Last amended by Consumer Protection (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2022 in 2022. Made technical amendments to retained EU consumer protection law to ensure it functions correctly in UK domestic law post-Brexit.
Independent editorial summary — not the official statute text. Read the official version on legislation.gov.uk.
Summary
The Consumer Rights Act 2015 is the principal statute governing consumer contracts in England & Wales. It consolidated and replaced previous consumer protection legislation (including consumer provisions of the Sale of Goods Act 1979 and the Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations 1999). The Act sets out the rights of consumers when buying goods, digital content, and services, and provides rules on unfair contract terms and consumer enforcement.
Key Points
- Goods must be of satisfactory quality, fit for purpose, and as described (ss.9–11)
- Digital content must be of satisfactory quality, fit for purpose, and as described (ss.34–36)
- Services must be performed with reasonable care and skill (s.49)
- Short-term right to reject faulty goods within 30 days (s.22)
- Right to repair or replacement if rejection period has passed (s.23)
- Final right to reject or price reduction after one failed repair/replacement (s.24)
- Unfair terms in consumer contracts are not binding (Part 2, ss.62–69)
- The 'grey list' of terms that may be regarded as unfair (Schedule 2)
Parts & Sections
Amendments History
2019 — Consumer Rights (Payment Surcharges) Regulations 2012 (amended)
Banned excessive payment surcharges for using credit cards, debit cards, or other payment methods, complementing consumer protection under the CRA 2015.
2022 — Consumer Protection (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2022
Made technical amendments to retained EU consumer protection law to ensure it functions correctly in UK domestic law post-Brexit.
Frequently asked questions
- What does it mean for goods to be of satisfactory quality?
- Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, goods must meet the standard a reasonable person would consider satisfactory. This assessment takes into account any description provided, the price paid, and other relevant circumstances. These factors include fitness for purpose, appearance and finish, freedom from minor defects, safety, and the durability of the item.
- How long do I have to reject faulty goods?
- You have a short-term right to reject faulty goods within 30 days of ownership, delivery, or contract completion, whichever is later. If you exercise this right, you are entitled to a full refund. If this period has passed, you may instead require the trader to repair or replace the goods within a reasonable time.
- What can I do if my goods are faulty after 30 days?
- If the short-term rejection period has passed, you can require the trader to repair or replace the goods. If repair or replacement is impossible, or if the first attempt fails to resolve the issue, you can then require a price reduction or exercise your final right to reject the goods.
- Do consumer rights apply to digital content like apps or e-books?
- Yes, the Act applies to digital content supplied under a contract for a price, or supplied free with goods or services that are paid for. Digital content must be of satisfactory quality, fit for any particular purpose made known to the trader, and match any description provided before the contract was made.
- What rights do I have regarding the quality of services?
- Every contract for services includes an implied term that the trader must perform the service with reasonable care and skill. Additionally, anything said or written by the trader about the service or themselves, which you took into account when deciding to buy, is treated as a binding term of the contract.
- What remedies are available if a service is not performed correctly?
- If a service does not conform to the contract, you have the right to require the trader to perform the service again within a reasonable time and without inconvenience or cost. If repeat performance is impossible or not done within a reasonable time, you have the right to a price reduction, which may be up to 100%.