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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Business
Emma Munbodh

Five biggest consumer gripes - from secondhand cars to dodgy laptops

Secondhand cars have been named as the nation's biggest consumer gripe, after a charity received thousands of calls for help over dodgy motors.

Citizens Advice, which runs a national  consumer helpline, said it received 57,000 complaints about issues with used vehicles last year.

Second on the list were problems with home improvements, followed by gripes over household furniture.

The charity received 500,000 calls and 3.6million website visits in 2019.

"We don't want people to let their consumer issues follow them into 2020 as, more often than not, simple steps can be taken to avoid problems," said Kate Hobson, of Citizens Advice.

These are the categories the charity said it received the most complaints for.

1. Used vehicles

Dodgy cars are top of the list (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Eight in 10 of these complaints were about defective or broken vehicles, while 7% of customers said they had been misled.

The charity said that buyers had different rights depending on where they bought the vehicle.

Buying a car through a trader provides more protection as the vehicle must be of satisfactory quality, meet its description during the sales process, and be fit for its purpose.

A private seller cannot lie about the vehicle, but they can omit information.

2. Home improvement jobs

Citizens Advice received 46,182 appeals for help from people who had faced problems with building work, decoration, and home improvements last year.

If work has not been completed with reasonable care and skill, then the trader should fix it without charge within a reasonable amount of time.

Citizens Advice said people should stay on top of the paperwork.

This includes putting the plan, price and timeframe in writing before any work begins, and taking photos before and after work is done, alongside a diary of progress.

3. Poor quality furniture

Three-quarters of the 20,000 calls received about furniture were about items that were of poor quality.

If an item is broken, damaged, or unusable when bought, the customer will have substantial rights.

However if the consumer is seeking a refund or a replacement then the outcome will depend on the circumstances behind that request.

If the item is damaged due to wear and tear or they simply changed their mind, they can't claim a refund.

4. Technology

Two-thirds of the 19,000 enquiries made about such products to Citizens Advice were from people whose devices were broken or faulty in some way when they bought them.

Buyers have a legal right to a refund if they contact the seller within 30 days of unknowingly buying something that doesn't work properly.

5. Clothing and footwear

There were 14,500 calls for advice from people who wanted to know their rights after buying clothes or shoes.

Different stores have different policies regarding the return of unused items when a customer has simply changed their mind about a purchase - often this is at the retailer's discretion.

These rights are stronger when a product is bought online as you get a 14-day cooling-off period.

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