Consumers can reject goods not delivered on time

Angella Manning, executive director of the Consumer Affairs Commission (CAC), has said that consumers have the right to reject goods bought over the Christmas season, if they are not delivered on time.

She noted that under the Sale of Goods Act, consumers also had the right “to be refunded all sums paid under law”.

She was addressing the weekly JIS ‘Think Tank’ session held Dec 18, 2002 at the agency’s Half-Way-Tree Road, Kingston Office.

The CAC, which is a government entity, has as its role, the protection of the interest of all consumers.

Manning noted that the complaints to the CAC in the month of January were usually “25 per cent more than the norm”, and were often related to late and non-delivery of goods purchased during the busy Christmas season.

“People have relatives coming over, they pay down on these mattresses or the new sofa, expecting them to be delivered before Christmas. And, horror stories, where even in January the things are still not delivered,’ Manning noted.

The head of the Consumer Protection agency said that many persons were not aware of their rights as consumers. Consumers do in fact, she pointed out, have a number of rights, the eight basic of which were; the right to basic needs, safety, to be informed, to choose, to be heard, to redress, consumer education and the right to a healthy environment.

She is also encouraging consumers to examine all new goods thoroughly in the store, if it is at all possible, before making a purchase.

In addition to the rights outlined, a consumer is entitled to examine goods that are delivered, particularly if he/she did not have the opportunity to check them before hand. If the good is not what was specified in the sale agreement, it is the consumer’s right to return it to the seller and obtain in a refund.

The CAC receives approximately 2,500 complaints each year with the peak periods being after Christmas and during the summer holidays.