Rights When Buying Services Rather Than Goods
Consumer protection for services works differently from goods, and the distinction matters because the remedies available are not the same.
The standard applied
Services supplied by a trader to a consumer must generally be performed with reasonable care and skill.
Where no price was agreed, a reasonable price applies. Where no timescale was agreed, a reasonable time applies.
Information said or written by the trader that the consumer relies on when deciding is frequently binding, which means verbal assurances during a sales conversation can form part of the contract.
The remedies
Repeat performance: the trader redoes the service correctly, at their cost, within a reasonable time and without significant inconvenience to you.
Price reduction: where repeat performance is impossible, or not done within a reasonable time, an appropriate reduction which may in some cases be the full amount.
This differs from goods, where a short-term right to reject and obtain a refund frequently applies. For services the primary remedy is usually putting it right rather than undoing it.
Where the service damages something
Where poor workmanship causes damage — a fitter breaking something during installation, a cleaner ruining a carpet — that is a separate claim for the loss caused, in addition to any remedy for the service itself.
Traders should carry public liability insurance for exactly this, and asking whether they do before engaging is reasonable.
Contracts combining goods and services
Installation contracts typically involve both, and different rules apply to each element.
A faulty boiler is a goods issue; a badly installed working boiler is a services issue. The same contract can produce both, with different remedies.
Identifying which you are dealing with determines what to ask for.
Cancellation rights
Services bought at a distance or away from business premises frequently attract a cancellation period in consumer legislation.
Where you asked for the service to begin within that period, you may owe for what has been provided, but the right to cancel generally remains.
Traders must inform consumers of these rights, and failure to do so can extend the cancellation period substantially.
Making a claim
Raise it promptly and in writing, describing the problem and the remedy you want.
Allow repeat performance where that is the appropriate remedy.
Escalate to any relevant ombudsman or dispute scheme, then through consumer protection routes.
Where paid by credit card above a threshold, an additional claim against the card provider may be available in some jurisdictions.
This article is general information and not legal advice. Consumer law varies by jurisdiction.
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