The majority of the complaints related to budget airlines when they:

• cancelled flights
• changed flight times to times which did not suit the consumer
• promised refunds that were not forthcoming
• did not reimburse customers for extra accommodation costs.

In some cases, faults were immediately apparent, such as when the appliance did not function correctly on first use. If this is the case, contact the retailer immediately and describe the problem.

It is the retailer’s responsibility to ensure goods they’ve sold are of merchantable quality. You should not have to deal with the manufacturer if the appliance was faulty since purchase, this is the retailer's responsibility.

More information:

A number of complaints were received regarding defective furniture, primarily mattresses:

• indentations
• rips
• dips and sagging.

The most common complaints were about laptop computers that were either defective on purchase, or developed faults at a later stage.

Consumers mostly sought repairs or replacements. In many cases, the retailer agreed to undertake repairs, but the repairs were either delayed or ineffective.

When buying a laptop, ask the salesperson questions such as:

• Is the warranty based locally?
• What's the turnaround time for repairs?
• Will you be able to get service while travelling?
• If your notebook has to be sent away for repairs, will they provide you with a temporary replacement?

In a number of complaints, TVs developed faults after the manufacturer’s warranty had expired. Sometimes consumers think that they have no rights if a product develops a fault outside the manufacturer’s warranty. However, if you buy an expensive TV, it should last for a reasonable time under statutory warranty.

The difficulty is determining what a ‘reasonable’ time is. This depends on many things including:

• the make
• the model
• the price of the TV.