Introduction to your legal rights

As a consumer, all services delivered to you must be provided:

• With reasonable care and skill;
• Within a reasonable time; and
• For a reasonable price, if a price hasn't already been agreed.

If you accept a quotation, that is the price you should pay. If you accept an estimate, the final price could be more, but it should still be reasonable. Make sure to check whether VAT is included.

What laws apply?

• The Consumer Rights Act 2015
• For unfair commercial practices that occurred on or after 6 April 2025, chapter 1 of Part 4 of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (known as the DMCCA).
• For unfair commercial practices that occurred before 6 April 2025, the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008. If unfair commercial practices happen after 6 April, you can still ask for things to be put right according to what you're entitled to under these regulations, until the new entitlements under the DMCCA come into effect.
• Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013

Your rights

You have the following rights when dealing with certain service providers:

• You don't have to pay more than an accepted quotation.
• Digital content and materials or goods must be of satisfactory quality and fit for their intended purpose.
• Digital content and materials or goods must be as described (e.g. 'new' must mean new and not reconditioned).
• Services must be carried out with reasonable care and skill, and done within a reasonable time.
• Contractual terms that restrict or exclude liability for breach of contract must be reasonable.
• A business is legally responsible for any damage done while your property is in their possession as they must take reasonable care of it under the law of 'bailment' (in England and Wales) or 'custody' (in Scotland).
• A business will be liable to you if you've bought goods, digital content or services from it because of its misleading or aggressive sales practices.

What is digital content?

Digital content can include:

• Mobile phone apps
• Films
• Music
• Computer software
• Software used to operate goods, such as a washing machine

When contracts can be cancelled

If you're not happy with a service, you may be entitled to cancel the contract if:

• There's a term in the contract that gives you a right to cancel;
• The seller breaks one of the important terms of the contract (a 'fundamental' part); or
• You make a contract to buy services over the phone, by email or over the internet, i.e. a distance selling contract. You can cancel the contract 14 calendar days from the day after the contract is made. See Cancellation periods for more information.

Where a service provider has failed to take reasonable care and skill or the description or information about the service was wrong, you can require them to try again to do it properly. The work must be done without charge, within a reasonable time and without causing you major inconvenience.

However, you can't request the supplier to try again if it will be impossible to provide the service to the required standard. In this case, you'll be able to claim a reduction (up to 100%) of the price charged by the service provider or money back if you have already partly or fully paid for the service.

There may be occasions when you can't request the service provider to correct the problem, such as when the service has been performed so badly that you've lost confidence in the service provider or it's not possible to as get them to do it. You can then get another service provider to do the work and claim the cost you paid to correct the problem against the original service provider.

You can automatically claim a price reduction, without asking the supplier to try again if the service:

• was not done in a reasonable time; or
• if the description or information about the service provider was incorrect.

Services that include providing goods or digital content

A service provider may provide goods or digital content together with the service, for example, where you have subscribed to a music streaming service or a service to rent DVDs. In these circumstances, the remedies available for goods or digital content will apply to any goods or digital content supplied with the service. The same applies if you've had goods manufactured or produced and then supplied to you. See 'If things go wrong' for more information.

How a service provider must deal with your complaint

If you have valid complaint, a service provider must (by law):

• Respond to your complaint (whether made by email, telephone call or letter) as quickly as possible
• Use their best efforts to resolve your complaint or give a clear explanation of why they dispute it