Consumer complaints in Northern Ireland: refunds, faulty goods, energy and flights

For a consumer in Northern Ireland whose goods from a business turn out faulty, not as described or unfit for their purpose. Within 30 days you can reject them for a full refund; after that, you ask for one repair or replacement first (Consumer Rights Act 2015, sections 9 to 23). The letter states the fault and your choice, and is your final letter before a claim: the trader has 14 days to reply before you make a small claim in the county court, which hears claims of up to £5,000. Send it to the retailer, not the manufacturer, by email and by recorded delivery (Royal Mail Signed For).

For a consumer in Northern Ireland whose order from an online or high-street trader has not arrived. Under section 28 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015 the trader must deliver within the agreed time or, if none was agreed, within 30 days, and the goods stay at its risk until you have them (section 29), so a parcel lost in transit is its problem. The letter gives a final 14 days to deliver, after which the contract ends, a full refund is due and you may make a small claim for it in the county court. Send it by email and by recorded delivery (Royal Mail Signed For).

For a consumer in Northern Ireland whose faulty goods were repaired or replaced once and are still faulty, or whom the trader did not repair or replace within a reasonable time. The letter uses the final right to reject for a refund, or keeps the goods and asks for a price reduction (section 24 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015), and is your final letter before a claim, with 14 days to reply before a small claim in the county court (up to £5,000). Send it to the retailer by email and by recorded delivery (Royal Mail Signed For), with a copy of the earlier correspondence.

For a household customer in Northern Ireland with a problem with their electricity or gas supplier: a wrong or estimated bill, a catch-up bill for energy used more than 13 months ago, a meter fault or poor service. The letter is the formal complaint the supplier must deal with under its complaints procedure; if it is not resolved, the Consumer Council for Northern Ireland takes energy complaints free, and publishes its own free letter for a disputed bill. Send it by email or first class post, and keep the date.

For a consumer in Northern Ireland whose complaint to a trader has got nowhere — a refund refused, a deposit kept, money owed for faulty goods or poor work. The letter sets out the claim and the amount, lists your documents, gives 14 days to pay or reply, and says that otherwise you will make a small claim in the county court, which hears claims of up to £5,000 and can be started online. Northern Ireland has no pre-action practice direction like England's, but the letter shows the court that you tried to settle first. Send it by email and by recorded delivery (Royal Mail Signed For).

For a consumer in Northern Ireland whose builder, decorator, garage, repairer or other service provider did the work badly or not as agreed. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 a trader must perform a service with reasonable care and skill; the letter asks for the work to be put right at the trader's cost or, where that is not possible, for a price reduction (sections 49, 55 and 56), and is your final letter before a small claim in the county court, with 14 days to reply. Send it by email and by recorded delivery (Royal Mail Signed For), with photos.

For a traveller in Northern Ireland whose package holiday — flights and hotel, or other travel services sold together — was not as booked: a different or poor hotel, missing services, a changed itinerary. Under the Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018 the organiser is responsible for every part of the package and owes a price reduction and compensation for what went wrong. The letter claims them and is your final letter before a small claim in the county court, with 14 days to reply. Send it to the organiser by email and by recorded delivery (Royal Mail Signed For).

For a cardholder who paid by debit, credit or prepaid card and did not get what they paid for — goods never delivered, faulty or not as described, a trader gone bust, a promised refund not paid, or a wrong amount. The letter asks your card provider to raise a chargeback under the card scheme's rules. Chargeback is not a legal right and the scheme sets time limits, often 120 days, so send it quickly by email or secure message and by first class post.

For a member who wants to end a gym membership, a club or a paid subscription. The notice ends the contract on the basis you choose — its own notice terms, the end of the minimum term, or the 14-day cancellation right for a contract made online or by phone — and asks the provider to take no payment after the last one due. The subscription rules of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 are not yet in force. Send it by the channel the contract names, or by email and first class post.

For a passenger whose flight arrived three hours or more late, was cancelled at short notice, or who was denied boarding, on a flight covered by UK261 (Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 as it forms part of UK law): every flight from a UK airport, and flights to the UK on a UK airline or, from outside the EU, on an EU airline. The letter claims the fixed compensation in pounds — £220, £350 or £520 per passenger, by distance — from the airline that operated the flight, unless extraordinary circumstances caused the problem. Send it by email or the airline's claim form, and by first class post.

For a customer with a problem with a mobile, landline or broadband provider, or a TV service in the same package: slow or broken service, wrong bills, a price rise or contract change you were not told about, or trouble when moving home. The letter is the formal complaint the provider must deal with; if it is not resolved within six weeks, or you get a deadlock letter, you can take it free to the provider's ADR scheme, the Communications Ombudsman or CISAS. Send it by email or first class post.

For a consumer who paid all or part of the price of goods or a service costing more than £100 and up to £30,000 with a credit card, and whose trader broke the contract or misdescribed what it sold — faulty goods, nothing delivered, a firm gone bust. Under section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 the card provider is equally liable with the trader. The letter makes the claim; if the provider rejects it or has not answered within eight weeks, you can take it free to the Financial Ombudsman Service.

For a policyholder whose insurer has refused, underpaid or delayed a claim, mis-sold a policy or added unfair charges — car, home, travel, pet or other insurance. The letter is the formal complaint the FCA's rules require the insurer to answer within eight weeks; after its final response, or once eight weeks have passed, you can take it free to the Financial Ombudsman Service within six months. Send it to the insurer's complaints team by email or first class post.

For a consumer who bought goods or a service online, by phone or away from the trader's premises and has changed their mind. The notice cancels the contract within the 14-day cancellation period of the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013, with no reason needed, and asks for a refund within 14 days. The model cancellation form the trader must give you, or its own online form, does the same job free. Send it by email and by first class post with a free certificate of posting, and keep a copy.