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Faulty goods: reject them for a refund, or ask for a repair or replacement (England and Wales)
England and Wales · in English · for consumers
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For a consumer 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, makes your choice and is a letter before claim: the trader has 14 days to reply before you take the small claims route. Send it to the retailer, not the manufacturer, by email and by first class post.
- Made for use in England and Wales
- Last updated October 28, 2026
- Document in English
Where a UK document reproduces the words of legislation or of a government publication — UK, Scottish or Northern Irish — it contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
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When to use this document
- You bought a laptop in England or Wales and it broke down within weeks.
- The shop refuses a refund on a faulty item and insists on a repair.
- The retailer keeps sending you to the manufacturer instead of sorting it out.
- You want to reject faulty goods for your money back or ask for a replacement.
What you fill in
The details the document asks for.
- Sender
- Sender's address
- Town or city
- Sender's postcode
- Date
- Trader
- Trader's postal address
- Order number
- Description of the item
- Price
- Date of purchase
- Date the goods were received
- Defect
- What you ask for: refund, repair or replacement
Common questions
- How long do I have to reject faulty goods for a full refund in the UK?
- The short-term right to reject lasts 30 days from the day after ownership passed and the goods were delivered (and installed, if the trader installs them); for perishable goods, only as long as they could be expected to last (section 22). Waiting for a repair or replacement pauses the clock. After that, you ask for one repair or replacement first.
- Should I complain to the shop or to the manufacturer?
- Your contract is with the retailer, so your Consumer Rights Act rights are against the shop or online seller you paid. A manufacturer's guarantee is extra and you may use it as well, but the retailer cannot send you away to the manufacturer. Citizens Advice's consumer helpline gives free advice and can pass a complaint to Trading Standards.
- What if the shop says it cannot find a fault, or that the item is out of warranty?
- When you ask for a repair or replacement, or later reject the goods or ask for a price reduction, a fault that shows within six months of delivery is presumed to have been there at delivery, and the trader must prove otherwise. For the 30-day right to reject, and after six months, it is for you to show the fault was there at delivery, for example with an independent report. You can claim for up to six years in England and Wales; a store's own warranty period does not shorten that.
How you can sign this document
- Print it and sign by hand. The signature lines in the document are left blank on purpose — sign on them in ink.
- Sign it yourself with a qualified electronic signature. If you already hold a QES — Evrotrust, B-Trust, StampIT, ZealiD or any qualified provider on the EU Trusted List, on a card, a USB token, in a mobile app or in the cloud — our signing guide explains step by step how to sign this exact file without invalidating it. Step-by-step help, and a way to check it worked
DocMuse sells documents, not legal advice. Acceptance always depends on the recipient's rules and your local law.
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