Faulty product claim.
Refund, repair or compensation.

Your rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015

When a business sells goods to a consumer, the contract is treated as including terms that the goods will be:

• of satisfactory quality (s.9): what a reasonable person would expect, taking account of the price, the description and whether the goods were new or used. That covers appearance and finish, freedom from minor defects, safety and durability;
• fit for a particular purpose you told the seller about (s.10);
• as described (s.11), and matching any sample or model you were shown;
• installed correctly, where installation was part of the deal (s.15).

Your contract is with the seller, not the manufacturer, so your claim is against the business that sold you the goods. A manufacturer’s guarantee is extra and does not replace these rights. Our consumer rights guide covers the Act in more depth.

Which remedy applies: the 30-day and 6-month rules

The remedy you can insist on depends mainly on timing.

• Within 30 days: the short-term right to reject. You can reject the goods and get a full refund (ss.20 and 22). The 30 days start the day after ownership has passed to you, the goods have been delivered and any agreed installation is done. Shorter periods apply to perishable goods.
• After 30 days: repair or replacement. You can ask the seller to repair or replace the goods (s.23). They must do it within a reasonable time, without significant inconvenience to you, and at their own cost.
• If the repair or replacement fails: price reduction or final right to reject. If one repair or replacement does not fix the problem, or is impossible, or the seller does not do it within a reasonable time, you can keep the goods with a price reduction or reject them for a refund (s.24).
• The 6-month presumption. For the repair, replacement, price reduction and final rejection remedies, a fault that appears within six months of delivery is taken to have been present at delivery unless the seller proves otherwise (s.19(14) and (15)). After six months it is for you to show the fault was there at delivery, for example that the goods were not durable enough.
• Deduction for use. If you use the final right to reject within six months of delivery, the seller cannot reduce your refund for the use you have had, except for motor vehicles (s.24(10) and (11)). After six months a deduction for use may be made.

Refunds must be paid without undue delay and within 14 days of the seller agreeing you are entitled to one (s.20(15)), using the same payment method unless you agree otherwise.

Bought online, or paid by credit card?

For most goods bought online, by phone or by mail order, the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 also give you a 14-day cancellation period that starts the day after you receive the goods. You do not need a reason. That right sits alongside your Consumer Rights Act rights, it does not replace them.

If you paid at least part of the price by credit card and the cash price of the item was over £100 and no more than £30,000, section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 can make the card provider jointly liable with the seller. That gives you a second party to claim from, which is useful if the seller has stopped trading. A debit card chargeback is a voluntary card-scheme process rather than a legal right, but it is worth asking your bank about.

Step by step: from complaint to small claims court

1. Stop using the item and gather evidence. Keep the receipt, order confirmation or bank statement, take photos or video of the fault, and note the date it first appeared. If the fault is technical, a short independent report can help.
2. Complain to the seller in writing. Say what is wrong, which right you are using (for example, the short-term right to reject or a repair under s.23), and what you want. Email is fine. Keep copies of everything.
3. Send a letter before action. If they refuse or ignore you, send a formal letter before action under the Practice Direction on Pre-Action Conduct. Set out the facts, the sum you want, and a reasonable deadline (14 days is common for a straightforward consumer claim). Say you will issue a court claim without further notice if they do not respond. If the seller belongs to an alternative dispute resolution scheme, mention it; the court expects both sides to consider settling.
4. Issue the claim online. If the deadline in your letter passes without payment, you can issue the claim yourself through Money Claim Online or the GOV.UK "Make a money claim" service. You state a fixed sum, a short description of the claim and any interest, and pay the issue fee. The defendant needs an address for service in England or Wales.
5. Wait for the response. Once the claim is served, the defendant normally has 14 days to pay, admit, or file a defence, or 28 days in total if they file an acknowledgment of service first. If they do nothing, you can ask the court for judgment in default.
6. Free mediation if it is defended. Most defended small money claims are now referred to a free one-hour telephone session with the HMCTS Small Claims Mediation Service before a hearing is listed. See our guide to mandatory mediation.
7. Directions and the small claims track. If it does not settle, both sides complete a directions questionnaire and the court allocates the case. Claims up to £10,000 normally go to the small claims track, where the procedure is simpler and each side usually pays its own legal costs. The court then sets dates for exchanging documents and witness statements, and you pay the hearing fee.
8. The hearing. Small claims hearings are informal and often short. A district judge reads the papers, asks both sides questions and gives a decision, usually the same day. Our guide to what to expect at the hearing covers the day itself.
9. Judgment and enforcement. If you win and they still do not pay, the court has enforcement options such as a warrant of control or an attachment of earnings order. Each has its own fee.

How much can you claim for faulty goods?

Usually the price you paid, or the part of it the law says you are owed, plus any direct losses that flow from the fault, such as reasonable return postage or the cost of an inspection. You can also claim simple interest at 8% a year under section 69 of the County Courts Act 1984, and the court fees you have paid. On the small claims track you cannot usually recover solicitors’ costs, and expert fees are capped at £750.

Keep the figure honest and show how you reached it. A judge will look for receipts, quotes and dates rather than round numbers.

Court fees for a faulty goods claim

You pay an issue fee when you start the claim, and a hearing fee later only if the case is defended and listed for a hearing. Both depend on the amount you claim, including interest. Use the court fee calculator for your exact figure.

The issue fee runs from £35 for a claim up to £300 to £455 for a claim of £10,000. If the case goes to a hearing there is a second fee, from £27 to £346 on the small claims track. See the full fee table by claim amount or use the court fee calculator for your exact figure.

Fees from the HMCTS fee list (EX50), last checked against gov.uk on 2026-10-19. Fees change, so check gov.uk before you pay. If you are on a low income you may qualify for Help with Fees (form EX160). Court fees you pay are normally added to the claim and can be ordered against the other side if you win.

Worked example

Related guides and tools

• Faulty goods guide: a deeper look at satisfactory quality, durability and evidence.
• Consumer rights explained: goods, services and digital content under the 2015 Act.
• Faulty car from a dealer: the same rules applied to used cars, plus finance claims.
• Sue a company: naming the right business and serving the claim.
• How to write a letter before claim: what the Practice Direction on Pre-Action Conduct expects you to include.
• Money Claim Online, step by step: filing the claim yourself and what each screen asks for.
• Court fee calculator: the issue and hearing fee for your exact claim amount.
• Statutory interest calculator: works out 8% simple interest and the daily rate for the claim form.
• What to expect at a small claims hearing: how the day runs and how to present your evidence.