Returning or cancelling orders
When you have ordered an item from home, you can cancel your order and get a refund under most circumstances. Read on to find out how.
You have the right to return or cancel your order for any reason. But there are some exceptions.
If you don't like the goods or have changed your mind, you can cancel the order. This is usually within a seven-day 'cooling-off' period. (Please note that the rules for financial services (including consumer credit) may allow a different withdrawal period).
You can cancel at any time until:
- The end of the seventh working day after the day on which you receive your goods; or
- The end of the seventh working day after the day on which the trader agreed to go ahead with the service.
But please note that you might lose your right to cancel once the service has started.
You also have a further three months to cancel if you were not given all the necessary written information. If the trader gives you this information late - but still before the three months are up - you will have seven days to cancel from the day you receive that information.
To cancel your order, you must tell the seller in writing - by letter, fax or e-mail. If sending a letter, send the letter by registered post, so you can prove that you sent it and track its progress.
If you have already paid for the goods or services, the seller must refund your money within 30 days of you cancelling the agreement.
If you have paid for the goods by a credit agreement suggested or organised by the seller, the agreement will be automatically cancelled.
Please note that there are circumstances when you cannot cancel unless the trader has given you a specific contractual right to do so.
These are if:
- The trader has already started to provide the service within the cancellation period and you have agreed to this. You must have been told in writing - before the supplier agreed to carry out the service - that you would then lose your right to cancel.
- You had the goods made to your specifications or personalised.
- The items are likely to go off or deteriorate quickly, such as flowers or fresh foods.
- The goods by their nature cannot be returned.
- You have opened sealed software, CDs, DVDs etc.
- They are newspapers, periodicals or magazines.
- You bought betting, gaming or lottery services.
- The price is dependent on fluctuations in the financial market.
- Goods are clearly personalised
