Return & Refund Policy

Our return window is 30 days from delivery for standard, unmodified trailers. If you wish to return one, contact us within 30 days of delivery with your order number so we can assess the request and agree on safe return transport. We do not offer a change-of-mind return for a trailer made or specially configured to your approved specifications. Applicable legal cooling-off rights may still apply regardless of this voluntary return window.

Under section 44 of ECTA, an eligible electronic transaction for goods may generally be cancelled without a reason or penalty within 7 days after you receive the goods. The direct cost of returning the goods may be charged. ECTA has exceptions, including goods made to the consumer's specifications, clearly personalised goods, and other specified categories. Whether a trailer qualifies depends on the order and the agreed build specification.

If you entered the agreement because we approached you with a sales offer, section 16 of the CPA may provide a separate 5-business-day cooling-off right, counted from the later of the agreement date or delivery date, where ECTA does not apply. Send a written or otherwise recorded cancellation notice within that period. Tell us how and when you placed the order so we can assess which rules apply. These cooling-off rights are separate from your rights if goods are defective, damaged, or materially different from the written order.

Inspect the trailer at handover where practical. Note visible damage or missing items on the delivery paperwork before the carrier leaves, and take clear photos of the trailer, any affected parts, and the packaging. If you discover a problem after handover, contact us as soon as you can and, where possible, within 7 days of delivery. This helps us investigate and document a freight claim; it is not a deadline that takes away a right protected by law.

Email your order number, delivery date, a description of what is wrong, and photos or video. If the trailer may be unsafe to tow or use, stop using it and tell us straight away. Please do not arrange repairs, modifications, or return transport before we have discussed inspection and safe next steps with you.

We will compare the delivered trailer with your order confirmation and any approved written quote or specification. If we sent the wrong item or it materially differs from the agreement, we will explain the available correction or remedy and arrange any inspection or collection required by law.

Where the CPA applies, goods carry an implied warranty of quality. For a qualifying failure to meet the Act's quality and safety standards, section 56 may allow you to return the goods within 6 months after delivery and choose a repair, replacement, or refund, subject to the facts and requirements of the Act. This statutory protection is separate from Dori's own structural warranty.

Contact us with your order number, when you first noticed the fault, what happened, and photos or video if available. We may need to inspect the trailer or ask the relevant component manufacturer to assess the issue. If a fault could affect safe towing or operation, stop using the trailer until you have spoken with us or a suitably qualified technician.

New Dori trailers carry a 12-month structural warranty against manufacturing defects in the chassis and bodywork. Warranties for equipment fitted to a trailer, such as refrigeration, gas, or electrical components, are provided by the relevant manufacturers and may have different terms. Contact us first and we will help direct the claim to the right supplier.

The Dori structural warranty does not cover:

• Damage caused by an accident, overloading, misuse, or incorrect towing.
• Normal wear and tear or damage to consumable parts such as tyres, brake pads, and bulbs.
• Repairs or modifications carried out by an unauthorised third party.
• Cosmetic damage or rust that is not the result of a manufacturing defect.

These exclusions describe the voluntary Dori warranty only. They do not exclude a remedy that you may have under the CPA or another applicable law.

Trailers are large items and need safe, suitable transport. Do not tow a trailer back to our workshop or book a transporter until we have agreed the inspection or collection arrangements with you in writing.

The cost depends on the reason for the return and the right being used. For an eligible ECTA cooling-off cancellation, the direct cost of returning the goods may be charged. For a qualifying CPA quality claim, the Act places the return at the supplier's risk and expense. Where goods were delivered under a qualifying CPA direct-marketing cancellation, the consumer generally bears the return risk and expense. We will identify the rule that applies before arranging transport.

This policy does not set a blanket percentage restocking fee. A cancellation after a custom build has entered production may involve materials and labour already committed. For any other voluntary return or cancellation we agree to accept, we will explain any proposed transport or assessment costs in writing before you commit. We will not charge a fee where doing so would conflict with a statutory right.

Our refund window is fixed: 14 business days, counted from the later of our written approval of the return or claim, and the returned trailer arriving back with us. We pay approved refunds to your original payment method where possible and confirm the amount in writing, including how any delivery or return costs are treated.

Statutory refund deadlines take priority over this standard processing timeframe. For example, a refund for a cancellation under ECTA is due within 30 days after cancellation, with only the direct cost of returning the goods chargeable. For a qualifying CPA direct-marketing cancellation, the refund is generally due within 15 business days after notice if no goods were delivered, or after we receive the returned goods if they were delivered. The statutory rule determines the refund amount, including any delivery charges.

Contact our team by email or phone:

• Email sales@doritrailers.co.za with “Return or warranty claim” and your order number in the subject line.
• Call +27 84 249 5194 during our business hours: Mon-Sat, 8:00 AM - 7:00 PM SAST.

To help us assist you quickly, include:

• Your order number, name, and best contact number.
• The delivery date and when you first noticed the issue.
• A clear description of the problem and the outcome you are requesting.
• Photos or video of the issue and a copy of your order confirmation or approved specification.

We will review the information and tell you whether an inspection is needed, what to do next, and how any collection or return should be arranged. You can also use our contact form.

No. This page is a plain-language guide to our process. It does not take away any rights you have under the Consumer Protection Act, the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act, or other applicable South African law. Which rights apply can depend on whether the CPA defines you as a consumer, how you placed the order, whether the trailer was made to your specifications, and the nature of the issue. If this policy and a mandatory legal right differ, the law applies.

The short answers. Each one is explained in full in the sections above, and the same answers are published as structured data for search engines.

How long do I have to return a trailer?

You have 30 days from the delivery date — not the order or payment date — to ask for a change-of-mind return on a standard, unmodified trailer. Custom-built and specially configured trailers are not eligible for a change-of-mind return, and any statutory right you have still applies.

How long does a refund take?

We pay approved refunds within 14 business days, counted from the later of our written approval of the return or claim, and the returned trailer arriving back with us. The refund goes to your original payment method where possible. Statutory deadlines take priority: an ECTA cooling-off refund is due within 30 days of cancellation, and a qualifying CPA direct-marketing refund within 15 business days.

Who pays for the return transport?

For a change-of-mind return or a cooling-off cancellation you arrange and pay the return transport. When the trailer is faulty, damaged, incomplete or materially different from your order, we arrange and pay for the return — the return is at our risk and expense.

Is there a restocking or cancellation fee?

No blanket restocking fee is charged. You can cancel with no fee within 48 hours of payment while the build has not started. If work on a custom build has already begun, we explain any materials-and-labour cost in writing, and get your go-ahead, before any charge is made.

Can I return a custom-built trailer?

A trailer made or specially configured to your approved specification is not eligible for a change-of-mind return. Manufacturing-defect claims under the structural warranty, and any statutory remedy for defective or non-conforming goods, still apply in full.

What if my trailer arrives damaged or is not what I ordered?

Inspect the trailer with the driver at handover, note any visible damage or missing items on the delivery paperwork, and tell us with photos as soon as you can — and within 7 days where possible. We handle the freight-insurance claim, arrange the inspection and, where the fault is ours, the collection.

How do I start a return or a warranty claim?

Email sales@doritrailers.co.za with "Return or warranty claim" and your order number, or call +27 84 249 5194 during trading hours (Mon-Sat, 8:00 AM - 7:00 PM SAST). Include the delivery date, what is wrong, photos or video, and the outcome you want. We reply within 1-2 business days.

What does the 12-month structural warranty cover?

New Dori Trailers trailers carry a 12-month warranty against manufacturing defects in the chassis and bodywork. Equipment fitted to the trailer (refrigeration, gas, electrical) is covered by its own manufacturer's terms — contact us first and we route the claim to the right supplier.