Last week Focus DIY became the latest in a long line of companies to go into administration, thanks to the economic downturn. Some customers who ordered online from the store fear that they might not get their goods or their money back.

In situations like this you need to have your consumer rights at your fingertips. Only a legal specialist will know everything there is to know about your rights as a shopper, but here are five things you should know in order to protect yourself.
1 Your credit card offers powerful protection

This is particularly relevant to those Focus DIY customers who fear they will lose out on their deliveries. If you pay with a credit card, your card issuer is jointly liable for anything that you buy – as long as you spend more than £100 and less than £30,000. This is known as Section 75 protection. It means it is always worth making large purchases on credit cards, as long as this does not incur extra charges and you pay off the balance in full every month.

If a product does not arrive or is faulty you can claim back the money from your card provider, which is particularly useful if a company goes bust. This does not apply, however, if you pay a third party such as a travel agent, or if you have paid through PayPal or a similar online processor.

Even if you only pay a £10 deposit for an item, you are protected for its entire cost as long as it is above £100. Overseas purchases are also covered. To make a claim you need to contact your credit card company and ask for a claim form, quoting section 75. If they will not give you one, write to them, and then contact the Financial Ombudsman if you still aren't satisfied.

2 You have more rights if you buy online
Bought something online and you don't like it? It might seem counter-intuitive, but you actually have more rights than if you bought it in-store. This is because of the Distance Selling Regulations. These allow you to send back most goods within a week, and the company will even have to refund your delivery costs (though you will usually have to pay for returning goods). These regulations also apply if you buy from a catalogue.
3 What your statutory rights really are
OK, they are always bleating about you having statutory rights on the back of cereal packets and suchlike, but this is what they actually mean. The goods must be of satisfactory quality, as described, be fit for purpose and last a reasonable length of time. Obviously, what a reasonable length of time is will vary depending on........Read more HERE