Faulty goods 'costing consumers'

Consumer rights are often misunderstood by shoppers

Faulty goods cost UK consumers an average of £78 a year - or nearly £5,000 in a lifetime - because people are too worried about returning them.

A poll for the Department for Business found that nearly half of those asked said they had at least one faulty item at home which they had not taken back.

Nerves, embarrassment, or fear of intimidation stopped shoppers' returns.

Low-value items tend to be kept, but second-hand cars remained the most complained about item.

Campaign

The survey, of 3,000 people, found that men were losing more money than women by failing to return goods. It cost men an average of £89 each year compared with women who lost £71 a year.

CURRENT UK CONSUMER RULES When a shopper buys an item it should be as described in the shop or website and of satisfactory quality If it is faulty, or wrongly described, the consumer has the right to a refund, replacement or repair However, the complaint should be made "within a reasonable time". This generally means getting a refund if it is returned within a month For the first six months, the retailer must prove the product was satisfactory when bought if they turn down a replacement or repair For the next six months, the consumer must prove there was something wrong on purchase to get a replacement or repair

Men felt more intimidated than women when taking items back to shops, but women felt more embarrassed.

The survey was part of a campaign aimed at instructing shoppers of their rights.

"We want to do all we can to encourage people not to lose out financially because they do not know their rights," said Consumer Minister Kevin Brennan.

"Now is the time to brush up on your consumer rights so you can return any faulty or unwanted goods with added confidence."

Consumers are entitled to a refund, replacement or repair of a faulty goods and get their money back if they act "within a reasonable time".

Complaints

European Commission proposals have suggested a minor imperfection on something like a personal music device might only prompt a discount, rather than a repair - a plan opposed by the UK government.

A recent report by the Law Commission of England and Wales, and the equivalent body in Scotland, found that there was confusion over the current rules, especially how long a consumer has to return a faulty item and be entitled to a refund.

It suggested that the "reasonable time" outlined in the law, this should be set at about 30 days, but with some flexibility.

This included a recommendation that perishable goods could only be rejected within a shorter period of time, with more time given to - for example - a shopper who has bought a lawnmower in October, or a Christmas present bought in November.

Low-valued items tend to be the items that consumers fail to take back. The Department for Business survey found that people were most likely to have problems returning faulty goods to electrical retailers, followed by clothes stores, and music shops.

But for the last four years, second-hand cars bought from independent traders have topped a list of the most common consumer gripes.

Televisions and mobile phone service agreements were second and third, according to the results published in January by Consumer Direct. Complaints about laptop computers rose the most, up 42% on the previous year. However not all of these complaints were necessarily justified.