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UK consumer rights online

Wednesday the 10th of March 2010

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Your rights online as a UK customer

It's important to be aware of your rights as a consumer and the laws that protect you in the UK. Your usual consumer rights apply online and from October 31st 2000, UK consumers were also covered by the 'Consumer Protection Regulations', commonly known as the 'Distance Selling Regulations'.

These rules apply to actual retailers such as Internet based companies as well as mail-order companies and direct mail companies. Exceptions to the rules include auction sites and private sellers (please read the full rules to view all exceptions).

Here are a few of the main points, please click here to become familiar with the full statement.

  • The 'Consumer Protection Regulations' are there to give protection to UK customers who buy goods or services without any face-to-face contact with the supplier.
  • Unless agreed otherwise, your goods must be delivered within thirty days.
  • You have a cooling off period in which you can withdraw from the contract for any reason.
  • This cooling off period begins as soon as you receive the goods and lasts for seven working days. In the case of services (which are sometimes provided instantly) you get seven working days after the day the order was made.
  • Some items, by their nature, are excluded from the right to cancel. These include lottery tickets, personalised items or items made to order, newspapers and magazines and also music, movies or software that has been unsealed by you.
  • If you have read the full Distance Selling Regulations and are still unsure about a shop's policy on a certain type of product, you should contact them directly.

More help?

There are a number of organisations and websites in the UK who may be able to solve a particular problem or offer advice to you.