How we research

1. Start with the question

Each guide starts from a practical question a shopper is likely to have: "Do I have to pay this parking letter?", "Can I return this sofa?", "Why is the shop shut at 10am on Sunday?". We write down the questions first, so the guide answers them rather than drifting into background.

2. Go to the primary source

For anything legal, we read the legislation itself on legislation.gov.uk, checking that we are looking at the current, in-force version and noting which parts of the UK it extends to. We then read official guidance from GOV.UK, the devolved governments and regulators. Our sources page lists the main ones.

3. Check how it works in practice

Law and practice are not always the same thing. For parking, we read the published procedures of the independent appeals services and the trade associations' codes. For returns and deliveries, we look at how retailers typically word their policies, without naming or rating them. For charging, we look at the information operators are required to display.

4. Separate law from custom

We are careful to mark the difference between a legal right, a voluntary industry code and a shop's own policy. Readers make better decisions when they know which of the three they are dealing with.

5. Note what is uncertain

Where the rules are changing or disputed, we say so, give the current position as of the update date, and link to where readers can check. We would rather leave a detail out than state something we cannot stand behind.

6. Write, check and date

Drafts are checked against our fact-checking process before publication, and each guide is dated. The guides are written by Helen Marsh.