Shopping & consumer rights: refunds, faulty goods and small disputes
2 guides
2 plain-English guides to “shopping & consumer” in New Zealand: Returning faulty goods, Small claims. Each guide is written from official New Zealand government pages, links to the originals, and is checked against them every day.
When you buy goods or services from a business in New Zealand, the Consumer Guarantees Act (CGA) protects you. If something has a problem, you can ask for a repair, a replacement or a refund. But simply changing your mind is not a legal reason to return something. The Fair Trading Act covers false advertising and misleading prices.
If you have a money dispute of up to NZ$60,000 with a business, a tradesperson, a neighbour or the other driver in a car crash, you can take it to the Disputes Tribunal. It is faster, cheaper and less formal than a court. You cannot have a lawyer represent you at the hearing. Its decisions are legally binding. You can apply online. The application fee depends on how much you claim and starts at NZ$62.
What do people ask about shopping & consumer?
- Something I bought broke after a month and the shop says to contact the manufacturer. Is that allowed?
- I bought clothes but don't like them now. Can I return them for a refund?
- A shop sold me a faulty product and won't give me a refund. Where can I make a claim?
- A tradesperson did poor work on my house. How do I claim some of my money back?
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The AI answers using this guide and official New Zealand government websites.