Customer protection
Introduction
If your business sells goods or services you'll sometimes have to deal with people who are unhappy with some aspect of the transaction.
This means you need to think carefully about your approach to customer service - and make sure you're aware of customers' legal rights. You should note that where your customer is a consumer that is not acting in the course of a business, they have additional rights.
Knowing the basics of the law puts you in a better position if a dispute occurs. And respecting customers' rights will help you build a good reputation and retain their custom.
This guide sets out the fundamental rights customers have when they buy goods or services from you.
Subjects covered in this guide
- Introduction
- Customers' key rights when buying or hiring goods
- Customers' rights to reject goods and claim refunds
- What customers can't complain about
- Customers' key rights when buying services
- What customers can do if they think services aren't adequate
- Customers' rights to challenge unfair contract terms
- Consumers' extra rights when buying goods or services from their home or workplace
- Consumer credit and financial services
- Customer rights: jargon buster

Actions
- The Sale of Goods Act on the Office of Fair Trading website - Opens in a new window
- Business guidance and Trading Standards office search on the Trading Standards Insitute website - Opens in a new window
- Use our interactive tool to find regulations, licences, standards and trade bodies for your business



