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Refunds for goods

There are certain situations where you are entitled to a refund for goods that are faulty or otherwise don’t meet the terms of a sales contract. You can also get a refund if your order hasn’t arrived.

Refunds for faulty goods

Consumer law uses the term ‘non-conformity’ both for faulty goods and goods that don’t match the description or claims made by the business when you bought them. On this page we use ‘faulty’ to describe any issue of non-conformity with the sales contract.

Irish law gives you six years from the date of purchase to go back to the business about a problem with something you have bought.

If you received the goods within the past 30 days, you have a short-term right to terminate (end) the contract for a full refund if they are faulty.

If it is more than 30 days since you received the faulty goods, the business can offer you a repair or a replacement as a first remedy.

However, you have a right to a full refund if:

  • there is a serious issue with the goods
  • a repair or replacement doesn’t fix the issue or
  • the business cannot or will not repair or replace the goods within a reasonable time, at no charge or without significant inconvenience to you.

If the fault is minor, and it hasn’t been possible to fix it or repair it promptly without significant inconvenience, you are only entitled to request a price reduction.

Right to an immediate refund when goods are faulty

For the most serious faults, you may not need to first accept a repair or replacement, even after 30 days. This applies where the goods are unsafe, for example, or the fault makes it impossible to use the goods and you cannot reasonably have confidence in the trader to put things right.

Who decides if a fault is serious or minor

If there is a dispute about the seriousness of a fault, it is up to the business to show that the fault is minor. The business generally considers factors such as:

  • the type and value of goods
  • the nature of the issue
  • whether the issue can be repaired
  • the impact of the issue on your ability to use the goods for the purpose for which you bought them.

How to request a refund for faulty goods

Contact the business as soon as possible after discovering the fault. It’s best to put your request for a refund in writing.

You are entitled to the refund after the goods are returned. It’s up to the business to pay for the faulty goods to be returned or uninstalled and returned. If you pay to send the goods back yourself, the business or trader should reimburse you.

Once the business receives the returned goods, it has 14 days to refund you the cost of the goods and any delivery costs you paid up front. The refund must be made either through the payment method you used to buy the goods or through another payment method that you have clearly agreed to.

If the trader refuses your refund, you can choose to:

Refunds for non-delivery

You must contact the business if you don’t receive the goods within the period you agreed when you entered the sales contract, or within 30 days if you didn’t agree a particular period.

If the goods aren’t delivered on time, you should generally give the business further time to deliver them. The additional time should be appropriate in the circumstances. If that time passes, and you still haven’t received the goods, you are entitled to terminate the contract for a full refund. You need to contact the business to do this.

You don’t have to give the business more time to deliver your goods if:

  • it has refused to deliver them
  • it was essential for the goods to be delivered within an agreed period, taking into account the circumstances at the point of sale (for example, buying tickets for an event on a specific date)
  • you told the business that it was essential for the goods to be delivered by a certain date and that date has passed.

Example

You ordered a cake for a colleague’s retirement lunch. You emailed the bakery to make sure that the cake would be delivered on the morning of the party. They assured you it would arrive on time, but it did not. In this case you don’t need to give the bakery extra time to make the delivery, as it was aware that it was essential that the cake would be delivered by a specific date.

Refunds for goods when you change your mind

Buying in-store

Consumer legislation does not give automatic rights to return items for a refund. If you change your mind about something you have bought in-store, your ability to return the item and get a refund will depend on the store’s returns policy.

The business should make its returns policy available in writing and stick to it. Check the company’s website before you buy or ask in-store for more information about returns due to change of mind.

Buying online, over the phone or by mail order

When you buy items online, over the phone or by mail order, you have what is called a ‘cooling off period’ during which you can change your mind. This is because you don’t have the opportunity to examine the goods before paying for them like you would if you were buying in-store. The period applies equally to goods bought at full and reduced price.

If you change your mind during the cooling off period, contact the business and tell them that you wish to return the goods. You don’t have to give a reason for changing your mind. The business should give you instructions on returning the goods, which you must do no more than 14 days after contacting it. You may have to pay for return postage.

Buying on your doorstep

Doorstep sales have their own set of rules because you can feel pressured to make a purchase when someone calls to your home. For doorstep sales, you can cancel within 30 days of receiving the goods. You don’t have to give a reason.

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