If you have purchased a service or product from a business, they must ensure that these goods are fit for purpose or that the services supplied comply with all trading standards and regulations. As a consumer, you are protected under The Consumer Rights Act, which became law in 2015 and replaced three major pieces of consumer legislation – the Sale of Goods Act, Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations, and the Supply of Goods and Services Act. The purpose of the updated Consumer Rights Act was to modernise and strengthen consumer law, whilst giving clearer shopping rights to the consumer. Consumer DisputesA consumer rights dispute can arise if a business fails to try and resolve a complaint regarding a product or service that was not of satisfactory quality or fit for purpose and as described or if an item purchased online is not delivered. A consumer dispute can arise for several different reasons, some of the most common include:
Dispute regarding faulty electrical goods
Non-delivery of goods purchased online
A purchase of a new motor vehicle that has a fault
Non Completion or Poor quality work from tradesmen (plumbers, builders, electricians etc.)
Warranty disputes for products or services
Insurance Claims or Coverage Disputes
Suppose you are involved in a consumer dispute. In that case, you should get expert advice from a consumer rights solicitor who can review the case and assess the best possible cause of action, working with you to solve the dispute as quickly and amicably as possible with any other party involved.
How Can You Enforce Your Rights as a Consumer? All businesses should have a clear complaints policy, and in the first instance, you should follow this if you believe that a service or product you have received was not as expected or for non-delivery of goods bought online. There may be several ways a business might choose to resolve the complaint, for example:
Replacing the faulty goods or an issue with obtaining a refund
Fix a fault – on a motor vehicle for example or reject the car to seek a refund
If the complaints procedure fails and the business does not cooperate to resolve the issue, our expert can guide you through the available options to address the dispute.
We have the knowledge and expertise to assist you with a wide range of consumer disputes, and we will work with you to resolve the dispute without the need to go to court, settling the claim amicably through alternative dispute resolution and negotiation. However, whilst we believe that it is better to avoid the cost of court proceedings if possible, we will always act in your best interests. If mediation is not the right course of action for you, or if amicable communication between you and the other party breaks down, we have an experienced civil litigation team with the experience to prepare you for court.
We will always ensure that you are fully aware of any costs involved at all times and will discuss these with you, along with any funding options that might be available. It is worth noting that if your claim is less than £10,000 in value, it is unlikely that you will recover your legal costs from the other side, even if you win your case. We realise how stressful and frustrating consumer disputes can be. We are on hand to answer your questions and set you on the right path to resolve your dispute. You can rely on our knowledge and expertise to find the right solution to resolve your consumer law matter.
We can help throughout the litigation process, from start to finish.
Email your questions and general queries. If your dispute is already at court, and you are working with strict deadlines give us a call as a matter of urgency: