Quiz Master's interesting facts
The Powerful 'Rejection of Goods' Right Most Shoppers Don't Use (Even When Stores Say 'No Refunds').
Shops love signs that say “No refunds", but in many places the law quietly overrules them. In the UK, the Consumer Rights Act 2015 gives a “short-term right to reject”: if goods are faulty, misdescribed, or not fit for purpose, you can reject them within 30 days for a full refund, not store credit. That right can’t be contracted away. A common example is the new washing machine that leaks on day two; the retailer must refund, even if their policy says exchanges only. Courts have enforced this principle for decades. In Rogers v Parish (Scarborough) Ltd [1987] QB 933, a buyer rejected a new Range Rover riddled with defects; the court allowed rescission because the vehicle wasn’t of satisfactory quality, despite the dealer’s resistance.
A similar idea appears in U.S. law. Under the Uniform Commercial Code’s “perfect tender” rule (§2-601), a buyer may reject goods that fail “in any respect” to conform to the contract—think of a custom bicycle delivered with the wrong components or visible damage. If you’ve already taken the goods home and discover a serious hidden defect, many systems let you revoke acceptance within a reasonable time.
Two practical limits matter. First, change of mind isn’t rejection; the flaw must be legal non-conformity. Second, act promptly and in writing: notify the seller, state that you are rejecting the goods, and request a refund. Store policies set the counter’s script; statutes write the last word.
