All of us, at some point will encounter poor or even unlawful customer practice from shops, suppliers or commercial organisations in general. Knowing your rights in these situations will help you deal with unscrupulous or misinformed traders, giving you the quality and satisfaction you deserve in exchange for handing over your hard-earned cash. The Consumer Regulations section contains more legal information on the scenarios presented here. Don’t forget to share your experiences or queries via the forum, or simply post a reply to any of the articles on the site.

Credit and debit cards

Plastic has undeniable benefits in terms of managing spending and consumer protection. But the right of the card provider to impose fees and change the terms of your agreement can often come as a big surprise to many people.

Mobile phones

There is a massive choice of phones and plans to choose from.  This guide will help you make the right choice and help you understand your rights.

Buying a car

Buying a car is a major source of consumer complaints.   Your rights vary depending on how you buy it and who you buy it from.

Buying a sofa

Buying a sofa is a big commitment in more ways than one. Therefore make sure you understand what you are agreeing to, and how to deal with any problems should they occur.

Buying clothing and footwear

Your statutory rights regarding the purchase of clothing and footwear refer to standards of quality and consumer expectations, and what you should do if these are not met.

Buying a new build house

Many people decide to ‘buy new’ from a housebuilder in the belief that it will be a much less troublesome experience than buying somebody else’s home. So is it?

Buying online

Find out more about relatively new regulations what will help you when buying online.

Buying from online auction sites

Buying goods from internet auction sites and other online market places is becoming more popular. But buying in this way has important implications for your consumer rights.

Problems with delivery and collection of goods

Find out where  you stand when your goods don’t arrive or arrive damaged.

Cooling off and cancellations

Some contracts however offer you the right to cancel during a specific duration – called a ‘cooling off period’. Find out which types of agreements are subject to this right and how long you’ve got.

Returning damaged or faulty goods

The Sale of Goods Act also details the retailers obligations in situations where you have to return an item on the basis that it is damaged or faulty – or both. Make sure you know what you are entitled to.

Extended Warranties

Discover whether extended warranties are worth it or not.

Buying Payment Protection Insurance (PPI)

What’s PPI and what’s all the fuss about?

Junk mail, cold callers and telemarketing

The invasion of our privacy at home is becoming an important issue, which is why procedures are in place both to protect you and to allow you to opt out. Find out how in this section.

Problems with builders or tradesmen

Learn from the mistakes of others and know your rights and what the remedies are.

Getting holiday cash without paying a fortune

There are so many different ways of getting your cash abroad, but there are also a host of hidden charges to be aware of. So how can you get your holiday cash without getting fleeced? This guide will tell you all you need to know.

The Holiday was a Nightmare!

Your holiday was a nightmare and you had a miserable time. Is there anything you can do? Know your rights under the package holiday regulations and also about statutory entitlements in the event of flight delays.

Making a Small Claim

This section will tell you all you need to know if you are in dispute with a firm or individual and are considering trying to recover money, damages or compensation via a county court small claims procedure.

Credit Agreements Explained

Credit agreements are complicated and a source of confusion.  This guide makes it all much clearer.

Accessing your Credit File

If you have been turned down for a credit agreement, you have the right not only to access you credit file, but to change or remove anything which is incorrect and request these changes to be made known to the lender.

Excessive bank charges

Find out what the current situation is with regard to bank charges.

Debt Management Companies

There are a growing number of debt management companies who all want to help you get out of debt. Do their solutions work? Or are they simply trying to capitalise on your misfortune?

Debt Collection Agencies

Find out what Debt Collection Agencies can do and what they can’t.

Gym Memberships and Unfair Terms

How many of us actually take the time to trawl through the small print when signing up to an agreement for gym membership? Most of us will assume good faith, the record number of consumer complaints regarding these contracts is proof that this can be a false assumption.