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A new pocket guide on shoppers' rights has been issued by the Office of Fair Trading to raise awareness amongst consumers of their rights on the high street, so they can make informed decisions when buying goods and services. The guide includes the following helpful tips: Goods must be of satisfactory quality – free of defect unless pointed out to you by the seller. Goods should be as described. If a garment is described as 100% pure wool it should not be made of polyester. Purchases must be fit for their purpose – they should work for a reasonable amount of time. A kettle should not leak the first time you use it. If an item is perfect a retailer is under no obligation to exchange it or provide a refund – they might as a good will gesture. Don’t delay your complaint for too long – you might be judged to have accepted the product. A receipt is not a legal necessity but proves when and where you bought the item. A retailer cannot avoid giving a refund by blaming the manufacturer – your contract is with him. A customer does not have the right to reject goods if any faults have been pointed out before the purchase was made. Before buying think
If buying on credit or taking out a loan seek out the best deal and read the small print. Under the Consumer Credit Act the card provider is liable as well as the retailer if the item you buy is faulty, broken or doesn’t arrive. The item must cost between £100 and £30,000. Before buying shop around to check prices or after-sales service deals. Beware of impulse buys – you may regret it later. Remember to check any additional costs such as delivery charges. Don't be pressurised into buying things you do not want. Home shoppers have additional rights – they have a cooling off period in which to change their minds. This does not apply to in-store purchases. Home shoppers also have a right to cancel if the order is not delivered within 30 days unless another time was agreed. If you agree to let the seller try to put faulty goods right this does not affect your rights. If the repair fails, you can still reject the goods. If you believe you have bought unsafe goods or have an unresolved complaint your local trading standards office can help. To find the trading standards office number look in the telephone directory under the local authority. Download a copy of Hot shopping tips in pdf format (31 kb) from the Office of Fair Trading Website. Copies are also available by calling 0870 60 60 321.
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