If you have ever been in a position where something you have bought or a service you have experienced was not up to the standard you expected, as a consumer, you have rights. When buying goods and services, you’re protected by The Consumer Rights Act 2015. Here are some of the things you are protected against:
- Faulty goods.
- Poor service.
- Problems with contracts.
You are entitled to expect a replacement or your money back if goods you have bought are not working. Many of us are not good at making a complaint and some sellers don’t make it easy for unsatisfied customers, especially if you have bought something online. They rely partly on customer inertia and also by drawing out the process for resolution.
Poor service is more difficult to resolve. Successful resolution relies on making sure there is enough evidence and it is important to keep a full record of calls, emails and letters to back up your case.
However, the first thing to do is to put the wheels in motion by logging a complaint with your provider. Your provider should have a formal complaint process that you can request a copy of. Often, you can find it on their website. You need to follow the company’s complaint process to give them an opportunity to fix any issue.
If you are not getting the result you expect, you can :-
- Contact the Ombudsman Service (www.ombudsman-services.org) which can assess your case and advise on your next course of action, especially if it is about your treatment by energy suppliers.
- Contact the Citizens Advice consumer service (www.citizensadvice.org.uk) which provides free and independent advice about your consumer rights at any point during your complaint.
- Alternatively, you can make use of the County Court if you have a case against a provider and you are not getting financial satisfaction. (https://www.gov.uk/make-court-claim-for-money)
A recent example was of the man who successfully won a case against airline Wizz Air when his flight had been cancelled on the day of travel and had cost him thousands of pounds to replace with another airline. He went to the County Court and was awarded the money he was owed plus interest. Bailiffs actually went to Luton Airport to enforce the award and made sure the money was paid1.
Sources
- BBC (2023) Man sent baliffs to Luton Airport for Wizz Air refund. Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-64999557 (Accessed 28 March 2023
