Warranties and refunds: a guide for consumers and business

You have rights every time you purchase a product or service. These rights are enshrined in consumer protection laws and are in addition to, and independent of, any voluntary manufacturers’ or extended warranties and cannot be removed by businesses.

Under consumer law, all goods purchased must be free of defects, fit for their intended purpose and match their description. Services must be carried out with skill and care. If these legal conditions aren’t met, you are entitled to a remedy, such as a replacement, repair or refund.

We have released a new edition of Warranties and refunds: a guide for consumers and business, one of our most popular publications, to assist you when you experience problems with faulty products or services.

The booklet addresses warranty and refund issues relevant to consumers and businesses (including manufacturers and importers) and provides information on:

• your rights when you buy goods and services
• when you are entitled to a remedy, such as a refund, replacement or repair
• how to negotiate with a business when something goes wrong
• businesses’ obligations to honour statutory warranties and conditions.

You can download a copy of this booklet from the publications page of the ACCC website or by calling our Infocentre on 1300 302 502 to request a hard copy.

For more information please review our related media release: ACCC urges consumers to assert warranty, refund rights.