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How Long Do You Have to Return a Faulty Product? UK, EU and US
A new monitor with a stuck pixel, a keyboard that double-types, a webcam that will not start. Whether you can send it back, and for how long, depends less on the shop than on where you live — and the three biggest markets answer the question very differently.
9 min read · updated 6 October 2026 · links to 8 tools
In short
In the UK, the Consumer Rights Act 2015 gives a 30-day short-term right to reject faulty goods for a full refund; the 30 days begin the day after the goods are delivered, ownership has passed and any installation is done, and they pause while a repair or replacement you asked for is under way. Separately, goods bought online can be cancelled for any reason within 14 days of arriving, under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013. In the EU, sellers must give a legal guarantee of at least two years from delivery, a fault that appears within a year is presumed to have been there at delivery, and online purchases can be withdrawn from within 14 days. In the United States there is no general legal right to return a product, online or in a shop: return windows are the retailer's own policy, and the federal three-day cooling-off rule covers door-to-door and similar sales, not orders made entirely by mail or phone. Test anything new on the first day, because the strongest rights are the shortest.
The three markets side by side
| United Kingdom | European Union | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Change your mind, online purchase | 14 days after the goods arrive | 14 days from delivery | Retailer's policy only |
| Faulty goods | Full refund within the 30-day right to reject | Remedies under the legal guarantee | Retailer's policy, or the warranty |
| Fault presumed present at delivery | For 6 months | For 1 year (2 in some countries) | No general rule |
| Minimum legal guarantee | No fixed term; claims within 6 years in England and Wales (5 in Scotland) | At least 2 years from delivery | None by law; written warranties vary |
| Main source | Consumer Rights Act 2015; Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 | Directive (EU) 2019/771; Your Europe | FTC cooling-off rule, 16 CFR 429 |
This is a summary of the general rules, not legal advice. Retailers can always offer more than the law requires, and some EU countries go further than the minimum.
United Kingdom: 30 days to reject, 14 days to cancel
The Consumer Rights Act 2015 gives a short-term right to reject goods that are faulty, not as described or not fit for purpose. Section 22 sets the limit as the end of 30 days beginning with the first day after three things have all happened: ownership has passed to you, the goods have been delivered, and any installation by the trader is complete. So a monitor delivered and set up on 1 October can be rejected until the end of 31 October. If you ask for a repair or replacement instead, the clock stops for the waiting period. Perishable goods get a shorter limit — the time they can reasonably be expected to last.
For six months from delivery, a fault that appears is taken to have been there on the day of delivery, unless the trader shows otherwise or that would be incompatible with the goods. After the 30 days you are usually offered a repair or replacement first, and can still reject the goods if that fails. Claims for faulty goods can be made for up to six years in England and Wales, and five years in Scotland.
Online and phone purchases have a separate right that has nothing to do with faults. Under regulation 30 of the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, you can cancel for any reason until the end of 14 days after the day the goods come into your possession; for an order delivered in several parts, the 14 days run from the last item. A monitor delivered on 1 October can be cancelled until the end of 15 October.
European Union: a two-year legal guarantee
Across the EU, sellers must provide a legal guarantee of at least two years, starting when you receive the goods. If a fault becomes apparent within one year of delivery, you do not have to prove it existed at delivery; some EU countries extend that to two years, and some have a longer guarantee overall.
For goods bought online or by phone, you can withdraw from the contract within 14 days of delivery without giving a reason, and if the deadline falls on a non-working day it moves to the next working day. You normally pay the cost of returning the goods unless the seller offered to pay or did not tell you about the cost before you bought.
United States: the return policy is the right
There is no general federal right to return a product you have changed your mind about, or even a general right to a refund for a fault outside a warranty. The return window printed on a receipt or a website is the retailer's own policy, and it varies from store to store.
The federal rule most often mistaken for a general right is the Federal Trade Commission's cooling-off rule, 16 CFR 429. It covers sales made away from the seller's place of business — such as door-to-door — of $25 or more at your home or $130 or more elsewhere, and lets you cancel until midnight of the third business day. It explicitly excludes sales conducted and consummated entirely by mail or telephone, so ordinary online orders are outside it. For faults, your protection is the manufacturer's or seller's warranty and state law, which varies by state.
Why the first day matters most
In every market, the strongest and simplest remedy is the earliest one: a change-of-mind cancellation or a retailer's no-questions return window. Later remedies usually mean a repair or replacement first, a judgement about whether the fault was there from the start, or a warranty claim judged against the manufacturer's own policy.
That is why it pays to test electronics on the day they arrive. A monitor's dead pixels, a keyboard's stuck or double-typing keys and a webcam's real resolution can all be checked in minutes, while the easiest way to send them back is still open. For monitors, the pixel standard most panels are sold to allows more faulty pixels than most buyers expect, so the return window often matters more than the warranty.
Working out your deadline
- Note the day the goods arrived, and the day any installation was finished.
- UK fault: add 30 days counting from the day after the later of those dates. UK or EU change of mind: count 14 days from delivery.
- US: read the retailer's return policy and the warranty terms; note whether the window counts calendar days or business days.
- Test the item straight away and photograph or record any fault, with the date.
- Contact the seller in writing before the deadline, quoting the right you are using.
Frequently asked questions
How long do I have to return a faulty item in the UK?
30 days for a full refund under the Consumer Rights Act 2015's short-term right to reject. The 30 days begin the day after the goods are delivered, ownership has passed and any installation is complete, and pause while a repair or replacement you asked for is under way.
Can I return something I bought online in the UK if it is not faulty?
Yes, usually within 14 days after the goods arrive, under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013. Some kinds of goods are excluded, so check the seller's terms.
Is there a 2-year warranty in the EU?
Yes. EU law requires a legal guarantee of at least two years from delivery, and a fault that appears within the first year is presumed to have existed at delivery.
Do I have a legal right to return an online purchase in the US?
Not in general. US return windows are set by each retailer's policy. The FTC's three-day cooling-off rule covers door-to-door and similar sales, and excludes sales made entirely by mail or phone.
What is the UK 6-month rule for faulty goods?
If a fault appears within six months of delivery, it is taken to have been there on delivery unless the trader shows otherwise, so you do not have to prove it.
Can I return a monitor with one dead pixel?
Within a retailer's return window or the UK and EU 14-day cancellation period, usually yes, for any reason. Under a warranty, it depends on the manufacturer's pixel policy, which often allows a few faulty pixels.
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