Q: A few months ago I ordered six chairs and two balconies from a local seller. Upon placing the order, I paid a substantial deposit.

On the invoice I wrote that the delivery would take place ‘approximately 16/17 weeks after confirmation, payment of deposit and taking of measurements’.

Based on this, the delivery of the furniture should have taken place at the beginning of November 2014. Before delivery was due, I was informed that there would be a delay with the chairs and that the delivery would be postponed to Christmas time.

To date, the chairs have not yet been delivered. As the balconies, there was a mistake in the measurements of one balcony and it couldn’t be installed. This meant it had to be re-ordered, hence another delay. What are my rights in this situation? Can I ask for a discount or some sort of compensation for all the hassle caused to me by these delays?

A: When the agreed delivery date is not honoured by the seller, the law stipulates that consumers may cancel the contract of sale and demand full refund of the deposit paid.

Furthermore, if consumers suffer a financial loss or incur additional expenses because the seller did not honour the sales agreement, they may claim compensation for these expenses.

Hence, the law does not specifically give consumers the right to claim a discount on the agreed price. This is something consumers have to negotiate with the seller.