Published 7 November 2026
Quick answer: If you bought a mobility scooter from a business and it develops a fault, the Consumer Rights Act 2015 gives you rights against the seller, not the manufacturer. Within 30 days you can reject it for a full refund. After that the seller gets one chance to repair or replace it; if that fails, you can ask for a refund or a price cut. Faults that show up in the first six months are presumed to have been there from the start.
Last checked: 7 November 2026. What we checked: Consumer Rights Act 2015 sections 2, 6, 9, 10, 19, 20 and 22 to 24 and 30 on legislation.gov.uk; the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013; the Limitation Act 1980, the Prescription and Limitation (Scotland) Act 1973 and the Limitation (Northern Ireland) Order 1989; Consumer Credit Act 1974 section 75; GOV.UK consumer rights and court claim pages; UK Finance on chargeback; the Motability Scheme servicing and repairs page.
Who this is for: Anyone whose mobility scooter (or powered scooter battery or charger) has gone wrong soon after buying it, and the family member helping them sort it out.
This page explains the law in general terms. It is not legal advice. For your own case, ring the consumer helpline listed below.
Which law applies to your scooter
The Consumer Rights Act 2015 (CRA) covers goods a consumer buys from a trader: a mobility shop, an online retailer, a business selling on a marketplace, or a firm selling ex-demonstration or used scooters. It applies across the UK, though court time limits differ in Scotland.
Every scooter sold by a trader must be:
- of satisfactory quality, judged by what a reasonable person would expect given the price and description. Section 9 includes durability, safety and freedom from minor defects.
- fit for a purpose you told the seller about, such as climbing the hill to your shop or carrying your weight, where you relied on the seller’s advice (section 10).
- as described, including the advertised range, weight limit and specification.
A fault the seller pointed out before you bought, or one you should have spotted when you examined the scooter, does not count.
Common scooter faults and how the law sees them
| Problem | Likely a breach of your rights? | What to bear in mind |
|---|---|---|
| Scooter will not power up, or cuts out, within weeks | Yes, almost always | Report it in writing straight away; check the flashing lights and error codes first in case it is a simple reset or freewheel lever |
| Battery will not hold a charge after a few months | Often, if the batteries were sold as new | Batteries do wear out, but a new battery failing early points to a durability problem; rule out a charger fault using our charging problems guide |
| Range is far below what was advertised on the flat | Possibly “not as described” | Advertised ranges are usually measured in ideal conditions, so keep notes of your journeys, weight carried and terrain |
| Cracked frame, failed brake or steering fault | Yes, and also a safety issue | Stop using the scooter and report it |
| Tyre puncture or worn tyres after heavy use | Usually wear and tear | Not a fault in the goods unless the tyre was defective |
| Damage from an accident or from storing it outside uncovered | No | Insurance, not consumer law, is the route; see our scooter insurance guide |
Batteries: wear and tear or a fault?
All scooter batteries lose capacity with use, so an old battery that holds less charge has probably just worn out. That is not a breach of your rights. A brand-new battery that fails within months is different: the durability test and the six-month rule below help you. Follow the maker’s charging advice (see how to charge a scooter), because a seller may argue a battery failed through being run flat.
The manufacturer’s warranty is extra
A maker’s warranty sits on top of your legal rights and does not replace them. Section 30 of the CRA says a guarantee must state that it does not affect your statutory rights. So a short battery warranty does not cut short your claim against the seller.
Your rights over time
| When the fault appears | What you can ask for | Who has to prove what |
|---|---|---|
| Days 0 to 30 after delivery | Reject the scooter and get a full refund (the “short-term right to reject”). You can instead ask for a repair or replacement | Faults are presumed to have been there at delivery |
| 30 days to 6 months | One repair or one replacement, at the seller’s cost. If that fails, or takes too long, you can reject it for a refund or keep it with a price reduction | Still presumed present at delivery: the seller must show otherwise |
| After 6 months | The same remedies, repair or replacement first | You need to show the fault was there at delivery, or that the scooter was not durable enough. A report from an independent repairer helps |
| Time to bring a claim | Up to 6 years from the breach in England, Wales and Northern Ireland; 5 years in Scotland | This is a court time limit, not a promise that the scooter should last that long |
The 30-day short-term right to reject
The 30 days start the day after the scooter is delivered and any set-up the seller agreed to do is finished (section 22). If you agree to a repair inside those 30 days, the clock pauses while you wait. Once you reject, the seller must refund you within 14 days of agreeing you are entitled to one, by the same payment method, and pay the reasonable cost of collecting the scooter (section 20).
One repair or replacement, then your final rights
After 30 days the seller normally gets to try a repair or replacement first, within a reasonable time, without significant inconvenience to you, and at its own cost (section 23). If you depend on the scooter to get out, weeks in the workshop may well be a significant inconvenience, so say so in writing.
If the scooter is still faulty after one repair or one replacement, you can use your “final right to reject” for a refund, or keep it and ask for a price reduction (section 24). Several faults fixed in one visit count as one repair.
Can the seller take money off the refund for use?
On a final rejection the seller can normally deduct for the use you have had, but not within the first six months (section 24). The motor vehicle exception to that rule excludes vehicles built or adapted for one disabled person, and the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970 treats compliant scooters as not being motor vehicles for road traffic law in Great Britain. If a seller wants to deduct for use in the first six months on the grounds that a scooter is a motor vehicle, ask your consumer helpline for advice before you agree.
Second-hand, ex-demo and private sales
From a business: a used or ex-demo scooter from a trader is covered by the CRA, but satisfactory quality takes account of its age and price. Undisclosed faults you could not reasonably have spotted are still the seller’s problem. Our used scooter buying checklist covers what to check first.
From a private individual: the CRA does not apply. Under the Sale of Goods Act 1979 the scooter must match its description, but the satisfactory quality term only applies to business sellers. Someone regularly selling scooters may in fact be trading.
At a public auction you could attend in person: second-hand goods bought this way are mostly outside the CRA’s goods rules (section 2).
Bought online or by phone
Buying online, by phone or on a doorstep visit gives you a separate right to cancel for any reason under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, normally ending 14 days after the scooter arrives. It sits alongside your fault rights. Goods made to your own specification are excluded.
Paid by card or with finance
- Credit card, item over £100 and up to £30,000: under section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 the card provider is jointly liable with the seller, which helps if the seller ignores you or has stopped trading. Paying only part of the price on the card can still count.
- Debit card, or smaller credit card purchases: ask your bank about chargeback. UK Finance says it is not a legal right and claims usually need to start within 120 days.
- Finance agreement through the shop: depending on the type of agreement, the finance company may share liability with the seller. Read your agreement and ask the lender.
If the seller has gone out of business, our guide on what happens when a mobility company goes bust covers deposits, warranties and servicing.
Motability scooters work differently
A Motability scooter is leased, not owned, and faults go through the scheme. The Motability Scheme says to contact your dealer first for mechanical faults; routine repairs from daily use are covered, but cosmetic damage, neglect and misuse are not. Accident damage goes to Direct Line Motability. The dealer will try to provide a replacement while yours is off the road, and you can ring Motability on 0300 456 4566 if a repair is handled badly.
A letter outline for the seller
Put your claim in writing, by email or recorded post, and keep a copy. Cover these points in your own words:
- Your name, order number, delivery date, and the scooter’s make, model and serial number.
- What has gone wrong, when it started, and what you have tried.
- That the scooter is not of satisfactory quality (or not as described, or not fit for purpose) under the Consumer Rights Act 2015.
- What you want: a refund if inside 30 days; otherwise a repair or replacement, and how a delay affects you.
- A reply deadline, such as 14 days, with photos, video, any error code and your receipt attached.
If they offer a repair, ask how long it will take and whether a loan scooter is available. Our guide to scooter servicing and repairs explains what a repair visit involves.
If the seller will not help
- Get free advice. In England and Wales call the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 0808 223 1133 (Welsh language 0808 223 1144). In Scotland call Advice Direct Scotland on 0808 164 6000. In Northern Ireland call Consumerline on 0300 123 6262. GOV.UK says these helplines can refer complaints to Trading Standards.
- Make a formal complaint. Our guide on how to complain about a mobility company sets out the steps and the bodies that can help.
- Go to court as a last resort. In England and Wales you can make a court claim for money online or by post through GOV.UK; mediation may be offered free. Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own processes, through mygov.scot and nidirect. Check the current fees before you claim.
Before you buy your next scooter, look up the seller in our directory of mobility companies and read what other customers say about after-sales help.
What to do next
- Stop using the scooter if the fault affects brakes, steering or power.
- Write down when the fault started and take photos or a short video.
- Check whether you are inside 30 days or six months from delivery.
- Write to the seller (not the manufacturer) using the outline above.
- If you paid by card, note the date: chargeback claims usually need to start within 120 days.
- If the seller stalls, ring the consumer helpline for your nation.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to go back to the shop, or can I deal with the manufacturer?
Your legal rights are against the business that sold you the scooter. You can use the manufacturer’s warranty if that is quicker, and many sellers pass repairs to the maker anyway. But if the warranty route stalls, the seller remains responsible under the Consumer Rights Act. A seller telling you to “take it up with the manufacturer” does not end its own responsibility.
My scooter battery died after eight months. Is that a fault?
It might be. After six months you need to show the battery was not durable enough, so the presumption no longer helps you. A battery sold as new that fails in under a year with normal charging is a reasonable thing to raise with the seller. Get a written test result from a repairer if you can, and rule out the charger first.
The seller wants to repair it but says it will take six weeks. Do I have to wait?
The seller must repair within a reasonable time and without significant inconvenience to you. What is reasonable depends on the goods and why you bought them. If you rely on the scooter to get to shops or appointments, explain that in writing and ask for a loan scooter or a firm date. A very long delay can let you move to a refund or price reduction.
Can a shop refuse a refund because I have used the scooter?
Within the first 30 days you can reject a faulty scooter even though you have used it. Normal use does not stop you. On a later final rejection the seller can usually deduct for use, but not in the first six months, and the motor vehicle exception should not apply to a mobility scooter. Damage you caused is a separate matter.
Does any of this apply to a scooter I bought on Facebook Marketplace?
Only if the seller was a business. Buying from a private person gives you much less protection: the scooter must match how it was described, but the satisfactory quality rule does not apply. If you are buying used, a trader offering a short warranty may be worth the higher price.
I bought online and simply don’t like it. Can I send it back?
Probably, under the Consumer Contracts Regulations. For goods bought at a distance you normally have 14 days from delivery to cancel for any reason, plus time to return it. Scooters made or adapted to your specification can be excluded. Check the seller’s terms for who pays return carriage, as a large scooter can be costly to send back.
Sources
- Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 2 – legislation.gov.uk, accessed 7 November 2026
- Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 6 – legislation.gov.uk, accessed 7 November 2026
- Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 9 – legislation.gov.uk, accessed 7 November 2026
- Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 10 – legislation.gov.uk, accessed 7 November 2026
- Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 19 – legislation.gov.uk, accessed 7 November 2026
- Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 20 – legislation.gov.uk, accessed 7 November 2026
- Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 22 – legislation.gov.uk, accessed 7 November 2026
- Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 23 – legislation.gov.uk, accessed 7 November 2026
- Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 24 – legislation.gov.uk, accessed 7 November 2026
- Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 30 – legislation.gov.uk, accessed 7 November 2026
- Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970, section 20 – legislation.gov.uk, accessed 7 November 2026
- Sale of Goods Act 1979, section 13 – legislation.gov.uk, accessed 7 November 2026
- Sale of Goods Act 1979, section 14 – legislation.gov.uk, accessed 7 November 2026
- Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013, regulation 28 – legislation.gov.uk, accessed 7 November 2026
- Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013, regulation 30 – legislation.gov.uk, accessed 7 November 2026
- Limitation Act 1980, section 5 – legislation.gov.uk, accessed 7 November 2026
- Prescription and Limitation (Scotland) Act 1973, section 6 – legislation.gov.uk, accessed 7 November 2026
- Limitation (Northern Ireland) Order 1989, article 4 – legislation.gov.uk, accessed 7 November 2026
- Consumer Credit Act 1974, section 75 – legislation.gov.uk, accessed 7 November 2026
- Consumer rights – GOV.UK, accessed 7 November 2026
- Make a court claim for money – GOV.UK, accessed 7 November 2026
- Chargeback and Section 75 – UK Finance, accessed 7 November 2026
- Servicing and repairs – Motability Scheme, accessed 7 November 2026
Published 7 November 2026
Used a mobility scooter dealer? Tell the next person how it went.
Have you used a mobility company recently? Share your experience and help someone else make a better decision. Reviews are free, we publish good and bad, and no company can pay to remove one.