It's broken or not what I ordered

First step today

Take clear photos of the item and packaging now, and compare them with the description and pictures you were shown.

What to keep

• Clear photos or a short video of the item, the fault or difference, and the packaging.
• Screenshots of the listing: the description, photos, size, colour and any claims made.
• Your order confirmation and receipt, and a note of how you paid.
• The date it was delivered.
• A short note of when you first noticed the problem and what happened.
• Copies of every message between you and the seller.
• Keep the item and packaging safe, and don't try to repair it yourself.

Your next steps, in order

Before you pay

1. Read the description closely and screenshot it. It's your record of what you were promised.
2. Check who's selling. Your rights against a business are stronger than against a private seller.

After you've received it

1. Act quickly. For a business sale, you usually have 30 days from delivery to reject faulty goods and ask for your money back. Perishable goods have a shorter limit.
2. Raise it with the seller in writing. Say what's wrong and what you'd like: a refund, a repair or a replacement. You'll find a template below.
3. After 30 days, you can usually ask for a repair or replacement. In the first six months after delivery, a fault is usually treated as having been there from the start, unless the seller shows otherwise. If one repair or replacement doesn't fix it, you may be able to ask for some or all of your money back.
   • Time limit for claims: you generally have up to 6 years to make a claim in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and 5 years in Scotland. Don't wait, though: acting quickly makes things easier.
4. If you just changed your mind, that's different. Many online purchases come with a 14-day cooling-off period: see Citizens Advice: Changing your mind about something you've bought.
5. Talk to your card provider if the seller doesn't help. Chargeback (debit and credit cards) or Section 75 (credit card purchases where a single item cost more than £100 and up to £30,000) may be options, but neither is guaranteed. See Citizens Advice: Getting your money back if you paid by card or PayPal. If your provider says no, or hasn't given a final answer after eight weeks, you can ask the Financial Ombudsman Service to look at it.
   • Buy now, pay later: if you used a regulated buy now, pay later plan taken out on or after 15 July 2026 (where the lender is a different business from the seller), Section 75 can apply in the same way as a credit card.
6. Report it if the item was unsafe, fake or not as described. Citizens Advice can pass your report to Trading Standards. In Scotland, contact Advice Direct Scotland. In Northern Ireland, contact Consumerline. If the listing or ad was misleading, you can also tell the ASA.

Who can help

• Citizens Advice: Return faulty goods
• Citizens Advice consumer service: citizensadvice.org.uk, 0808 223 1133 (Welsh: 0808 223 1144)
• Advice Direct Scotland: consumeradvice.scot, 0808 164 6000
• Consumerline (Northern Ireland): nidirect.gov.uk, 0300 123 6262
• Advertising Standards Authority: asa.org.uk/make-a-complaint
• Financial Ombudsman Service: financial-ombudsman.org.uk

A message you can send

Copy this, fill in the gaps and send it to the seller yourself.

Subject: Problem with order [number]

Hello,

On [date] I ordered [item] for £[amount]. It was delivered on [date].

When it arrived, [describe the problem: for example, it was damaged, it doesn't work, or it doesn't match the description because...]. I've attached photos, and a screenshot of the listing.

Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, goods must be of satisfactory quality, fit for purpose and as described. I'd like [a refund / a repair / a replacement]. Please tell me how you'd like me to return the item.

If possible, I'd be grateful for a reply within 14 days. This isn't a legal deadline, just a polite request so I know where things stand.

Thank you,
[Your name]

Related slop

How the ASA has ruled on similar claims

Published ASA rulings on ads that the ASA checked against the same advertising rules. Each outcome is the ASA's finding about that ad.