Letter to Complain about Goods (Consumer Rights Act)

A consumer in the United Kingdom can use this document to raise a detailed formal, legal complaint that goods purchased by them from a business do not meet the requirements of the Consumer Rights Act 2015 and to request a formal remedy under the Act. This means that the goods breach the statutory rights of the consumer. If the goods have not been delivered, then a different letter should be used.

A consumer is an individual who purchases goods for personal use. Consumers have certain rights and protections.

Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, goods sold to consumers must be:
- of satisfactory quality
- fit for purpose
- as described
- match a sample or model seen or examined
- installed correctly (where this is the trader's responsibility).

If goods do not meet the requirements of the Consumer Rights Act, a consumer has statutory remedies available to them. The available remedies will depend upon how long the consumer has had the goods in their possession when they raise the matter with the business. In summary:

• The consumer has the right to reject the goods (and to receive a refund) if they do not meet the required standards within the first 30 days. This is known as their short-term right to reject the goods.
• If the consumer raises the issue after 31 days, they will have the right to ask for a repair or replacement.

If the goods are still faulty following the repair or replacement, the consumer can ask for a further repair or replacement or:

• If they have owned the goods for 6 months or less, they can ask to return the item and receive a refund, or a price reduction to reflect the actual standard of the goods received (and therefore a refund for the difference).
• If they have owned the goods for more than 6 months, they can ask to return the item and receive a refund but this may be subject to a deduction for any use they have had from the goods. They may also ask for a price reduction as above.

This letter can be used to complain about most goods which do not meet the required standard under the Consumer Rights Act 2015. The consumer can request a statutory remedy in the letter. It is important for the consumer to check whether any specific exceptions* apply to their goods before using this letter.

The consumer should also check any contractual terms which may apply to their purchase. For example, sometimes a business will have an extended returns policy which may be used without it being necessary to exercise a statutory right.

Examples of common exceptions: An exception to the above rules applies to motor vehicles. A refund may be subject to a deduction for reasonable use in relation to motor vehicles within the first 6 month period after purchase. Exceptions also apply to perishable goods.

How to use this document

The consumer should complete the document with all the relevant information about the goods including:

• What the goods are
• When they purchased them
• How they purchased them
• The nature of the issue with the goods
• Whether they have raised the matter previously with the business

Questions will be asked about the remedy sought, which will be based on the period of time the consumer has had the goods for. Once the sender has completed the information, they should send the letter to the business. The letter may be sent by post or by email (or both). If the business fails to respond or does not provide a satisfactory response the sender may wish to escalate matters by:

• Requesting a letter of deadlock so that the matter can be referred to an Ombudsman
• Formally notifying the business that they have breached the contract
• Sending a letter before claim (England and Wales) or a letter of intent to commence proceedings (Scotland).

Relevant law

The main legal provision which governs consumer rights is the Consumer Rights Act 2015.

Help from a lawyer

You can choose to consult a lawyer if you need help.

The lawyer can answer your questions or help you through the process. You will be offered this option when you complete the document.

How to modify the template

You fill out a form. The document is created before your eyes as you respond to the questions.

At the end, you receive it in Word and PDF formats. You can modify it and reuse it.