LL5058 - Consumer Rights Law (2026/27)
| Module specification | Module approved to run in 2026/27 | ||||||||
| Module title | Consumer Rights Law | ||||||||
| Module level | Intermediate (05) | ||||||||
| Credit rating for module | 15 | ||||||||
| School | Guildhall School of Business and Law | ||||||||
| Total study hours | 150 | ||||||||
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| Running in 2026/27(Please note that module timeslots are subject to change) | No instances running in the year |
Module summary
Consumer Rights Law is a 15-credit module which will enable you to develop a comprehensive understanding of modern consumer rights and responsibilities in relation to goods, services and digital content. This module is relevant to a range of careers in law, retailing, consumer advice and marketing of goods and services.
As well as studying the traditional requirements of a sale of goods contract, you will also examine the law on statutory liability for dangerous and defective products, the law regarding the unfair trading practices and the principles and responsibility for regulation of the consumer market.
In this module you will be able to develop a detailed, critical and evaluative knowledge of laws which regulate modern commerce and appreciate the regulation of the consumer market. You will also be able to develop several key transferable skills including independent research, critical analysis and academic writing in the context of the Consumer Rights Law and how to use primary and secondary sources of law.
This module will provide you with the opportunity to choose a subject of assessment within the syllabus according to your own particular interests, in accordance with the Inclusive Assessment aims of the ESJ Framework.
This module supports graduate opportunity and employability by giving you key knowledge of a subject which is practised within the professional legal sector; and by giving you a host of transferable skills, including research, critical thinking and communication.
Syllabus
The syllabus includes the following:
1. Regulation of the Consumer Market (LO1, LO2, LO3 )
• The powers and work of the Competition and Markets Authority and Trading Standards Departments.
2. Consumer contracts: goods, digital content, services and unfair terms (LO1, LO2, LO3 ).
• The Consumer Rights Act 2015
• Formation of consumer contracts
• Express and implied terms
• Exclusion clauses and unfair contract terms
• Passing of ownership and risk
• Consumer remedies
3. Product Liability (LO1, LO2, LO3).
• Liability for dangerous and defective products in tort
• The Consumer Protection Act 1987
• The General Product Safety Regulations 2005
4. Unfair Trading Practices (LO1, LO2, LO3).
• Misleading advertising (e.g., misleading actions, omissions and aggressive practices)
• Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 and Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024.
Balance of independent study and scheduled teaching activity
Learning & Teaching Strategy
Weekly two-hour lecture and one-hour seminar.
The lecture will be used for:
• Dissemination of knowledge through an overview of each topic with detailed guidance on appropriate aspects;
• An introduction to relevant academic literature;
• Guidance on learning strategies;
• Use of WebLearn and IT resources;
• Whole group questions and discussion.
The seminar will be used for the development of skills necessary to attain the module learning outcomes through:
• Written and oral questions/answers designed to reinforce fundamental rules, principles and cases;
• A range of step-by-step analytical exercises;
• Problem solving;
• IT tasks, such as research of cases and statutes;
• Legal writing;
• Oral presentation;
• Oral communication;
• Teamwork.
Blended Learning
All learning materials, previous examination questions and sample Q/A’s will be on blackboard for use in directed private study.
Student engagement will be encouraged in both lectures and seminars through weekly use of WebLearn for access to all of the above materials.
There will be required use of the professional legal databases, especially Westlaw and Lexis Library, for legal research.
Opportunities for reflective learning/pdp
Each weekly seminar will contain space for students to reflect on what they have learnt in relation to the overall syllabus. There will be frequent feedback opportunities structured into the timetable and a range of sample answers posted onto WebLearn.
Employability
Employability strategy will aim to acquaint students with a range of employment avenues both in the legal profession and in those professions into which legal qualifications and skills are transferable.
Student’s Study Responsibilities
The need for attendance, punctuality, preparation and engagement will be emphasised with particular reference to written and IT research, problem-solving, team-work, discussion, debate and critical awareness of the subject.
Learning outcomes
On successful completion of this module, you will be able to:
1. Demonstrate critical thinking, problem-solving and communication skills in the context of consumer rights law applied in a realistic modern commercial environment.
2. Work both independently and collectively to locate, examine and interpret primary and secondary sources of consumer rights law.
3. Present a critical analysis in the form of a properly drafted and referenced written essay or report.
Bibliography
https://rl.talis.com/3/londonmet/lists/C5173BF9-FCDD-4596-5F1E-A7C7EDDD03BA.html
CORE
Baskind, Osborne and Roach (2025), Commercial Law, Oxford University Press.
Atiyah, Adams and MacQueen (2025) Atiyah’s Sale of Goods, Pearson
Woodroffe and Lowe (2016) Consumer Law and Practice, Thomson Sweet and Maxwell.
DATABASES
Westlaw Edge UK
Lexis+ UK