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Faulty goods: reject them for a refund, or ask for a repair or replacement (Scotland)
Scotland · in English · for consumers
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For a consumer in Scotland 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, which apply across the UK). The letter states the fault, makes your choice and is a letter before action: the trader has 14 days to reply before simple procedure in the sheriff court. Send it to the retailer, not the manufacturer, by email and by first class post.
- Made for use in Scotland
- Last updated October 29, 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
- Something you bought from a shop in Scotland broke within weeks and you want a refund or a replacement.
- The online seller says you must contact the manufacturer about the fault.
- The item you ordered does not match the description on the website.
- You want to send a retailer in Scotland a formal letter about faulty goods before going further.
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 many days do I have in Scotland to reject faulty goods for a full refund?
- The short-term right to reject under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, which applies in Scotland as in the rest of the UK, 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.
- Is the shop or the manufacturer responsible for faulty goods bought in Scotland?
- 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. In Scotland, free advice comes from consumeradvice.scot (Advice Direct Scotland), which can pass a complaint to Trading Standards.
- The shop says the item is out of warranty — how long can I still claim in Scotland?
- A store's warranty period does not limit your rights. 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; after six months, or for the 30-day right to reject, you show it, for example with an independent report. In Scotland most such claims prescribe — are lost — five years after they arise (Prescription and Limitation (Scotland) Act 1973, s 6).
How you can sign this document
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