In short (UK): Many distance and off-premises purchases have a 14-day cooling-off right under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013. Cancel clearly and in time, return goods as required, and claim your refund. Exceptions and digital-content rules apply. This is general guidance, not legal advice.
Changed your mind after an online checkout or doorstep sale? This guide covers the core rules — not a full claim pack. For a personalised plan and letter, use Refundly.
When Cooling-Off Often Applies
| Contract type | Cooling-off often? |
|---|---|
| Online / phone / mail order (distance) | Often yes |
| Doorstep / away from business premises | Often yes |
| In-store purchase on the spot | Usually no cooling-off (CRA quality rights still apply) |
| Bespoke / sealed opened / some exceptions | Often excluded |
Cooling-off is a change-of-mind right. It sits alongside — not instead of — Consumer Rights Act remedies for faulty or misdescribed products.
What to Do Next (High Level)
- Check whether the sale was distance or off-premises.
- Calculate the 14-day window from the correct start date.
- Send a clear cancel notice and keep proof.
- Return goods within the required period; get tracking.
- Chase the refund if it does not arrive on time.
Order date, delivery date, and cancel notice date define the cooling-off clock
Refunds and Deductions
After a valid cancel, traders must refund within the statutory period. For goods, a deduction for diminished value from unnecessary handling can apply — not an invented admin fee. You may need to bear return postage unless they agreed otherwise or failed information duties.
Refundly drafts a cancel-and-refund notice from your order details
Digital Content and Services
If you asked for a service to start straight away, a reasonable charge for what was supplied before cancel can apply. For digital content, immediate supply with your express agreement and acknowledgement can end pure cooling-off — fault claims can still stand.
Using Refundly
- Select online shopping / cancellation
- See whether cooling-off likely applies
- Personalised cancel plan
- Generate a cancel letter
- Track the refund
Final Tip
Cancel in writing before midnight on day 14 — do not wait for a returns label that never arrives.
General information for UK consumers only — not legal advice. See the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 and the Consumer Rights Act 2015.
Common questions
Short answers to common questions on this topic.
- What is the 14-day cooling-off period in the UK?
- For many distance and off-premises contracts with traders, the Consumer Contracts Regulations give you 14 days to cancel for any reason. Distance includes online and phone; off-premises includes many doorstep and away-from-business sales.
- When does the 14 days start?
- For goods, usually when you receive them (with special rules for multiple deliveries). For services and many digital contracts, usually from the day after the contract is made — check your confirmation and the Regulations for your contract type.
- How do I cancel?
- Give a clear cancel statement before the deadline — email is fine if you keep proof. You do not have to use a shop’s returns portal exclusively. After a valid cancel, return goods as required and expect a refund within the statutory timeframe.
- Are there exceptions?
- Yes — examples include bespoke goods, sealed goods opened where hygiene applies, newspapers, and some urgent repairs. Digital content can lose change-of-mind rights once supply starts with your express agreement and acknowledgement. Faulty goods are a separate CRA route.
- What if the trader never told me about cooling-off?
- Missing mandatory information can extend the cancellation period (often up to a longer statutory maximum). Keep the order confirmation and complain in writing if they refuse a valid cancel.