Trading Standards Simple Guide - Dealing with customer complaints - Forum

Dealing with customer complaints

Remember, when consumers buy goods and services from you they have certain rights given to them by law.

Goods must be:

of satisfactory quality
fit for their intended purpose
as described
installed correctly

Services must be carried out:

with reasonable care and skill
in accordance with anything you have told the customer
within a reasonable time
at a reasonable charge

If any of those things don’t happen, and things do sometimes go wrong, you will have obligations to put things right or refund.

Here are some questions we have been asked recently:

It's outside the warranty, surely I don't have to do anything?

Warranties do not override the consumer’s legal rights, if there is a fault with the goods or service, you may have an obligation to sort it out, for up to 6 years.

It's the goods that are faulty, surely that's down to the manufacturer?

If you supplied the goods then you are responsible for them, your customer’s contract is with you not the manufacturer. You may have rights against your supplier for breach of contract, but customer has rights against you.

That work was done by my sub-contractor, I'm not responsible for that?

You are responsible for any work done on behalf of your business where the consumer has contracted with you. The customer has no contract with your subcontractor. It is therefore very important that you know your subcontractors will deliver the same high quality service that you do.