You have 30 days from delivery to tell us you're returning an item and to get it back to us, for a refund or exchange. It needs to arrive in perfect condition, in its original packaging, and you cover the postage, we don't offer free returns for a change of mind. That's the policy in one breath.
Forty-one years of selling lighting has taught us a returns policy only earns trust if it's written in plain English, not legal fog. So here it is, with the details that actually decide whether your refund goes through cleanly.
How long do I have to return something?
Thirty days, counted from delivery. The part people miss is what that window covers.
- The 30 days covers both telling us you're returning the item and getting it back to us, it's one window, not thirty days to email and another stretch to post.
- It applies whether you want a refund or an exchange.
- Start the moment you've decided. A return begun on day two is calm. One begun on day twenty-eight is a race.
What condition does the item need to be in?
This is the part that most often costs people their refund.
- The product must come back in perfect condition, in its original packaging, with everything that came in the box: all contents, screws and instructions.
- A fitting that doesn't meet those conditions isn't eligible for a refund. We simply can't resell something that arrives incomplete or damaged.
- Don't write on the outer box or reseal it with brown packaging tape. Apply your courier label with clear sellotape instead, or a reboxing fee of 10% of the item's value comes off your refund.
Our advice: keep the original box until you're sure you're keeping the light. Otherwise-perfect returns fail purely because the packaging went in the recycling before the decision was made.
What can't be returned?
Most things can come back within the 30 days. A couple of categories can't.
- Made-to-order, customised and special-order items. Made or sourced specifically for you, so they can't go back on the shelf. Be sure before you commit.
- Opened sealed or shrink-wrapped goods. Only returnable if defective, and only where we've agreed that with you by email first.
One more that trips people up: check the instructions and parts list before you fit anything. We can't refund a wrongly-fitted product, and we'd always point you towards a qualified electrician.
What if my order arrives damaged, faulty, or wrong?
Rare, but it happens, and the clock matters in each case.
| Situation | What to do | Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Arrived damaged | Email customerservice@keslighting.co.uk with photos of the damage and the packaging. Do not install it. | Within 48 hours of delivery |
| Genuinely faulty | Email with a description of the fault and photos. We do not cover the installation cost of a faulty product. | As soon as you notice, before fitting |
| Wrong item or something missing | Email us with the discrepancy so we can sort it while the delivery is fresh. | Same day as delivery |
| Changed your mind / wrong choice | Request a returns number, then send it back in original packaging (see below). | Within 30 days of delivery |
We can't investigate a damage or fault claim without those photos, and once an item is installed we can't accept a damage claim at all, so check everything over before it goes near a ceiling. Miss the 48-hour window and we may have to charge for a replacement, a needless cost when a two-minute email on the day would have covered you.
How do I start a return?
Don't just post it back and hope. Skip the process and the return can be refused at our door.
- Fill out the returns form and email us at customerservice@keslighting.co.uk.
- We confirm the return and issue a returns number. We won't accept a return that hasn't been notified first and given a number.
- Write that returns number, your order number and your name on a separate piece of paper inside the parcel. Don't write any of it on the packaging.
Use a trackable courier. We can't refund an item that's lost or stolen on its way to us, so tracking is the cheapest insurance you'll buy all year.
How long do refunds take?
Once your return is inspected, the refund runs on a clear timetable.
- We process the refund within 14 working days of receiving the item.
- We email you to confirm once that's done.
- After that email, funds typically land in your account 7 to 10 working days later.
So the honest expectation is roughly two working weeks for our side, then a few more days for your bank, not an instant credit.
What about trade and B2B customers?
Everything above is our home/consumer policy. Trade accounts run on a different policy: broadly, no refund on unwanted goods, only a credit note valid for 12 months, with different discrepancy and inspection windows. Trade customers can ask their account contact for the full B2B returns policy. This piece is written for the home buyer, so that's as far as we'll take it here.
The short version
- 30 days from delivery to both tell us and send the item back, for a refund or exchange.
- Perfect condition, original packaging, all contents, screws and instructions, or the refund is refused.
- You cover return postage, and we can't refund a parcel lost in transit back, so use a tracked courier.
- Don't write on the box or use brown tape, or a 10% reboxing fee comes off your refund.
- Damaged? Photos within 48 hours, don't install it. Faulty? Description and photos, before you fit it.
- You need a returns number before you post anything back, no number, no accepted return.
- Made-to-order, customised and special-order items can't be returned.
- Refunds process within 14 working days of receipt, then reach your account 7 to 10 working days later.
- Trade/B2B customers have a different policy: a credit note, not a refund.
The best way to avoid needing any of this is to be sure before you buy. If you're weighing up a fitting, email customerservice@keslighting.co.uk and ask us first, or take your time browsing the full KES indoor lighting range rather than deciding in a hurry. Still deciding whether to trust us with the order at all? We've laid out the evidence in are KES Lighting reviews legit?
Frequently asked questions
How long do I have to return an item to KES Lighting?
Thirty days from delivery. That single window covers both telling us you want to return the item and sending it back, for a refund or an exchange.
Who pays for return postage?
You do. KES doesn't offer free returns for a change of mind. Use a tracked courier, we can't refund an item lost or stolen on its way back to us.
What condition does a returned item need to be in?
Perfect condition, original packaging, with all contents, screws and instructions. Fittings that don't meet this aren't eligible for a refund. Don't write on the box or use brown tape, or a 10% reboxing fee is deducted.
What should I do if my order arrives damaged?
Email customerservice@keslighting.co.uk within 48 hours with photos of the damage and packaging, and don't install it. We can't investigate without those photos, or once the item is fitted.
How long do KES refunds take?
Within 14 working days of us receiving the item, we process the refund and email to confirm. Funds then typically reach your account 7 to 10 working days later.
Is the returns policy the same for trade and B2B customers?
No. B2B customers have a separate trade policy, available from your account contact: generally a credit note rather than a refund, valid 12 months, with different windows to the consumer policy above.
Words by Anne McKenna, KES Lighting & Home. Last updated 14 September 2026.
