Your consumer rights if there's a problem with a product or service you bought.
The Consumer Guarantees Act (CGA) protects consumers by:
- Allowing you to seek repairs, replacements, or refunds when goods are faulty.
- Setting minimum guarantees for all products and services.
All New Zealand businesses and people in trade must meet their responsibilities under the CGA. This means if you have a problem with a product or service, you can do something about it.
Consumer Guarantees Act (external external link) — Legislation.govt.nz
Your consumer rights in action
Find out more about how the CGA protects consumers.
Download guide: Your consumer rights in action [PDF, 379 KB]
Listen: Your consumer rights
This audio clip outlines your key rights under the Consumer Guarantees Act:
- Understanding your consumer rights — English audio and transcript
- Kia mārama ki ō tika kiritaki — Māori audio and transcript
- Malamalama i au aiātatau o se tagata faatau — Samoan audio and transcript
- Mahino‘i ‘o ho‘o ngaahi totonu fakataú — Tongan audio and transcript
Check with the retailer that the item you’re purchasing will do the job you need it for. If you then find that it does not work as described, you should seek a remedy based on it not being “fit for purpose”.
Product guarantees
You may be covered by the Consumer Guarantees Act (CGA) when you buy consumer products usually for personal or household use, but find they:
- Don't work.
- Break too easily.
- Don't do what you expected them to do.
Product guarantees apply to new or second-hand goods supplied by businesses within New Zealand. This covers all kinds of personal property, including software, animals, and plants.
Products not covered
The CGA does not apply to:
- Commercial products — goods normally bought for business use, such as farm machinery, or work normally carried out for a business. This includes for resupply in trade or to produce, manufacture or repair other products in trade.
- Money.
- Buildings or parts of buildings attached to land for residential accommodation.
- Products donated by a charity for your benefit.
- Private sales — when you buy from someone not in trade, such as private sellers online and garage sales.
- Products bought by auction or competitive tender (including those bid for online) before 17 June 2014.
Businesses can agree in writing that the CGA doesn't apply if personal or household products are bought for business use, for example, a vacuum cleaner for use in a shop.
If you bought an item online from an overseas seller, the Act might still apply but it becomes much more difficult to resolve issues and enforce your rights.
Your rights when buying products
Both new and second-hand consumer products must meet the guarantees of:
This means that products must be:
- fit for their normal purposes
- acceptable in finish and appearance
- free from minor defects
- safe
- durable.
This is based on whether a reasonable consumer would find the products acceptable taking into account:
- the nature or type of products, eg second-hand products are more likely to show signs of use and may be less durable than new products
- the price paid — products that are expensive are expected to be of better quality than products that are very cheap
- any information on the products, in advertising or in the packaging
- any statement the retailer or supplier made about the products including their history, quality or condition
- the nature of the trader and how the products were supplied, eg products bought from an online auction might be expected to be lower quality than those bought in a shop
- all other relevant circumstances, eg how soon they developed a problem after purchase.
If the retailer or manufacturer arranges for the products to be delivered to you, the products must be of acceptable quality when you receive them.
Products must be fit for a particular or special purpose that:
- you asked the trader about, and/or
- they told you the products were suitable for.
This guarantee doesn't apply if you don't act on the supplier's advice.
Claims that retailers or manufacturers make about what products can do may also be covered by this guarantee.
Many products are sold with a description. The products you receive must be the same as the description in a catalogue, online, or on packaging and labels. The products that you buy must be the same as any sample or demonstration model shown by the trader.
This guarantee only applies when there has been no agreement about the price and the products have not yet been paid for. Usually the price is agreed in advance — either on a price tag or on a sign displayed with the products, or at the checkout. But if not, you only have to pay a reasonable price (ie what other traders charge for the same or similar products).
If you think the price is unreasonable but you pay it without disputing it at the time, the law says you have agreed to the price and can’t dispute it (affirmation).
The retailer or trader should be able to pass all the ownership rights or title in the products to you.
This means they guarantee:
- they have the right to sell the products
- no other person has a claim or right over those products,
- you have the right to undisturbed possession of the products — eg the products can’t be repossessed by a finance company if they have a registered security interest on those products.
Unless:
- you buy consumer products on credit. The finance company may repossess products under certain conditions, eg payments not being made and you have been told that repossession is a possibility and given a copy of this in writing.
- you didn’t pay the full price for the products at the time you bought them, and before you bought the products:
- you were told about the possibility of the products being taken off you if you do not pay the balance within a certain time, and
- you were given a copy, or the relevant part of a document telling you about this (Romalpa clause).
Traders can still sell second-hand products with a registered security interest (eg they sell you a car that they're still paying off with a finance company), but they must disclose this to you before you buy.
Products must be of acceptable quality when you receive them. If products arrived damaged you can claim a remedy (eg repair or replacement) from the trader.
The delivery must also:
- arrive on time
- within the agreed period
- within a reasonable time if no delivery time is agreed.
If products are very late, or arrive far later than the agreed period, you can reject them.
Manufacturers and importers can meet this guarantee by:
- supplying parts and services themselves
- making sure that parts and services are available through other traders.
Manufacturers or importers can legally opt out of this guarantee by giving you notice that spare parts and repairs will not be available or will be limited.
This guarantee only applies to the first person to buy the products in New Zealand. This means that the guarantee only applies to new products and to the first purchaser of imported second-hand products.
The Consumer Guarantees Act (CGA) gives you the right to seek a remedy, eg a repair or a replacement, from the manufacturer whether or not the products come with a manufacturer’s warranty (called an “express guarantee” in the Act).
Manufacturers do not have to provide a written warranty with their products. However, if they choose to do so, the Act says they must meet their obligations under that warranty. The CGA still applies whether or not a manufacturer's warranty has expired.
Service guarantees
When a business supplies you with consumer services, such as subscription services, household plumbing, a haircut, or fixing your car, four consumer guarantees apply under the Consumer Guarantees Act (CGA).
Services include any rights, benefits or facilities provided by a supplier, even if they do so free of charge or you don’t have a contract with the supplier.
The CGA also specifies a wide range of contracts that are services, such as:
- Contracts for the performance of work.
- Contracts of insurance.
- Banking contracts.
- Care or service of others or animals.
- Supply of electricity, telecommunications, gas, water, and removal of wastewater.
Contracts and quotes for services can include extra rights and responsibilities and specific information for both you and the provider, for example, cancellations, pricing, timeframes. The provider or business cannot include conditions in the contract which erase your rights under the Act.
For more information on contracts, quotes, and estimates, including types of contracts and the language they use, see:
Contracts and sales agreements
Your rights when buying services
All consumer services must be:
This generally means that any work done must be at least as good as the work of a competent person with average skills and experience for that type of work.
Reasonable skill is about applying technical know-how. Reasonable care is how much care is taken to do the job properly.
When you’ve told the service provider what work you want them to do and they accept the job, they must make sure you get what you want.
If the service provider can’t guarantee the work they’ll do will give you the result you want, they have to tell you before they start the job. But they can’t simply get out of their responsibilities by warning you that the job may not be satisfactory if they are inexperienced in that trade.
If they used reasonable skill and care but the work doesn't meet your expectations because you weren't clear about what you wanted, the trader may not be responsible.
When you are given a choice of options for the work at different prices, if you take the lowest price option it may be less fit for purpose. It is reasonable that you may have lower expectations due to the cheaper cost.
Sometimes it may not be appropriate for you to rely on discussions with an employee of that service provider, eg the receptionist in a large service company. Where possible, make sure you speak to the person who's doing the work, or who's responsible for making sure you get what you've asked for.
If you and the service provider haven’t agreed on a time to finish a job, the provider must do so within a reasonable time. Reasonable time is judged on the time it takes a competent person who works in that type of job to complete the task.
If you and the service provider haven’t agreed a price for the job, you only must pay a reasonable price. You can work out what a reasonable price is by finding out what other providers in your area are charging for similar services.
Electricity and gas services
Electricity and gas services must meet a specific guarantee of acceptable quality. This guarantee applies instead of the general CGA guarantees that apply to products and services.
Consumer guarantees for gas and electricity services
Services not covered
The CGA does not apply to:
- Commercial services — services normally bought for business use or work normally carried out for a business.
- Private sales — when you buy from someone who is not in trade.
- Contracts of service — the performance of work under an employment contract.
- Work done by a charity for your benefit.
Businesses can agree in writing that the CGA doesn't apply if personal or household services are bought for business use, such as carpet cleaning in a shop.
Rights of businesses
Businesses who sell products or services have a right to:
- Contract out (opt out) of the Consumer Guarantees Act (CGA) if the products or services they sell will be used for commercial or business purposes.
- Choose how to price their products or services.
- Refuse a consumer’s offer to buy a product or service, for example, if it’s the last item in stock or the service is no longer supplied.
- Ask questions about and inspect any product or service a consumer says does not meet the CGA guarantees.
- Decide to repair, replace, or refund a product, or fix a problem with a service, if the problem can be fixed – unless it's a serious problem, then you can tell them you want a refund or replacement, or cancel the service.
- Refuse a refund or any other remedy if a consumer changes their mind about a product or service, or damages the product after the sale.
- Refuse to fix a problem with a service if the fault was caused by the consumer or events outside of the service provider’s control.
- Be paid for products or services they sell that meet the CGA guarantees.
Businesses must not:
- Knowingly sell faulty products or sub-standard services.
- Delay if a customer complains — they must not fob you off or put off looking into it.
- Refuse to deal with complaints about products that arrive damaged after being delivered. If it’s a valid complaint, they should offer a replacement or refund. They can then take it up with the courier, delivery company or insurance company directly so they're not left out of pocket.
Business guidance: Obligations under the Consumer Guarantees Act
The Consumer Guarantees Act (CGA) applies to consumers buying things in New Zealand, and businesses selling products or services in New Zealand.
A consumer is anyone who buys products or services that are ordinarily for personal or household use. The ordinary use may change over time, for example, computers are now commonly used for personal use.
Organisations and businesses who buy consumer products or services from other businesses are also entitled to protection under the Act, unless the seller has contracted out of the CGA.
The CGA applies to any business providing consumer products or services, including:
- Tradespeople.
- Professionals.
- Online traders.
- Importers.
- Finance companies.
- Retailers.
Online sellers who operate as businesses (such as on Trade Me) must make it clear to buyers that they are traders. This tells consumers that the Fair Trading Act and Consumer Guarantees Act apply.
The CGA applies to consumer products and services supplied by businesses, including if they're:
- Received as a gift, free sample, or gift from a business.
- Bought on credit.
- Bought at auction, online, door to door or other types of sales.
- Hired or leased.
When guarantees don't apply
Consumer guarantees do not apply if you:
- Buy products or services privately.
- Buy commercial products or services, such as industrial machinery and trucks.
- Buy products for resale or to use in a manufacturing process.
- Are in business and dealing with another business, and you have a written agreement to contract out of the CGA.
- Got what you asked for but simply changed your mind.
- Misused or altered a product in any way that caused the problem, for example, not following the manufacturer’s instructions for use.
- Disposed of, lost, destroyed, or damaged products after delivery.
- Knew of or were made aware of faults before you bought the product.
- Relied on anyone else's advice or conduct that caused the problem other than the service provider or their agent.
Contracting out of the Consumer Guarantees Act
A retailer or supplier must not tell you the CGA does not apply or try to get you to sign a contract saying it doesn't apply.
The only exception is where products or services are for a business purpose and:
- You as the buyer and the seller are in trade and agree to this.
- The agreement is in writing.
- it is fair and reasonable to do so.
A manufacturer can contract out of the spare parts and repair facilities guarantee, but only if consumers are told this in writing before they buy the products.
A business who tries to contract out of the CGA in any other circumstances commits an offence under the Fair Trading Act.
Misleading consumers about their rights(external link) — Commerce Commission
If things go wrong
Faulty products
If a business sells you a faulty product, you should first ask them to fix the problem. This might involve a refund, replacement, or repair.
Every situation and product is different, but your options should include whether the product:
- Can be fixed and the fault is not serious.
- Is serious or cannot be fixed or the retailer fails or refuses to act.
- Has caused damage or extra loss (consequential loss).
Faulty services
If you have a problem with a service, contact the service provider to start with. Explain the problem and what you would like done about it.
For general enquiries please contact us