The Consumer Rights Act — What Every Sole Trader Should Know

The Accounted Business Team·2 March 2026·9 min read

If you sell products or services to consumers — that is, to individuals rather than businesses — the Consumer Rights Act 2015 is one of the most important pieces of legislation you need to understand. It sets out the minimum rights consumers have when they buy from you, and it applies regardless of what your terms and conditions say.

The Act replaced and consolidated several older pieces of consumer legislation, including the Sale of Goods Act 1979 and the Supply of Goods and Services Act 1982. It's designed to be clearer and more accessible than the laws it replaced, which is good news for sole traders trying to understand their obligations.

Let's break down what you need to know.

What the Consumer Rights Act Covers

The Act covers three main areas: goods, services, and digital content. Each has its own set of rules, but the underlying principle is the same — consumers are entitled to products and services that meet certain standards, and they have specific remedies when those standards aren't met.

Goods

If you sell physical products — whether you make them yourself, buy them wholesale, or sell second-hand items — the Consumer Rights Act says those goods must be:

Of satisfactory quality — this means they should meet the standard a reasonable person would expect, taking into account the price, description, and any other relevant factors. Satisfactory quality covers appearance, finish, freedom from minor defects, safety, and durability.
Fit for purpose — if a consumer tells you they want a product for a particular purpose, or if the product has a commonly understood purpose, it must be suitable for that purpose. If a customer asks you for a waterproof phone case and you sell them one that leaks, that's a breach.
As described — the product must match any description you've given, whether on your website, in an advertisement, or verbally. If you describe a jumper as "100% wool" and it's actually a wool blend, that's a breach.
Matching a sample or model — if the consumer saw a sample or display model, the final product must match it in quality and appearance.

Services

If you provide services — cleaning, design, consultancy, repairs, training, tutoring, or anything else — the Act says those services must be:

Performed with reasonable care and skill — this means to a standard that a competent person in your field would meet. It doesn't require perfection, but it does require competence.
Performed within a reasonable time — if you haven't agreed a specific deadline, the work must be done within a time that a reasonable person would consider acceptable.
Provided at a reasonable price — if you haven't agreed a price upfront (which you should always try to do), the consumer only has to pay what's reasonable.

Digital Content

If you sell digital content — software, apps, e-books, music, games, templates, digital downloads — the Act says it must be:

Of satisfactory quality
Fit for purpose
As described

Consumer Remedies — What Happens When Things Go Wrong

When a consumer receives goods, services, or digital content that don't meet the standards above, they have specific rights to redress.

Remedies for Faulty Goods

The remedies for goods operate in tiers, depending on how quickly the consumer acts.

Within 30 days — the short-term right to reject:

If a consumer discovers a fault within 30 days of receiving the goods, they have the right to reject them and receive a full refund. This is a straightforward "take it back, get your money back" right. The 30-day period doesn't apply to perishable goods (where the period is shorter) or where the expected life of the goods is shorter than 30 days.

After 30 days but within six months — repair or replacement:

After the initial 30 days, the consumer must give you the opportunity to repair or replace the faulty goods before they can claim a refund. You get one attempt at repair or replacement. If the repair or replacement is unsuccessful, or if it takes an unreasonably long time, the consumer can then reject the goods for a refund (though you can make a deduction for use in some circumstances).

During the first six months, the burden of proof is on you — the goods are presumed to have been faulty at the time of delivery unless you can prove otherwise.

After six months:

After six months, the burden of proof shifts to the consumer — they need to show that the goods were faulty at the time of delivery. This doesn't mean the consumer has no rights after six months, but their claim becomes harder to make.

Remedies for Substandard Services

If a service isn't performed with reasonable care and skill, the consumer is entitled to:

Repeat performance — you must redo the service, or the defective part of it, at no extra cost and within a reasonable time.
Price reduction — if repeat performance is impossible or can't be done within a reasonable time, the consumer is entitled to a price reduction, which could be up to 100% of the price (i.e., a full refund).

Remedies for Faulty Digital Content

The remedies for digital content are similar to those for goods: repair or replacement first, then a price reduction if that doesn't resolve the issue.

Common Scenarios for Sole Traders

Let's look at some real-world situations where the Consumer Rights Act comes into play.

"I Want a Refund" — The Unhappy Customer

A customer buys a handmade candle from your online shop. After a week, they contact you saying the candle is cracked and won't burn properly. Under the Act, this is a quality issue, and the customer has the right to a full refund (within 30 days) or a repair/replacement (after 30 days). You can ask for photos as evidence, but you can't refuse to deal with the complaint.

"This Isn't What I Ordered" — Goods Not as Described

You sell a "hand-stitched leather wallet" on your website, but the product the customer receives is machine-stitched. The goods don't match the description, and the customer is entitled to reject them and receive a full refund, regardless of the 30-day window.

"The Work Wasn't Done Properly" — Service Complaints

A customer hires you to paint their living room. After you've finished, they notice patchy coverage, drip marks, and paint on the carpet. The service wasn't performed with reasonable care and skill, and the customer is entitled to have the work redone or to receive a price reduction. For more on managing these situations, our guide on handling client complaints has practical advice.

"I've Changed My Mind" — Cooling-Off Rights

A customer buys a product from your website but contacts you two days later saying they've changed their mind. If this was an online or distance sale, the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 give the customer a 14-day cooling-off period during which they can cancel for any reason. This is separate from the Consumer Rights Act but equally important to understand.

Note that the cooling-off period doesn't apply to in-person sales (unless made away from your business premises, such as at a trade fair or on the customer's doorstep).

What You Cannot Do

The Consumer Rights Act sets a floor — a minimum level of consumer rights. Your terms and conditions can offer more than the statutory minimum, but they cannot offer less. Specifically:

You cannot exclude the statutory rights. A statement like "no refunds" or "sold as seen" does not override the consumer's statutory rights under the Act. If the goods are faulty, the consumer is entitled to a remedy regardless of what your T&Cs say.
You cannot use unfair terms. The Act gives courts the power to declare contract terms unfair and unenforceable if they create a significant imbalance in the parties' rights, to the detriment of the consumer.
You cannot mislead consumers about their rights. Telling a customer they have no right to a refund when they do could constitute a misleading commercial practice under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008.

Practical Tips for Staying Compliant

Know the Rules

This might sound obvious, but the single most important thing you can do is understand your obligations. The Consumer Rights Act isn't unreasonable — it essentially requires you to sell quality products, provide competent services, and deal fairly with complaints. For most sole traders who take pride in their work, compliance is largely a matter of formalising what you're already doing.

Be Clear in Your Descriptions

Accuracy in your product and service descriptions is critical. Don't overstate what you're offering. If your product has limitations, say so. If your service doesn't include certain things, make that clear upfront. Accurate descriptions prevent complaints and protect you legally.

Keep Good Records

When a complaint arises, records are your best friend. Keep copies of:

Product descriptions and photographs
Communications with customers (emails, messages, order confirmations)
Invoices and receipts
Delivery confirmations
Any evidence of the quality of goods at the time of dispatch

Using Accounted to keep your invoices and financial records organised means you'll always have a clear paper trail if a dispute arises — you won't be scrambling through old emails trying to piece together what was agreed.

Have a Clear Returns/Complaints Policy

Write a returns or complaints policy that's easy to find and easy to understand. Make sure it complies with the Consumer Rights Act — don't include terms that contradict consumers' statutory rights. Display it on your website, include it with orders, and mention it in your terms and conditions.

Respond Promptly and Professionally

When a customer complains, respond quickly, listen to their concern, and offer a fair resolution in line with the law. Most disputes can be resolved informally when handled well. Ignoring complaints or being defensive almost always makes things worse.

Selling to Businesses vs. Consumers

The Consumer Rights Act only applies to business-to-consumer (B2C) transactions. If you're selling to another business (B2B), different rules apply — primarily the Sale of Goods Act 1979 (which still applies to B2B transactions) and whatever is agreed in your contract.

B2B transactions allow for much more flexibility in your terms. You can, for example, limit or exclude certain implied terms (subject to a reasonableness test under the Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977) in a way that you can't with consumer contracts.

If your business serves both consumers and other businesses, make sure your terms and conditions differentiate between the two where necessary.

Where to Get Help

If you're unsure about your obligations or facing a complex complaint, there are resources available:

Citizens Advice — provides free guidance for both consumers and businesses
GOV.UK — has detailed information on consumer rights and business obligations
Trading Standards — your local trading standards office can advise on compliance
A solicitor — for complex disputes or if legal action is threatened

The Consumer Rights Act doesn't need to be intimidating. At its core, it's about fairness: sell good products, provide competent services, and treat your customers decently. If you're already doing that, you're most of the way there.

Accounted helps UK sole traders stay on top of their bookkeeping and tax. Start your free 30-day trial at getaccounted.co.uk

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