Consumer rights are one of the most important parts of your personal finance arsenal in that they protect you when things go wrong with any purchases.

However, for some reason, there are a crazy number of widespread myths about consumer rights that are either just plain wrong or used to be true (but aren’t anymore).

Here are some of the myths that you may too believe are consumer rights protections and what the truth really is:

“Write to the manufacturer”: When complaining about a product (often electronics) you may be asked to complain to the manufacturer. This is unhelpful as it is the retailer who is legally obligated to resolve your issue not the manufacturer so you should be sorting it with them (and they contact the manufacturer if need be).

In a similar vein, a sorting a dodgy delivery is the responsibility of the retailer not the delivery firm so don’t let them pass you from pillar to post when trying to get a resolution!

2 years on electricals: Many a time I have heard about a supposed 2 year legal guarantee on electricals however this isn’t true and electricals have the same consumer protections as any other good.

Mispriced products: If a shop accidentally mislabels a product with an incorrect price you do not have the right to buy the product at the wrong price as the contract is only made when you make a payment and a shop actually never has to sell you anything regardless of the price.

Changing your mind: If you purchase a product and then return it because you’ve changed your mind or it doesn’t fit (or any reason other than it’s faulty), the retailer is not legally obliged to allow a return for a refund. Most shops have a policy which allows this but for in store purchases you cannot legally return unless faulty.

However, you can return goods purchased online within 14 days if they are not faulty due to the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2014.

Returning goods bought with a fault: If you agree to buy goods you know are faulty (often sold as seen) some shops may say you cannot return them. This isn’t true: you cannot return them for the original fault (you bought a scratched microwave at a discount, you can’t return because of the scratch) but if there is another faulty (microwave doesn’t heat properly) then you have full consumer rights.

Underwear Rule: Many people seem to think that underwear has special rules about not returning worn underwear however they are treated as any good. If underwear is faulty then it can be returned under the Consumer Rights Act like any other item, the only issue may come when using store’s own additional policy.

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Which of these myths did you believe?

Do comment your thoughts below.