Return those unwanted gifts
It’s lovely to receive any gift, but we’ve all opened a present on Christmas morning to find we either have it already or it’s really not our kind of thing! Money expert Sarah Pennells explains what your rights are if you don’t have a gift receipt
What the law says
You don’t have a legal right to return something you don’t like (whether it was bought by you or someone else), if it came from a high-street shop. But you do have this right if it was bought online, through a catalogue or over the phone. There are a few exceptions: for example, you can’t return flowers, fresh food or anything that was customised.
However, you only have 14 days from when the order arrives to tell the company you’ve changed your mind (and another 14 to return it).
So, unless it was a last-minute present, this legal right may not be much use to you. The other issue is that retailers – for understandable reasons – refund the person who paid for the order.
What about shops?
The good news is that many shops and online retailers go beyond the law and will let you return something you don’t like – for a refund or a credit note. While bigger chains tend to do this, smaller independent shops may not.
A number of high-street names also give you longer to return unwanted gifts over Christmas. Some shops accept returns until the end of January.
For presents bought online, by phone or through a catalogue, the retailer may have a specific policy for gift recipients returning unwanted presents. But be warned, not all do this.
What you’ll need
In most cases you’ll need a receipt or proof of purchase. Most large retailers will offer a gift receipt during the Christmas shopping season, so get one of these if you’re the one buying, especially if it’s for a picky friend or family member! If you want to take back something that’s an own brand (rather than a bigger brand that’s widely available), you may get a credit note, even if you don’t have a gift receipt or other proof of purchase. But again, bear in mind you’re likely to get a credit note for what it’s currently selling for, which – if it’s in the sales – could be a fraction of its original price!
Faulty goods
It’s an entirely different matter if you’re given something that develops a fault or is faulty. In that case, the shop has a legal responsibility to sort it out. You may be asked for proof of purchase (a gift receipt
is ideal).