New Consumer Rights Act comes into force this week

Have you ever driven off a forecourt and faced big bills after buying a second hand auto, well changes in the law are on their way that could help. The Act is part of the government’s reform of United Kingdom consumer law and is predicted to boost the economy by £4 billion over the next decade by streamlining complicated law from eight pieces of legislation into one place.

Andy comments: “The new Consumer Rights Act will affect all retailers of goods, services and digital content, make consumer law clearer and easier to understand, and ensure consumers and businesses are able to buy and sell with greater confidence”.

After 30 days, retailers have one opportunity to fix or replace a faulty item, at the customer’s choosing.

Neil Hodson, Managing Director for HPI, said:”The Consumer Rights Act 2015 gives more power to those consumers who are dissatisfied with a purchase, giving them the right to reject faulty used cars and ask for a replacement or refund”.

Under the new rules, if you qualify for a refund in the first six months after you’ve bought something retailers have to return all your money, unless it’s a motor vehicle, where a reasonable reduction can be made for the use you’ve had of the vehicle.

For digital buyers, the new laws will be the first time such purchases been given clear legal protection.

New legislation will come into effect this Thursday under The Consumer Rights Act 2015.

Shoppers now have 30 days to reject a faulty item and demand a full refund, clarifying previously unclear rules on how long this period should last.

There are also new rights for refunds covering digital downloads, such as games and films, which either do not work or might even damage a customer’s devices.

Getting a refund or fix, dealing with issues with faulty digital downloads and challenging unfair terms should all be made much simpler.

All contracts must clearly state the main elements of the deal and outline the price in a transparent and prominent way, and the terms must be in plain and intelligible language.

At the same time, companies, including budget airlines, will no longer be allowed to hide charges in their smallprint.

They must ensure staff are aware of the changes so they’re not short-changing customers or breaking the law.

“Businesses have a real opportunity to show they value their customers by upholding their new rights and signing up to an alternative dispute resolution scheme”.