Faulty? The 30-day rule

Lesson 3 of 12 in our free Consumer Rights guide: a 5-minute money game with the key points below.

This lesson is in the full version.

Free with a code from your uni, college, council, landlord or employer (worth £600/year). Lesson 1 of Consumer Rights is free for everyone.

Questions you'll answer

Mo's air fryer arrived on 1 March. Up to how many days after delivery does Mo have the short-term right to reject?

Month 4: Mo's headphones break. The shop replaces them. The replacements break too. What now?

Full refund, no need to accept a repair → Within 30 days. The short-term right to reject. Your strongest position.
Retailer gets one repair or replacement; fault presumed to be there from the start → 30 days to 6 months. In this window, it's on the retailer to prove the fault WASN'T there at delivery.
You may need to show the fault was there when you bought it (e.g. an expert report) → After 6 months. After 6 months, the burden of proof flips to you.
Myth: “Your rights end when the 1-year manufacturer's guarantee ends.” — You can claim for goods that don't last a reasonable time — up to 6 years in England, Wales and NI (5 in Scotland) — though you may need to prove the fault.
Fact: “Within the first 6 months, the fault is assumed to have existed at delivery unless the seller proves otherwise.” — This is why acting early makes everything easier.
Myth: “If a shop offers a repair inside the first 30 days, you have to accept it.” — Within 30 days you can insist on rejecting the goods for a full refund. Accepting a repair is your choice.