Product or service, price, advertisement, contract and warranty.
New Zealand consumer rights: faulty goods, refunds & repairs
Under New Zealand’s Consumer Guarantees Act, faulty goods bought from a business can trigger repair, replacement or refund rights. Who chooses the remedy depends heavily on whether the problem can be fixed promptly or is of substantial character.
QUICK ANSWER · NEW ZEALAND
What should you do first?
Preserve proof of purchase, the advertisement or listing, warranty, product or service evidence and every complaint response. Identify the seller and the specific problem, ask for the remedy in writing, then verify the regulator, ombudsman, tribunal, consumer commission or court route that applies before relying on a refund right or deadline.
Guide reviewed
New Zealand— check the exact jurisdiction before relying on procedure or deadlines.
- 1Save proof of purchase and promises
- 2Document the defect or service problem
- 3Request the remedy in writing
- 4Verify the complaint and escalation route
COMMON QUESTIONS
What should I do first about consumer rights in New Zealand?
Preserve proof of purchase, the advertisement or listing, warranty, product or service evidence and every complaint response. Identify the seller and the specific problem, ask for the remedy in writing, then verify the regulator, ombudsman, tribunal, consumer commission or court route that applies before relying on a refund right or deadline.
Does the correct legal route vary by location in New Zealand?
The correct route can depend on the location, facts, documents and any notice already received. Verify the live official rule for New Zealand before acting.
Which official sources should I check for consumer rights in New Zealand?
Start with the current official material from New Zealand Consumer Protection and any court, tribunal, regulator or government authority directly connected to the facts and location.
VISUAL CONSUMER PATH
Purchase → problem → seller response → remedy.
Use this as a quick map. The detailed rules, deadlines and available remedies still depend on the selected jurisdiction and current official sources.
1What was promised?
2What went wrong?
3What did the business do?
4What route fits?
Defect, non-delivery, misleading information, billing or poor service.
Repair, replacement, refund, refusal or no response.
Consumer agency, ombudsman, tribunal or court depends on jurisdiction.
Facts Evidence Correct local route Check current deadline / procedure
HOW THIS INFORMATION WAS PREPARED
Jurisdiction first. Official sources first.
GetInstantLaw uses jurisdiction-specific government, court, regulator and primary-law sources first, with JEZ AI used to organise that legal information in plain English. Important facts, eligibility rules and deadlines should be checked against the cited authority before you act.
No lawyer review is implied unless a page expressly identifies a genuine qualified reviewer. Read our Source Standards, Editorial Standards and Corrections Policy.
What matters first
- The Consumer Guarantees Act applies to many goods and services supplied by businesses for personal or household use, including online purchases from traders.
- For a fault that can be fixed and is not serious, the retailer generally gets the opportunity to repair, replace or refund within a reasonable time.
- For a serious fault, the consumer may reject the goods and seek a refund or replacement, or keep them and seek compensation for the loss in value.
- The Fair Trading Act prohibits misleading or deceptive conduct and false or unsubstantiated claims in trade.
What to do next
- 1Save proof of purchase, the listing or advertisement and evidence of the fault.
- 2Identify whether the issue is product quality, service quality, misleading conduct or another consumer guarantee.
- 3Contact the retailer or service provider first and request the appropriate remedy.
- 4If the matter remains unresolved, consider the Disputes Tribunal or another issue-specific complaints route.
Can I get a refund for faulty goods in New Zealand?
If a fault can be fixed and is not serious, the retailer generally gets the opportunity to repair, replace or refund within a reasonable time. If the problem is of substantial character, the consumer can reject the goods and seek a refund or replacement, or keep them and seek compensation for the loss in value.
Does the CGA cover a simple change of mind?
No. The Consumer Guarantees Act does not create a general change-of-mind return right. A retailer may offer a separate voluntary returns policy, but faulty-goods rights arise from the statutory guarantees.
Misleading sales are a separate issue
The Fair Trading Act addresses misleading advertising, false representations, pricing claims and unfair sales practices. A dispute may involve both a consumer-guarantee problem and misleading conduct.
Build the purchase record.
Receipt or transaction record
Product/service description
Photos or video of the fault
Repair or inspection findings
Warranty documents
Complaint correspondence
Use the right consumer route.
- 1Raise the issue directly with the business and say what remedy you seek.
- 2Check Consumer Protection’s CGA rights finder and refund/repair guidance.
- 3For unresolved eligible claims, consider the Disputes Tribunal.
- 4Seek qualified advice for major loss, unusual exclusions or complex contract issues.
OFFICIAL & AUTHORITATIVE SOURCES
Check the underlying authority.
Consumer rules, exclusions, remedies and complaint procedures can change. These links may include primary law, courts, tribunals, regulators and official guidance. Check the source itself before relying on a deadline, refund right or tribunal limit.