Refund policy

Returns at SORA Climate — how it works

We sell air conditioning, fans, purifiers, refrigeration and critical cooling equipment direct to UK customers. Because most units ship from our supplier network — not from a shop floor — returns work differently from a high-street retailer. You always have your full statutory rights; this page explains how we put them into practice.

Start every return or fault report here: email hello@soraclimate.com (or soraclimate.ops@gmail.com) with your order number. We issue an RMA (Return Merchandise Authorization) before anything moves. Do not ship goods back without written authorization and return instructions from us.

Important: Air conditioners, portable AC units, wall splits, refrigeration, datacentre plant and other bulky climate equipment are never returned to a residential address — including 21 Homer Street, Birmingham. Returns are handled via our SORA returns hub (light parcels) or courier/pallet collection (heavy and commercial) — never to a private home.

Your legal rights (summary)

14 days from delivery to cancel a distance contract without giving a reason (Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013).
30 days to reject faulty goods for a full refund (Consumer Rights Act 2015).
Rights for repair, replacement or partial refund for up to six years where goods are not of satisfactory quality.

Nothing below reduces those rights. You may inspect goods as you would in a shop; excessive handling or installation may affect the refund on change-of-mind returns.

Faulty, damaged or not as described

Tell us within 72 hours of delivery if something arrived damaged — send photos of the unit and packaging. That helps us open a carrier insurance claim; it does not limit your legal rights.

For manufacturing faults or wrong items:

We arrange the remedy — repair, replacement, or refund — at no cost to you.
Heavy units (wall splits, portables over 25 kg, refrigeration, CRAC): we book collection or coordinate a supplier RMA. You do not need supplier return addresses.
Loss or severe transit damage: we file a carrier / shipping-protection claim so you receive a replacement or refund promptly.

Light parcels — Royal Mail Special Delivery hub

For approved returns under 25 kg that can travel as a single parcel (fans, purifiers, filters, remotes, small accessories):

Send by Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed — tracked, signed-for, insured, accepted at a Post Office counter.
We do not accept standard post or untracked couriers.
After RMA approval we email your Special Delivery label and SORA returns hub address. Do not ship until you receive that email.
On change-of-mind returns, return postage may be deducted from your refund unless we state otherwise in writing.

Heavy, bulky and commercial returns

For items over 25 kg, on a pallet, or delivered by freight — wall splits, large portables, display chillers, datacentre CRAC/in-row/chillers:

Do not book your own courier and do not use Royal Mail. Email us for RMA; we book DPD/heavy courier or pallet collection.
Repack in original cartons where possible. Collection cost on change-of-mind returns is quoted before booking and deducted from your refund.
Faulty items: collection is free and booked by SORA.
Datacentre / critical cooling: pallet reverse freight only — site access and M&E disconnect must be confirmed before pickup.

Pre-charged refrigerant (F-Gas)

Split systems and cold-room equipment contain regulated refrigerant. An installed unit must be recovered by an F-Gas certified engineer before disconnection — venting is a criminal offence. We can arrange recovery; cost on change-of-mind cancellations is quoted before work; on faulty units, we cover it. A unit disconnected without documented recovery cannot be accepted back.

Pre-orders

You may cancel a pre-order any time before dispatch for a full refund. Your 14-day cancellation right starts when goods arrive.

Refused delivery and return-to-sender (RTS)

Refusing delivery, marking a parcel return to sender (RTS), or failing to arrange redelivery when the carrier has attempted delivery does not automatically entitle you to a full refund.

If you refuse or fail to accept delivery without a genuine fault or our written agreement, we may treat this as a change-of-mind return or cancellation — subject to our usual terms.
Where lawful, we may deduct outbound shipping, return freight (including carrier RTS charges), and a reasonable restocking fee for bulky climate equipment that must be re-inspected and re-routed.
Repeated RTS or refused-delivery behaviour on multiple orders may lead us to cancel pending orders and refuse future sales to that address or account.

Your statutory rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 for faulty or misdescribed goods are unchanged.

Delivery disputes, false non-delivery and fraud claims

We take delivery fraud seriously. Claims that an order was "not received" when the carrier shows delivered or provides proof of delivery (POD) — including signature, photo, or GPS — will be investigated with carrier evidence before any refund.

FTID (false tracking / item-not-received abuse), chargeback pressure, or threats of bad reviews while an investigation is open do not entitle you to an immediate refund. We cooperate with carriers and payment providers and may decline claims supported by delivery evidence.
Empty-box, partial-contents, or item-not-received (INR) claims require your cooperation: photos, packaging inspection, and participation in the carrier's formal claim process where applicable.
Threats to charge back, dispute payment, or post negative reviews do not skip our evidence and investigation process.

Genuine faults and confirmed carrier loss are handled under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 and our fault remedies above — nothing here waives your statutory rights.

Heavy returns — inspection before refund

For wall splits, large portables, refrigeration, datacentre plant and other heavy or commercial units:

No refund is issued until we have received the goods under a valid RMA and completed inspection (or, for faulty goods, verified the fault via agreed collection).
You cannot force a refund by refusing delivery, having a carrier RTS a pallet without authorization, or abandoning goods — unauthorised returns may be refused or held pending inspection at your cost.

Business customers

Commercial refrigeration and critical cooling bought for business use may not carry consumer cancellation rights. Faulty goods are still remedied. Contact us if you are unsure which regime applies.

Refunds

Processed within 14 days of hub receipt, collection, or proof of Special Delivery dispatch.
Returned to the original payment method only.
Includes standard outbound delivery charge; upgraded shipping difference is not refunded.