What are my consumer rights in this situation?

[bankholiday]

Can you please advise? I?m wondering what my rights are in the following situation.

In Dec 2010 we bought a car seat from an online retailer to use as a travel system with the same make of pushchair. Last week the release mechanism broke (through no fault of our own) and now we cannot attach the seat to the pram base to use as a travel system, though we can use it as a car seat alone.

I contacted the retailer, who requested photos of the fault and asked for the seat back so the manufacturer can fix it, if possible. I said I can send it back, but will need a replacement seat while this is being repaired, as otherwise I?d be stuck at home with my 3 month old. They said no, for safety reasons, which I appreciate, so I suggested they/the manufacturer simply replace the seat, as I didn?t get what I paid for.

The retailer replied saying that my contract is with them as per the Sales of Goods Act, and that due to the length of time I had the seat for, they cannot offer a refund, and that I need to send the seat back for inspection and repair. I think this is not good enough, but I?m not sure what my rights as a customer are. Can anyone advise? TIA.

I wont bore you with the finer points of the Sales of Goods Act but I'm afraid they're being entirely reasonable.

They offering to fix it and if they can't they'll most likely give you another one.

As for a replacement in between, they're not obliged to do that.

Thank you A1980. I am happy for them to fix it if they can, it just seems terribly unfair that I have to go through further inconvenience when I didn't get what I paid for in the first place, and through no fault of my own. Thanks for the reply.

It does seem very unfair. But sadly the consumer law these days makes it very difficult to reject items even if they're clearly faulty.

Don't get me started on faulty cars!