Consumer rights FAQs

The CCPC works to protect consumers. We will explain your consumer rights and the steps you can take to resolve your issue.

We also encourage you to report consumer issues to the CCPC. Your report will also help us to identify sectors and companies where we need to take action to protect consumers.

Find out the steps you can take to resolve your issue here - Resolve an issue.

You can report an issue and a business here – Report a business.

You can also contact us for information on 01 402 5555.

If you have paid for items that have not been provided or delivered, you are considered a creditor. This is because the business owes you the item you bought or a refund if it cannot provide it.

If the business is in examinership, liquidation or receivership, you will usually be treated as an unsecured creditor. This means that you are a lower priority than secured creditors such as Revenue, employees and banks. Your chances of getting your money back may be limited, as it will depend on how much money is left after the secured creditors are paid.

Learn more – Companies going out of business

It really depends on the situation. Our advice is:

Only pay a small advance deposit, if required.

• Pay by card instead of cash so you have more protection if let down.
• Confirm how long delivery will take, preferably in writing, before paying any deposit.
• Try to avoid paying in full if there is a long delivery period.
• Once items are delivered, check immediately for any faults or mistakes.
• Use gift vouchers or credit notes when you get them to avoid losing out if the business closes.

If a company you have bought from goes out of business, you may be at risk of losing money, especially if you have already paid for goods or services that have not yet been delivered.

Learn more - Paying deposits.

Learn more - Companies going out of business.

Yes, many gift vouchers have an expiry date but in Ireland a gift voucher must last for at least five years. The expiry date should be provided to you with the voucher. There are some exceptions to the five year rule, including One-4-All (a pre-paid card) and vouchers bought on deal websites.

Learn more - Gift vouchers

A guarantee is a short-term promise from a shop or manufacturer to repair or replace an item if something goes wrong. 

A warranty is similar but is a formal agreement, usually for a wider set of circumstances, protections and for a longer time period. Warranties can be offered as an extra benefit for free or there may charge associated. Buying a warranty should always be optional. Given your existing consumer rights, you should consider whether they are value for money. 

A guarantee or a warranty does not replace your existing rights to a refund, replacement or a repair if something goes wrong, within 30 days, after 30 days, and often up to 6 years after a purchase. This is assuming the fault is not due to misuse, accidental damage or wear and tear. A retailer should not send you to the manufacturer to resolve an issue, even if you have a guarantee or warranty.

Learn more - Faulty goods

Learn more - Guarantees and warranties

No,a business cannot mislead consumers by increasing prices immediately before a sale to make their discounts higher. Businesses must display the new selling price of goods on sake and must also display the ‘prior price’. This must be the lowest price the goods were on sale for in the 30 days before the sale. For example, if a laptop is advertised as ‘was €700, now €500’, it must not have been available for less than €700 in the 30 days before the sale started. 

It’s against the law for a business to engage in misleading advertising or to give false information about an item for sale.  

Learn more - Shopping in the sales

No. A business must display the correct price information about a product they are selling.

In a scenario where a business realises a pricing mistake and tells you that the display price is wrong before you buy, you can choose to refuse to purchase, or agree to pay the higher price. If you agree to pay the higher new price, you cannot ask for a refund after. 

Learn more – Pricing

You may not have the same consumer rights as you would expect if you buy from a business outside Ireland and the EU. You can have to pay extra taxes and charges when your goods arrive in Ireland before they are released or delivered to you. Before you purchase, check where the business is based, and how to resolve an issue or return an item. When shopping on websites based outside of the EU, including British websites, look for specific information on the payment of import taxes and charges.

Learn more - Buying outside the EU

Yes, if bought online, you have 14 days from when you received the item to return it. This is known as the cooling off period. Learn more - Buying online.

Some businesses might offer a longer returns period under their store policy, but they do not have to do this. Check the returns policy before your purchase. Learn more - Refunds.

If the product is faulty or is not as described, you are entitled to a refund for the item within 30 days of purchasing. Learn more - Faulty goods.

Goods must be delivered by the delivery date specified when you ordered, or within 30 days of purchase.

You do not have to give extra time if you told the business that you needed the goods by a specific date. If your goods do not arrive on time, you should contact the business. You can agree an extra amount of time for delivery and if that extra time passes and the goods still do not arrive, you can cancel your purchase and get a full refund.

Learn more - Refunds

Complaint letter template - Non-delivery of goods

If a service is not provided to the standard you agreed or as it was described, the business must resolve the issue. If the business can’t resolve the issue within the timeframe you agreed, you can request a partial refund, or cancel the service contract. If the business cannot resolve the issue or refuses to, you can request a refund.

Learn more - Your rights when buying services

Complaint letter template - Problems with a service

Yes, generally subscription auto-renewals are legal, but you must have been clearly informed when you sign up. There are some exceptions for certain insurance products. Terms and conditions, such as auto-renewal of subscriptions, must be easy to understand, be clearly laid out, and highlight the costs involved.  You must also be clearly informed of the conditions for cancelling your subscription. . Learn more - Terms and conditions

You must also be clearly informed of the conditions for cancelling your subscription.

Learn more - Resolving an issue with digital content and services

Learn more - Buying digital services

If you think you were not informed correctly about auto-renewal of a subscription, you should make a formal complaint to the business. Learn more - How to complain to a business

Complaint letter template - Problems with digital services

If you cancelled a contract when it ended, or due to problems with the service, then the business must not charge you for the period after you cancelled. They must refund you any payment they took from you after this time. You can also withhold payment. Learn more -  Cancelling a contract.

If a business is continuing to charge you after you cancelled the contract, you should make a formal complaint. Make sure you keep a record of how and when you cancelled the contract with photos/screenshots and any email or written communications. Learn more - How to complaint to a business

Complaint letter template - Problems with services

There are terms and conditions attached to your contract. They may include the method of cancellation and if they do specify that is must be over the phone, you must follow them. 

Under consumer law, a business must not pressure or apply undue influence on a consumer. This includes putting unreasonable obstacles in the way when a consumer is trying to cancel a contract or move to a new service provider.

Suggested steps that may help:

• Check the method of cancellation in your terms and conditions
• If there is a requirement to telephone the trader, and where you feel this practice puts disproportionate barriers in place for you when you wish to cancel a contract you should raise this with your provider. 
• If you cannot resolve the problem, you can formally complain in writing, explaining the issue and what you would like them to do. 
• If the issue is not fixed, contact the CCPC. Additionally, the small claims procedure may also be an option.

• Under consumer law, you have strong consumer rights when buying a service. 
• The service provider/business must ensure that the service matches what you agreed verbally or in writing with them. 
• You can check the terms and conditions of the service to see what was agreed.
• These are set by the business and both you and the business may be bound by them. 
• Check if the provider can change the features available based on the terms & conditions.
• If your provider is operating outside of the terms and conditions you should speak with them. 

Next steps

• Contact the business to resolve the issue and keep a copy of all communications.
• CCPC have a complaint letter template to help you complain to the business.
• If the issue is still not resolved, report the business to the CCPC.
• If you paid by debit card, you have the option to request a chargeback from your bank.
• If the service cost €2,000 or less and the issue is still not resolved, learn about your options under the small claims procedure.

The service provider/business must ensure that the service must match what you agreed verbally or in writing with them.  You can check the terms and conditions of the service to see what was agreed. These are set by the business and both you and the business may be bound by them. 

• The service must be supplied to you on the date agreed or within any timeframe set.  If no date was agreed, the service must be supplied within a reasonable time.

• If this is not the case, you can agree a new date with the business. If not supplied on the new date, or it is no longer appropriate for the service to be supplied, you can look to cancel your contract with the business for a refund.

Note: The law doesn’t set what a reasonable time is as it will vary in different situations. If you feel the wait time for supply is unreasonable, you can contact the business to agree a suitable new date.

Next steps

• Contact the business to resolve the issue and keep a copy of all communications.
• CCPC have a complaint letter template to help you complain to the business.
• If the issue is still not resolved, report the business to the CCPC.
• If you paid by debit card, you have option to request a chargeback from your bank.
• If the service cost €2,000 or less and the issue is still not resolved, learn about your options under the small claims procedure.

You are entitled to a refund:

• If the item was not delivered 
• If the item does not match the description when you bought it 

Learn more about the reasons you may be entitled to a refund here - Refunds.

If the item is faulty and you experience the problem within 30 days - you can return and get a full refund, or after 30 days, the problem is serious and still cannot be resolved by a replacement or a repair - you can ask for a refund 

• Contact the business to resolve the issue and keep a copy of all communications.
• You can use the CCPC complaint letter templates which outline your consumer rights to help you complain to the business.
• If the issue is still not resolved, report the business to the CCPC.
• If you paid by debit card or credit card, you may have option to request a chargeback from your bank.
• If the item cost €2,000 or less and the issue is still not resolved, you can use the small claims procedure.
• For more guidance, please visit our how to resolve an issue section.

Yes. A guarantee or a warranty does not replace your existing right to a refund, replacement, a repair or a price reduction if something goes wrong, with 30 days, after 30 days and often up to 6 years after a purchase. This is assuming the fault is not due to misuse, accidental damage or wear and tear.

Businesses must ensure goods and services are of satisfactory quality, fit for purpose and as described.

A retailer should not send you to the manufacturer to resolve an issue if it is their responsibility to do so, even if you have a guarantee or warranty. Learn more - Faulty goods

Learn more - Guarantees and warranties.