Q: A few weeks ago, I bought a washing machine at a discounted price because a new model was about to be launched on the market and the shop owner wanted to get rid of the old stock. However, after just a few weeks this washing machine started to give me problems and has been repaired twice. Can I ask for my money back?

A: You have just as much right to expect the item you are buying to be of good quality as if you had bought the item before a sale. The only difference with sale items is that if they were clearly marked as 'shop soiled' or a particular defect was pointed out to you by the seller prior to the purchase, then you would not be able to ask for a refund because you would have been aware when buying item that it would not be perfect.

All legal rights still apply to goods bought in a sale. They must be of good quality, fit for the purpose you are buying them for and as described. In other words, yes, if the washing machine is faulty, you have the right to claim for redress. In your particular case, repair has already been tried but was unsuccessful. Therefore, at this point you can either request a replacement or refund. It is a misconception that consumer rights vary during a sale.