World Consumer Rights Day

Posted on March 15, 2023

There seems to be an ‘Awareness Day’ for most things these days and as a Litigation Paralegal, World Consumer Rights Day is one that I support.

What is World Consumer Rights Day?

World Consumer Rights Day has been celebrated on 15^th March since 1983 and 15^th March has particular importance as back in 1962, a speech made to the U.S. Congress by U.S. President John Fitzgerald Kennedy stated that every person had:

the right to safety,
the right to be informed,
the right to choose,
the right to be heard.

What are Consumer Rights?

Although this can be a complex area, broadly speaking, your Consumer Rights are:

Consumer Rights in relation to goods:

Goods to be of satisfactory quality,
Goods to be fit for purpose,
Goods to be as described.

Consumer Rights in relation to services:

Services to be performed with reasonable care and skill,
Information about the trader or service to be binding,
Service to be performed within a reasonable time.

As a consumer, when you purchase a product or engage a company to carry out a service, you expect to be more than happy with the outcome. Unfortunately, as this is not always the case, the Consumer Rights Act 2015 is in place to offer you the protection and security that you deserve when purchasing a product/service.

How are Consumer Rights Protected?

Such protection and security rests in the remedies offered by the Consumer Rights Act 2015, all of which, where appropriate, I have exercised on behalf of my clients.

Depending on the circumstances that you find yourself in, I would be hopeful that the Consumer Rights Act 2015 includes a remedy to assist you in achieving the end result you desired when you originally purchased the goods/engaged the service, whether that be requesting for the goods to be repaired, rejecting the goods entirely, asking for a service to be repeated to a satisfactory standard, or asking for a full refund.

The most common consumer dispute I have come across regarding consumers’ rights is regarding faulty vehicles, so much so that I feel as though I could have a qualification in motor mechanics!

By way of a quick overview, should you experience issues with a vehicle you have purchased from a garage, under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, you have a short-term right to reject your car if it is unsatisfactory, unfit for purpose or not as described, meaning that you are entitled to a full refund. However, you should remember that this right is short-term and is limited to 30 days from the date that you purchased the car.

How can we help

If you believe you have been sold faulty goods or have been provided with an unsatisfactory service, please do not hesitate to get in touch and I will do all that I can to assist!

Our litigation solicitors can help resolve your consumer disputes. Simply contact the team on 0161 785 3500 or email enquiries@pearsonlegal.co.uk.

Please note that the information and opinions contained in this article are not intended to be comprehensive, nor to provide legal advice. No responsibility for its accuracy or correctness is assumed by Pearson Solicitors and Financial Advisers Ltd or any of its members or employees. Professional legal advice should be obtained before taking, or refraining from taking, any action as a result of this article.

This blog was posted some time ago and its contents may now be out of date. For the latest legal position relating to these issues, get in touch with the author - or make an enquiry now.