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Consumer Rights Act 2015 Remedy Letter UK (s.19 / s.23 / s.24 / s.27 — Auto-Selected from Complaint & Remedy)

The Consumer Rights Act 2015 gives a different statutory right depending on what you are complaining about (faulty goods / poor service / misleading trading) and on what you want the trader to do (refund / repair-or-replacement / price reduction / final reject). This guide shows you the section that the trader and the Courts expect to see on the face of the letter, then auto-inserts the right citation into a downloadable Consumer Rights Act 2015 Remedy Letter.

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Watch the deadlines: the short-term right to reject under Section 19 CRA 2015 runs for 30 days from delivery — after that the trader can insist on a repair or replacement first (Section 23). The final right to reject under Section 27 has no fixed deadline but the later the consumer waits the larger the deduction for use. For services the analogue (Sections 49 & 50 CRA 2015) has no fixed window. Send the letter by Royal Mail Signed For AND email with read receipt so the 14-day consumer expectation window is provable.

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What the Law Says

Section 19 CRA 2015 · Short-term right to reject (full refund under s.20)

Where goods are delivered to a consumer and the consumer has the right to reject them because of a failure to comply with the statutory rights under Sections 9, 10, 11 or 12, the consumer may reject the goods within 30 days beginning with the day after the day on which the consumer (or a person other than the trader nominated by the consumer for that purpose) acquires possession of the goods (Section 19(2)–(3) CRA 2015). On rejection the trader must give the consumer a full refund of the price paid within 14 days of the trader agreeing that the consumer is entitled to reject the goods (Section 20(3) CRA 2015) and the trader bears the cost of returning the goods (Section 20(8) CRA 2015). The short-term right to reject is unconditional — the trader is not entitled to insist on a repair or replacement first.

Section 23 CRA 2015 · Right to repair or replacement (one attempt under s.23(2))

Where the short-term right to reject under Section 19 has expired and the goods do not conform to the contract, the consumer may require the trader to repair or replace the goods (Section 23(1) CRA 2015). The trader is entitled to one attempt at repair or replacement (Section 23(2) CRA 2015) and must do so within a reasonable time and without significant inconvenience to the consumer (Section 23(3)). If the trader refuses, or the repair / replacement fails, or the trader fails to repair / replace within a reasonable time, the consumer may resort to a price reduction under Section 24 or, as a last resort, the final right to reject / full refund under Section 27. Counter-claims by the trader (e.g. that the cost of repair is disproportionate) must meet the test of Section 23(2A).

Section 24 CRA 2015 · Right to a price reduction

Where the trader has refused to repair or replace, or has failed to do so within a reasonable time or without significant inconvenience to the consumer, the consumer is entitled to a price reduction (Section 24(1) CRA 2015). The reduction is proportionate to the decrease in the value of the goods caused by the failure to comply with the statutory rights (Section 24(2) CRA 2015) and is normally applied as an abatement against the price paid. Beyond six months the burden of proof that the goods were not conforming at delivery falls onto the consumer (Section 24(5) CRA 2015), but the normal statutory presumption is that the goods were not conforming at delivery where the failure manifests itself within six months (Section 24(5) CRA 2015 — 'the goods were not of satisfactory quality, fit for purpose or as described when supplied').

Section 27 CRA 2015 · Final right to reject / full refund under s.20(13)–(14)

The consumer may exercise the final right to reject where (a) the trader has refused to repair or replace the goods, or (b) the trader has failed to repair or replace them within a reasonable time or without significant inconvenience, or (c) the goods have been repaired or replaced but the consumer still has the right to reject a non-conforming tender (Section 27(1)–(3) CRA 2015). The refund on final rejection is the price paid less a deduction for the consumer's use of the goods (Section 20(13)–(14) CRA 2015) — the deduction is limited to the amount that represents a fair allowance for the use the consumer has had of the goods since delivery. Section 27 is the strongest available claim beyond 30 days and after one failed repair / replacement.

Sections 49 & 50 CRA 2015 · Services analogue (price reduction / repeat performance) & CPUTR 2008 Schedule 1

For services, Sections 49 and 50 CRA 2015 imply terms that the service must be performed with reasonable care and skill (Section 49(1)), within a reasonable time (Section 49(2)) and at a reasonable price if not agreed (Section 49(3)). Where the trader breaches these terms the consumer may require repeat performance (Section 50(1)(a)) or, failing that, a price reduction (Section 50(1)(b)) or damages (Section 50(2)). For misleading trading, the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 Schedule 1 (as amended by the Consumer Rights Act 2015 Schedule 1) sets out the 31 banned commercial practices and supports a private right of action for damages caused by a 'misleading action' or 'aggressive commercial practice' (Regulation 5 CPUTR).

The central problem American and off-shore guides get wrong is that they tell the consumer to write a generic 'refund letter' citing nothing specific. UK consumer law runs off precise statutory rights and the trader (and the County Court, and Trading Standards, and the CMR) looks for the section number. A refund letter that names s.19 within the 30-day window is a short, sharp claim; a refund letter that cites s.27 wrongly is unsupported and the trader will use the wrong-citation error as a reason to deny the claim. A CRA 2015 Remedy Letter that names the right section is the difference between a settled claim and a default denial.

CRA 2015 Section Lookup Table

Use the table below to identify which Consumer Rights Act 2015 section your situation falls under. The statute named in column 2 is what must be cited in the subject line of your letter. Column 3 gives the modelled response window. Column 4 names the statutory hook.

Complaint × desired remedy CRA 2015 section Hard deadline / modelled window Statutory hook
Faulty goods × refund (within 30 days of delivery) CRA 2015 s.19 + s.20 30 days (hard) — 14 day modelled window Short-term right to reject — refund within 14 days of agreement (s.20(3))
Faulty goods × repair or replacement (1–6 months) CRA 2015 s.23 One attempt (s.23(2)) within a reasonable time Right to repair or replacement — Section 23(2A) disproportionate-cost test
Faulty goods × price reduction (after failed repair / replacement) CRA 2015 s.24 14 day modelled window Proportionate abatement against the price paid (s.24(2))
Faulty goods × final reject (last resort / >6 months) CRA 2015 s.27 + s.20(13)–(14) 14 day modelled window Final right to reject — refund less use deduction (s.20(13))
Poor service × refund / price reduction CRA 2015 s.49 + s.50 Section 49 reasonable time — 14 day modelled window Repeat performance (s.50(1)(a)) or price reduction (s.50(1)(b))
Misleading trading × compensation CPUTR 2008 Schedule 1 + CRA 2015 s.19 / s.23 Limitation Act 1980 s.5 (6 years) — 14 day modelled window CPUTR Reg 5 misleading action — private right of action for damages

When You Need a CRA 2015 Remedy Letter

A CRA 2015 Remedy Letter is required in the following situations:

  1. You bought goods that are faulty, defective or not as described and you want a refund, repair, replacement, or price reduction. Within 30 days you have the unconditional short-term right to reject under Section 19 CRA 2015. After 30 days you must ordinarily give the trader one attempt at repair or replacement under Section 23 CRA 2015 before moving to a price reduction (s.24) or final reject (s.27).
  2. You received a service performed without reasonable care and skill, or outside a reasonable time, or at a price that was not agreed. Sections 49 and 50 CRA 2015 give you the right to repeat performance or a price reduction, and Section 50(2) supports a damages claim.
  3. You were induced into a contract by misleading advertising or an aggressive commercial practice. The Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 (CPUTR) Schedule 1 (as amended by the Consumer Rights Act 2015 Schedule 1) gives a private right of action for damages caused by a misleading action, and Regulation 5 sets out the test.
  4. You want a documented pre-action record before issuing a county court Money Claims Online (MCOL) claim. A CRA 2015 Remedy Letter that names the right section is the standard pre-litigation step in county court consumer disputes.

What Your Letter Must Include

CRA 2015 Remedy Letter Checklist

Use the form below to generate a CRA 2015 Remedy Letter with the section number auto-selected for your complaint category and desired remedy — Section 19 (short-term right to reject), Section 23 (right to repair or replacement), Section 24 (price reduction), Section 27 (final right to reject / full refund), Section 49 & 50 (services analogue), or CPUTR 2008 Schedule 1 (misleading trading). The letter is downloadable as a personalised HTML file.

Generate Your Letter Below

Takes 60 seconds. No account needed.

Key tip: the statute name AND section number must appear in the subject line of the letter (e.g. "Consumer Rights Act 2015 — s.19 Short-Term Right to Reject (Full Refund)" or "Consumer Rights Act 2015 — s.23 Right to Repair or Replacement"). Traders (and County Court judges) scan the subject line first; an unanchored 'refund request' is the single most common reason for a default denial. Also keep the evidence (receipts, photographs, prior correspondence, screenshots of the marketing) as a separate indexed bundle — ADR schemes and the county court look poorly on refund claims bundled into the body of the letter.

What Happens If The Trader Ignores It

If your CRA 2015 Remedy Letter goes unanswered within the modelled response window, or elicits only an inadequate response, you have a clear escalation route:

1

Confirm the response window has expired

The 14-day modelled window runs from the date of receipt (not the date of sending). If you sent by Royal Mail Signed For AND email with read receipt, the date of receipt is provable from the Royal Mail tracking and the email read receipt. If neither was obtained, the trader will normally be expected to respond within a reasonable period (the Section 23 / Section 49 / Section 50 default).

2

Send a 7-day chase with the Section 19 / Section 27 / Section 50 default

A 7-day chase letter that re-states the modelled window, restates the statutory citation by section number, and confirms the escalation route gives the trader a 'final opportunity' record. For s.19 (short-term reject) restate the 30-day s.19 deadline. For s.23 (repair or replacement) restate the one-attempt rule under s.23(2). For s.27 (final reject) restate the use-deduction cap under s.20(13).

3

Escalate via chargeback / county court / ADR / CMA

For goods over £100 and under £30,000 paid by credit card, raise a Section 75 Consumer Credit Act 1974 claim against the card issuer (who is jointly liable with the trader). For all cases raise a chargeback with your debit/credit card issuer. File a Money Claims Online (MCOL) claim against the trader in the County Court. Refer to Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) where the trader is a member of an ADR scheme. For misleading trading lodge a complaint with the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) under the CPUTR 2008 enforcement regime, and notify Trading Standards via the Citizens Advice consumer service.

Important (Section 19): for the short-term right to reject within the 30-day window, the operative deadline is the 30-day CRA 2015 s.19 deadline (not the 14-day modelled consumer expectation). The modelled window on the s.19 branch is a confirmation window rather than a substantive negotiation window — even if the trader ignores the letter the consumer retains the 30-day s.19 right until it falls away.

Generate Your CRA 2015 Remedy Letter

Fill in the form below to generate a Consumer Rights Act 2015 Remedy Letter with the section number auto-selected for your complaint category and desired remedy. The letter is downloadable as a personalised HTML file and an email-gated free template is also available at the bottom of the page.

Pick the complaint category and the desired remedy — this determines the section number the letter cites (s.19 / s.23 / s.24 / s.27 / s.49 / s.50 / CPUTR 2008 Schedule 1) and the modelled response window. The form auto-inserts the section number into the subject line of the letter.

How it works

1

Pick complaint category and remedy

The category × remedy pair selects the right CRA 2015 section — s.19 / s.20 for a short-term reject, s.23 for repair/replacement, s.24 for price reduction, s.27 + s.20(13) for the final reject, s.49 / s.50 for services, CPUTR 2008 Schedule 1 for misleading trading.

2

Fill in the form

Purchase date, amount paid, product / service description, retailer / provider name, recipient contact. The form formats the letter, calculates the deadline, and inserts the section number into the subject line and the body.

3

Download and send

Download the personalised HTML, print or save as PDF, and send by Royal Mail Signed For AND email with read receipt so the modelled response window is provable.

Need professional help?

Speak to a solicitor specialising in consumer law and small claims

If your dispute involves Section 75 Consumer Credit Act 1974 joint liability, a misleading-trading claim under CPUTR 2008 Schedule 1, or a multi-head claim with damages under Section 50(2) CRA 2015, we can connect you with a solicitor who specialises in consumer litigation and small-claims procedure.

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You might also need

Faulty Goods Refund Letter Template

The companion guide for the simple 30-day Section 9 / Section 19 CRA 2015 refund claim — auto-cites the short-term right to reject and Sections 9–11.

Money-Back Guarantee Letter Template

The contractual money-back guarantee claim — runs alongside a Section 19 / Section 23 CRA 2015 claim and strengthens the consumer's position where the trader has advertised a refund promise.

Breach of Contract Letter Template UK

The general breach-of-contract claim under English contract law — the wider route where the consumer issue overlaps with a breach-of-contract theory.

Letter Before Action UK

If the trader ignores the CRA 2015 Remedy Letter, the next step is a Letter Before Action under the Pre-Action Protocol for Debt Claims (Section III CPR PD 7A) before issuing a Money Claims Online (MCOL) county court claim.

Get your Consumer Rights Act 2015 Remedy letter now

Professional, statute-compliant CRA 2015 Remedy Letter — with the right section (s.19 / s.23 / s.24 / s.27 / s.49 / s.50 / CPUTR 2008 Schedule 1) auto-selected by complaint category and desired remedy, and the modelled 14-day consumer response window. Personalised to your situation. Ready to send in minutes.

Write Your Letter — £2.99

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Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about UK Consumer Rights Act 2015 statutory remedies — s.19 (short-term right to reject), s.23 (repair or replacement), s.24 (price reduction), s.27 (final right to reject), s.49 / s.50 (services analogue), CPUTR 2008 Schedule 1 (misrepresentation) — and what to do if the trader ignores the claim.

Which Consumer Rights Act 2015 section applies to my complaint?

It depends on what you are complaining about and what you want the trader to do. For faulty goods within 30 days of delivery the right is the short-term right to reject under Section 19 + Section 20 CRA 2015. For faulty goods between 30 days and 6 months the right is repair or replacement under Section 23 (one attempt under s.23(2)). For faulty goods beyond 6 months, or where repair / replacement has failed, the right is the right to a price reduction under Section 24 or, as a last resort, the final right to reject under Section 27 + s.20(13). For services the analogue is Sections 49 and 50 CRA 2015. For misleading trading the route is the CPUTR 2008 Schedule 1 + Reg 5 private right of action. A formal complaint letter that cites the wrong section is the single most common reason a consumer claim stalls — this page auto-selects the right one.

How long do I have to claim a refund for faulty goods in the UK?

For a full refund under the short-term right to reject (Section 19 CRA 2015) you have 30 days from delivery (or from the date the goods were handed over). Beyond 30 days, the right moves to repair or replacement under Section 23 (one attempt under s.23(2)). Under Section 24 the right runs from the date of delivery until the limitation period expires six years later (Limitation Act 1980 s.5). The final right to reject under Section 27 has no fixed deadline but the later the consumer waits the larger the deduction for use.

Do I have to accept a repair before getting a refund?

Within 30 days of delivery NO — the short-term right to reject under Section 19 CRA 2015 is unconditional. After 30 days, the trader is entitled to one attempt at repair or replacement (Section 23 CRA 2015 and s.23(2)). If that fails, you are entitled (a) to a price reduction (Section 24) or (b) as a last resort to the final right to reject and full refund (Section 27 + s.20(13)–(14)).

What is the difference between s.19 and s.27 CRA 2015?

Section 19 is the short-term right to reject — available within 30 days of delivery. The refund is full under Section 20, with no deduction for use. Section 27 is the final right to reject — available beyond six months, or as a last resort after one failed repair or replacement under Section 23. The refund under Section 27 + s.20(13)–(14) may carry a deduction for use. If you are within 30 days you should always cite s.19. If you are beyond six months or have had one failed repair, s.27 is the route — but be prepared for a use deduction.

Can I claim compensation for misleading trading?

Yes, on two cumulative grounds. First, the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 (as amended by the Consumer Rights Act 2015 Schedule 1) gives a private right of action for ‘misleading actions’ or ‘misleading omissions’ where the consumer suffers damage. Schedule 1 sets out the 31 banned commercial practices. Second, where the misrepresentation induced the consumer contract, Sections 19, 20, 23 or 27 CRA 2015 imply terms the trader must honour. A formal complaint letter that cites both the CPUTR Schedule 1 prohibition and the CRA 2015 implied terms is the standard first step; the County Court has power to award damages equal to the loss suffered.

What should I do if the trader ignores my CRA 2015 letter?

Escalate in three parallel tracks: (1) for goods over £100 and under £30,000 paid by credit card raise a Section 75 Consumer Credit Act 1974 claim against the card issuer (who is jointly liable with the trader); (2) for all cases raise a debit / credit card chargeback; (3) file a Money Claims Online (MCOL) county court claim against the trader for the amount of the refund plus damages. For misleading trading lodge a complaint with the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) under the CPUTR 2008 enforcement regime, and notify Trading Standards via the Citizens Advice consumer service. Refer to ADR where the trader is a member.