Refunds and returns in the UAE: what the law gives you and what a retailer's policy adds

A faulty item and a change of mind are two different situations, and UAE law treats them very differently. If something you bought is genuinely faulty, the law gives you a remedy you can insist on. If nothing is wrong with it and you simply do not want it any more, the law gives you nothing automatically. What you get in that second case is whatever the retailer's own policy says. This guide keeps those two apart, then covers warranties and what to do if a retailer refuses.

It is general consumer information, not legal advice.

What the law actually gives you, for a faulty item

Federal Law No. 15 of 2020 on Consumer Protection sets the underlying right. Article 12 states that when a flaw is discovered in a good or service, the provider must repair it, replace it, or take the good back and refund its price, or re-provide the service, without charge to the consumer. The exact procedure for this is set out in the law's executive regulation, Cabinet Resolution No. 66 of 2023.

This is the core of the guide. It is a right, not a favour, and it does not depend on the retailer's own returns policy. A retailer can choose to be more generous than this. It cannot lawfully offer less for something that is genuinely faulty.

When the same fault keeps happening

Federal Law No. 15 of 2020 also addresses a fault that will not go away. If the same flaw occurs three times within the first year of a consumer receiving the item, and it fundamentally affects the item's quality, the law treats that differently to a single repair.

Cabinet Resolution No. 66 of 2023 sets out what happens when a repair genuinely does not fix things: if the supplier is unable to fix a recurring failure during the warranty period, or if there is more than one failure not caused by how the consumer used the item, the consumer is entitled to a new replacement item of the same category and specification, or its purchase value back.

In practical terms: a single repair is normal and expected. A fault that keeps coming back after being "fixed" is not something you have to keep accepting.

Changing your mind is a different thing

If nothing is wrong with the item and you simply changed your mind, the law does not give you a right to a refund, an exchange, or store credit. What you get is entirely down to the retailer's own policy.

Before you buy something you are not fully sure about, it is worth checking the retailer's own return policy rather than assuming a right that may not exist. Look for it on a receipt, at the till, or on the retailer's website before you pay, not after.

Warranties: what the document actually has to say

Cabinet Resolution No. 66 of 2023 sets requirements for what a warranty document must cover. Among them: whether the warranty covers all parts of the good and the cost of repair or replacement, a statement of what the consumer is expected to do under the warranty's terms, and a clear statement of any exceptions to the warranty.

Buying something used, refurbished, or with a known flaw

If a retailer sells a used or refurbished item, or one with a defect that does not affect health or safety, the regulation requires the seller to clearly state the item's condition, both on the item itself and where the retailer does business. If a used or discounted item is not marked as such, that is worth questioning before you buy, not after.

What to do if a retailer refuses a genuine defect claim

1. Check the fault is genuinely a defect and not ordinary wear, damage you caused, or something outside how the item is meant to be used. The law's remedy is for faults, not for regret.
2. Ask for the remedy in the order the law describes: repair, replacement, or a refund. A retailer choosing which of these to offer first is normal; refusing all three for a genuine defect is not.
3. Keep your receipt or invoice, and the warranty document if one was given.
4. If the retailer refuses, raise it with the Ministry of Economy and Tourism's consumer protection channel, or with your own emirate's consumer protection authority if it has one (Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism runs its own Consumer Rights service).
5. Keep a note of what was said, by whom, and when, in case you need to raise it further.

General consumer information only, not legal advice. Rules and regulations can change, so check the latest official guidance for your circumstances.