Short-Term Right to Reject

The short-term right to reject is your right, under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, to reject faulty goods and get a refund within 30 days.

Last updated: 19 October 2026

What it means

Section 22 sets the time limit at 30 days, starting on the first day after ownership or possession has passed to you, the goods have been delivered and, where the contract requires installation, the trader has notified you it is done. The limit is shorter for goods that can reasonably be expected to perish sooner. The right is lost if the time passes unless you and the trader agree you can use it later ^[1].

To reject, you must make it clear to the trader that you are rejecting the goods. The trader must refund you without undue delay and within 14 days of agreeing you are entitled to one, and pay any reasonable costs of returning the goods, apart from costs you incur by taking them back in person ^[2].

Why it matters when you buy

The 30 days run from delivery and installation, not from the day you notice the fault, so check new goods soon after they arrive.

A worked example

A washing machine is delivered and installed on 1 March, with every condition met that day. The 30 days begin on 2 March, so they end on 31 March. A fault that appears on 20 April is outside the 30 days.

Illustrative scenario: figures are examples, not quotes, valuations or market prices.

Related

• Satisfactory quality
• Six-month presumption
• Faulty goods and the Consumer Rights Act: your options

Sources

1. Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 22 (time limit for short-term right to reject), legislation.gov.uk. Checked 19 October 2026.
2. Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 20 (right to reject), legislation.gov.uk. Checked 19 October 2026.