good quality, service and professionalism to be carried out.
However, if when purchasing goods or services you feel you have been treated unfairly or things have gone wrong, we can help and advise you in exercising your rights, in the most effective way to achieve the best possible outcome.
Examples of the types of problem you may have experienced include purchase of faulty goods, poor service, problems with contracts, rogue traders or tradesmen providing an incomplete or sub-standard service plus delayed or cancelled flights and lost luggage.
As a customer you have a number of rights which we can advise you on that fall under either the Consumer Protection, The Sale of Goods Act, Product Liability, Distance Selling Regulations and The Consumer Credit Act
Consumer Rights
Consumer Rights Act 2015
Any product or service, either physical or digital and bought in person or online must meet the following three standards:
Satisfactory quality
Your goods or services purchased should not be faulty or damaged and should be a satisfactory quality as a bare minimum.
Fit for purpose
Your goods or services purchased should be able to be used for the purpose they were purchased for.
As described
Your goods or service must be as described and correspond with the example advertised.
When you pay for goods or a service you are entering into a contract with the supplier. At this stage it is important to note the supplier is now agreeing to meet your statutory rights. If the supplier fails to meet the standards expected, either with the quality of a product bought or a service rendered, then you as the customer are legally entitled to recompense through what is called ‘repeat performance’ or a ‘price reduction’.
What is Repeat Performance and Price Reduction?
• Repeat performance
This is the terminology used for the remedy you can request when goods or services have failed to meet your expectations. You as the consumer can ask the supplier to repeat the service again, if this is possible, in order to complete it to a satisfactory standard. This must be carried out free of charge and must be actioned at a convenient time without causing you any further inconvenience.
The consumer cannot ask for repeat performance where it would be impossible to finish providing the service or goods to the required expectation.
• Price reduction
You are able to request a price reduction when goods or services have failed to meet your expectations. You as the consumer can ask the supplier to offer you a price reduction when a repeat performance cannot be carried out, or this can’t be done within a reasonable time or without causing you significant inconvenience.
You will need to negotiate what the price reduction should be. If you are unsure of what would be deemed reasonable in this situation then contact one of our consumer disputes solicitors for advice.
It is important to note that consumer rights apply to just that – ‘consumers’ only. Please note these rights do not extend to goods or services purchased for commercial business which may have been resourced through a wholesalers etc. Consumer rights are also only applicable to goods and services purchased in the UK.
Digital Purchases
The new Consumer Rights Act has now introduced rights to cover the consumer when buying digital content. The new regulations give you, the customer, online cancellation rights and the right to return a faulty good to an online seller. These new extended rights can apply to a downloaded film or a tangible product bought offline.
Payment
If you have used a Credit Card to pay for the item or service, you purchased you can claim against the service provider. You may also have recourse from the Credit Card Company. If your issues occurred whilst away on holiday it is also worth checking whether your Travel Insurance will cover any legal costs as some policies have an element of legal expenses insurance.
Should you find yourself needing to make a claim and need to obtain some legal advice contact one of our consumer rights solicitors here at Sarah Waddington Solicitors.
Areas we can help with:
• Car Repossessions • Car Finance Disputes • Builder Disputes • Finance Fraud • Flight Delays and cancellations • Unenforceable Credit Agreements • Mis-sold Payment Protection Insurance • Hire Purchase Agreements • Holiday and Travel Claims • Defective Products • Substandard service • Consumer Credit • Distance Selling • Product Liability • Sale Of Goods • Consumer Protection • Consumer Rights • Consumer Credit/Hire Purchase Agreements
Contact Us Today
Contact Sarah Waddington Solicitors today by calling us direct on 01924 601112 or emailing us on info@sarahwaddingtonsolicitors.co.uk. Alternatively Send us a message and one of our professional team will be in touch with you shortly.
Remember, there is no obligation to instruct us so contact us now for your free consultation.
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