Your statutory rights give you six years from the date of purchase to make a claim (five years Scotland) and are in addition to any warranty that came with the laptop. The Sale of Goods Act 1979 is fundamental and says that goods including laptops must be:
Of Satisfactory Quality
This includes fitness for purpose, life [...]
Direct Marketing – What does it mean for you?
If you were to ask the average person in the street about their view of direct marketing, it is likely that you would draw no response. For many people, the term, ‘direct marketing’ tends to be associated with stories about so called ‘junk mail’ or other examples [...]
What Consumer recommends that you only use Paypal when absolutely necessary due to Paypal Buyer Protection limitations .
Where possible use a Credit Card for items over £100 to ensure the transaction is protected by Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act. This makes the credit card company equally liable if there is a problem. [...]
The majority of us are now aware of the benefits of using our credit cards in terms of the protection it offers us in the event the supplier is unable to offer the goods and services we have paid for.
But did you know that you can also claim the money back if you have [...]
There has been a flurry of complaints surrounding the sharp and unexpected increases in rates of interest payable by users of MBNA credit cards. To make this look slightly more devious, this is tending to take effect around the time that customers come to the end of their introductory low or zero rated interest periods. [...]
July 27th, 2008 | Catriona | 25 comments | Continued
The Sale of Goods Act 1979 is perhaps the most useful and relevant to the problems many consumers face when they make purchases on the High Street, online or by mail order. It is worth knowing about this piece of legislation, in terms of what rights you have and how you can resolve the situation, [...]
July 18th, 2008 | Catriona | 82 comments | Continued
There is a section devoted specifically to buying from online auction sites such as ebay, but for now there are some points to bear in mind when buying second-hand.
Firstly, remember that the statutory entitlement of quality and fitness for purpose only applies when buying from someone who is ‘acting in the course of a business’ [...]
The Sale of Goods Act makes reference to ‘the seller’, this is the shop, the retailer, or the individual you bought it from, and is who you made the contract with. It is not the manufacturer, and don’t let the shop tell you otherwise! If there is an obvious fault with the item at any [...]
June 30th, 2008 | Catriona | 76 comments | Continued
When you buy something from a shop you are entering into a legally binding contract. Therefore they don’t have to give you a refund simply because you have changed your mind. Only if one of your statutory rights is breached (i.e. that the item is damaged, of poor quality or not fit for purpose) do [...]
June 30th, 2008 | Catriona | 100 comments | Continued
The principles of contract law discussed earlier are evident here, and if the breach is so fundamental or the consequences so significant, you will be entitled to rescind the contract entirely, get your money back and also claim damages. However, your rights in this respect depend upon whether it is felt you have already ‘accepted’ [...]
June 30th, 2008 | Catriona | 11 comments | Continued
In addition to the protection given to consumers by the Sale of Goods Act, manufacturers and retailers will also issue their own guarantees or warranties. The two are basically the same thing so for the purposes of simplicity we will refer to them as warranties. It is a myth that certain products (electrical products for [...]
June 27th, 2008 | Catriona | 20 comments | Continued
If an item is reduced in price due to a sale, your rights are the same as if it were a full priced item. If however, the item is reduced due to a defect and you are made aware of that defect, you cannot then return the item on the basis of that defect. Sounds [...]
June 15th, 2008 | Catriona | 1 comment | Continued
As mentioned in ‘How long should it last?’, the statutory term of satisfactory quality only applies if you have bought something from a commercial entity – a supplier or retailer who is acting ‘in the course of a business’. In this respect, your rights under Sale of Goods apply even if the item you have [...]
June 15th, 2008 | Catriona | 0 comments | Continued
Durability
Durability is another recent addition to the definition of quality. How long should a dishwasher or a vacuum cleaner or a printer last? This is a very common source of complaint and one which manufacturers were always quick to turn back on the consumer, requiring them to provide proof that the item did not conform [...]
That’s a legitimate claim as long as you are using the item for the purpose for which it was intended. This is the principle of fitness for purpose. There is no point claiming that paint thinner has had adverse effects if it is not being used as paint thinner! Similarly, if you are commissioning the [...]
June 15th, 2008 | Catriona | 42 comments | Continued
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