Buying a refurbished phone: grades, battery, warranty and your rights

Short answer: refurbished phones from a business are covered by the Consumer Rights Act 2015, and the big UK sellers add a warranty of at least 12 months. Grades only describe how the phone looks. Check the battery capacity minimum, warranty length and return window before you buy.

Back Market vs musicMagpie vs giffgaff Refurbished

From each seller's published terms, checked 30 Oct 2026. We don't compare prices here: our refurbished prices come from Back Market's official feed only.
	Back Market	musicMagpie	giffgaff Refurbished
What it is	Marketplace of professional refurbishers	Refurbishes and sells its own stock	Network selling its own refurbished phones
Grades	Fair, Good, Excellent, Premium	Good, Very Good, Pristine	Good, Very Good, Excellent, Like New
Battery	At least 80% capacity; Premium at least 90%	At least 80%; Pristine iPhones 90%+	Battery issues covered by the warranty
Warranty	12 months (seller warranty)	12 months from the order date	12 months (Good), 18 months (Very Good, Excellent), 24 months (Like New)
Change-of-mind returns	30 days from delivery	14 days	21 days from delivery
Sources	Back Market: phone gradesAd; Back Market: seller warrantyAd; Back Market: warranty and 30-day returnsAd	musicMagpie: certified refurbished; musicMagpie: 12-month warranty; musicMagpie: returns	giffgaff: handset warranties; giffgaff: return policy

Grades: looks, not performance

Each seller sets its own grades, so a "Good" on one site isn't the same as a "Good" on another. On Back Market, Fair, Good and Excellent devices are all sold as fully working and differ in scratches and wear; Premium adds genuine parts and a higher battery minimum. musicMagpie grades on cosmetic condition from Good to Pristine. giffgaff ties the warranty length to the grade.

Battery health

A battery wears with use, so check the seller's minimum. Back Market and musicMagpie both promise at least 80% of the original capacity. Once the phone arrives, check it yourself: on an iPhone go to Settings › Battery › Battery Health; many Android phones show it under Settings › Battery.

Your rights when you buy refurbished

From a business, goods must be of satisfactory quality (taking account of age and condition), fit for purpose and as described under the Consumer Rights Act 2015.
You can reject a faulty item for a full refund within 30 days. After that, ask for a repair or replacement; within six months a fault is presumed to have been there at delivery.
Buying online, the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 normally give you 14 days to cancel, on top of any longer return window the seller offers.
Seller warranties are extra. They usually exclude accidental, screen and liquid damage.

Checks when it arrives

Make sure it isn't linked to someone else's account (Activation Lock on iPhone, Google account lock on Android).
Check the battery health and that it's unlocked: put your SIM in and make a call.
Test the cameras, speakers, microphone, charging port and Face ID or fingerprint within the return window.

Compare refurbished prices

See today's checked prices on refurbished phones and refurbished iPads, MacBooks, laptops and watches, and our Back Market review. Then pair the phone with a SIM-only deal.

Sources

Sources checked 30 Oct 2026. Retailer terms change, so check the seller's page before you buy. This is general information, not legal advice.

Questions

Is it safe to buy a refurbished phone?

Buying from a business, yes: the Consumer Rights Act 2015 covers refurbished goods, and Back Market, musicMagpie and giffgaff all add a free warranty of at least 12 months.

What do refurbished grades mean?

Grades describe how the phone looks, not how it works. Back Market uses Fair, Good, Excellent and Premium; musicMagpie uses Good, Very Good and Pristine; giffgaff uses Good, Very Good, Excellent and Like New. Each seller defines its own grades.

What battery health should a refurbished phone have?

Back Market and musicMagpie both set a minimum of 80% of the original capacity. Back Market Premium and musicMagpie Pristine iPhones are 90% or more. giffgaff's warranty covers battery issues.

What warranty do refurbished phones come with?

Back Market: 12-month seller warranty. musicMagpie: 12 months from the day you order. giffgaff: 12, 18 or 24 months depending on the grade. These sit on top of your legal rights.

Can I return a refurbished phone if I change my mind?

Back Market gives 30 days from delivery, giffgaff 21 days, and musicMagpie 14 days. For online purchases the law gives you at least 14 days to cancel.

Buying refurbished: grades, battery, warranty and your rights