Do you need a warranty to get a refund or repair?

What is the value of a warranty?

“You should have bought a warranty” is a common fob off I hear a lot. Your consumer rights are worth more than any warranty.

People often ask if this is the same for cars. Yes, it is, despite what a garage may tell you! See How to complain about a new or secondhand car.

Occasionally a warranty may be worth paying for, if it includes accidental damage and you don’t already have cover as part of your household insurance. It may also be quicker than trying to get redress from a retailer, if they are being difficult. However, it is most certainly not worth paying for a warranty. Just follow the Top 20 tips to complain effectively and the links within to ensure you get your redress.

Consumers regularly ask questions across my social media platforms, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Threads and on my blog. In my weekly The Complaining Cow Consumer Column, I share queries that come up most often.

Below is the answer I gave to the question on TikTok:

@thecomplainingcow
“It’s out of warranty.” 👀 One of the most common things consumers hear when complaining about faulty products But warranties and consumer rights are NOT the same thing Depending on the situation, you may still have rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 👀 Follow for more consumer tips #consumerrights #warranty #consumerlaw #moneytips #consumeradvice
♬ original sound – Helen Dewdney

How does the Consumer Rights Act (CRA) cover you more than a warranty?

According to the Act, items must:

be fit for purpose

be of satisfactory quality

match the description

be free from defects

last a reasonable length of time

If you have an item that develops a fault up to 30 days from purchase, you are entitled to a full refund. After that time you are entitled to a repair or replacement. In the first six months it is considered that the fault was there at the point of purchase, after this time it will be up to the consumer to prove.

See Warranty vs guarantee: your consumer rights explained

Help with complaining to companies

For more advice, tips, information and template letters covering holidays and more: GET THE BOOK! How To Complain: The ESSENTIAL Consumer Guide to Getting REFUNDS, Redress and RESULTS!

Want to get better at complaining? See 101 Habits of an Effective Complainer

Save yourself time and effort finding the laws and wording a letter of complaint. Purchase and download a template, fill in your details and get that redress.

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“The critical thing is empowering people and part of empowerment is making people understand their legal rights more and it’s theirs, being able to identify the persona in authority to make a decision and having the elbow when somebody says “no” to say “well I’m sorry..” and those are the three things and I think you do that with gusto and are an example in that regard.”

“How to Complain

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“101 Habit of an Effective Complainer

If complaining is an art form, Helen Dewdney is Rembrandt. This book is easy to follow, beautifully written and – above all – teaches us that complaining effectively doesn’t require rudeness or angry sharp elbows. Dewdney’s book is a brilliant reminder that being a successful complainer (or getting what you were entitled to in the first place) is simple to achieve and can even be fun. Her superb how-to guide isn’t for ‘complainers,’ it’s for anybody who has ever been a consumer and been let down – it’s for all of us.”

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Helen Dewdney writes with fearless clarity and she’s done it again… She’s one of my few and regular go-tos, especially for how to approach consumer issues or in the event of an urgent sense check. This book is packed full of great and creative ideas for building up excellent PR, establishing yourself as the expert and keeping the momentum going. She is – hands down – a mega star in the world of consumer affairs and in this latest book, on PR, she shares how you can do it for yourself.”

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Journalist, TV Judge barrister, presenter