2. If a fault develops (after the item has been accepted) within 6 months of the purchase date, the law assumes that, unless there is clear evidence to the contrary (such as a large dent, indicating that the item has been dropped), the fault was 'due to an inherent defect'. This means that the fault was present at the date of purchase (e.g. because the item contained poor quality components or had been poorly manufactured). The retailer is then responsible for remedying the fault. The retailer has the right to choose whether to get the item repaired or to offer a replacement. (When the retailer chooses the repair option, he is also obliged to minimise any inconvenience to the purchaser, e.g. by providing a loan item while the defective product is being repaired).
3. From the 6 month point, up until 6 years after the date of purchase, the retailer remains obliged to remedy (by repair or replacement, at his discretion) any fault which arises due to an inherent defect. However, there is no longer an automatic assumption that any fault which develops must be due to such a defect. During this period, it's up to the purchaser to show (based upon 'the balance of probabilities) that the most likely cause of the fault was an inherent defect. With some items there are very few possible causes for faults to develop, other than defective components or poor manufacture. With others (e.g. modems, which are frequently 'zapped' by electrical storms), most faults probably have nothing to do with inherent defects.