How to Demand a Refund in Australia: What Your Letter Must Say and What to Do If It Is Ignored

To demand a refund in Australia, write to the business that sold you the product or service. Say what you bought, what went wrong, why it is a major problem under the Australian Consumer Law, that you want a refund, and the date you expect an answer by. If the problem is major, the choice of a refund is yours. If it is minor, the business can fix it for free instead.

Claim Done drafts a Consumer Guarantee Letter from your answers for a flat A$49. You read it and confirm it, the final PDF is emailed to you, and you send it to the business yourself.

When the law gives you a right to a refund

The ACCC explains that when you buy a product or service you get basic rights called consumer guarantees. A product must be of acceptable quality and match its description. A service must be done with due care and skill. The ACCC page on repair, replace, refund, cancel sets out two levels of problem.

A major problem

A product has a major problem when it:

• is unsafe
• is very different from the description or sample
• has one serious problem, or several smaller ones, that would stop someone buying it if they had known
• cannot be used for its normal purpose, or a purpose you told the seller about, and cannot easily be fixed within a reasonable time.

For a major problem the business must give you the choice of a refund or a replacement. The refund should be the full amount you paid, and the business must not take money off for the use you have had. For a service with a major problem you can cancel the contract and get a refund. It may not be a full refund, because you pay a reasonable amount for work done as expected.

A minor problem

For a minor problem the business must fix it for free. It does not have to offer a refund or replacement, though it can choose to. If the business cannot or will not fix the problem within a reasonable time, you are then entitled to a refund or replacement, or to have it fixed elsewhere and be paid back the reasonable cost.

Change of mind

You are not entitled to a refund under the consumer guarantees if you got what you asked for and simply changed your mind, found it cheaper somewhere else, or decided you did not like it. If the business has its own change of mind policy, it must follow it. You are also not entitled if you caused the problem by misuse, or knew about the fault before you bought it. Most guarantees also do not apply to a one-off private sale, where the seller is not running a business.

What a “no refunds” sign means

The ACCC says the basic rights cannot be taken away by anything a business says or does. That includes a “no refunds” sign, or a rule that refunds stop after a set number of days. It is illegal for a business to rely on store policies or terms that deny these rights, such as “no refunds or exchanges on sale items”. Your rights can also continue to apply after a product’s warranty has expired.

Who to write to

Write to the business that sold you the product or service. The ACCC says a business cannot refuse to help by telling you to contact the manufacturer. A manufacturer may offer a refund, but you cannot demand one from it.

The ACCC’s guide to contacting a business to fix a problem says to make contact as soon as possible. A written complaint gives you a record of your contact.

What the letter must say

For a product with a major problem, the ACCC says to tell the business that:

• you think the product has a major problem under the consumer guarantees in the Australian Consumer Law, and why
• you are rejecting the product
• you want a refund.

The ACCC says any written complaint should also:

• describe the problem and the outcome you want
• give the key dates, such as when you bought it and when the problem appeared
• say what you have already done to fix the problem, and what you will do if it is not resolved
• ask for a response within a reasonable time
• attach a copy of supporting documents, such as a receipt or invoice.

The ACCC does not set a number of days for the deadline. Its own example letter gives the business 10 days. If the business points to its returns policy, say you are claiming under the Australian Consumer Law, not its change of mind policy.

How the letter is set out

A refund demand has these parts, in order:

1. Your details and the date.
2. The business’s details. Use the name on your receipt.
3. A subject line. It names the item.
4. Purchase details. The item, date, price and receipt number.
5. The problem. What is wrong and when you noticed it.
6. The consumer guarantee. Which guarantee has not been met, and why the problem is major or minor.
7. The demand. The remedy you want and the date you expect it by.
8. Next steps. What you will do if it is not resolved.
9. Attachments.

The Claim Done letter follows this order and asks for the remedy within 14 days. If your problem is minor, it asks the business to fix it and puts your preferred remedy as a request.

Proof to attach and how to send it

A business can ask for proof of purchase. The ACCC says this can be a receipt, a credit or debit card statement, a lay-by agreement, or a receipt or reference number given over the phone or internet. You can give originals, photos or photocopies. The product does not have to be in its original packaging.

The ACCC says you can post or email the letter. Keep a copy, the sending date and any return postage receipt. If the business confirms the product has a problem, it must repay your reasonable return costs.

If the business ignores or refuses your letter

The ACCC does not resolve individual disputes. Its page on what to do if a business won’t fix a problem sets out further steps, including these two.

Step 1: your State or Territory consumer protection agency. The ACCC says these agencies can tell you about your rights and options, and may be able to help negotiate with the business.

Step 2: the small claims court or tribunal. The ACCC says each State has one that hears cases about consumer issues, and that there is usually a fee. The ACCC’s list of where to go for consumer help names these bodies:

Chargeback through your card provider

Moneysmart says that if you paid by credit or debit card and did not get what you paid for, you can contact your bank or card provider. Depending on what happened, you may be able to ask for a chargeback, which can reverse a card payment. Consumer Affairs Victoria says the time limits for a chargeback vary from 45 to 120 days from the transaction date (as at November 2026), so check your card provider’s limit early.

Mistakes to avoid

• Demanding a refund for a change of mind. The consumer guarantees do not cover it.
• Demanding a refund for a minor problem. The business is allowed to fix it first.
• Sending no proof. Attach a copy of the receipt.
• Making threats. Name only lawful next steps: the consumer protection agency, then the tribunal or court.

If you would like the letter set out for you, answer a few plain questions and Claim Done will draft your Consumer Guarantee Letter for a flat A$49. Claim Done is not a law firm and does not give legal advice.