What you need to know about doorstep selling How to complain
Summary
A quick summary of your rights:
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You have a 'cooling-off' period of 7 days for contracts signed at home.
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If the seller is a member of the direct selling association you have a 14-day cancellation period
To cancel a contract that you made at home, within the cooling-off period
Approach the company
To cancel a contract made at home, at work or on an excursion arranged by the company, write to the company within seven days of signing it, saying you want to cancel, the company should then return any money you have paid. If you said you'd pay by credit agreement this will be automatically cancelled, as it’s up to the company to notify the finance company rather than you.
Follow up
If the supplier does not respond to your letter, won't let you cancel your contract or you think they have breached the Doorstep Selling Regulations in any other way then contact your local Trading Standards Department (England, Wales, Scotland) or the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment (Northern Ireland). They can force the supplier to comply.
If the supplier is a member of the DSA, contact the DSA. If the supplier is found to be in breach of the DSA's code, it can be forced to repay your money, replace or repair an item, or even pay you up to £5,000 in compensation.
If your complaint is about a gas or electricity supplier, contact see our dealing with utility suppliers guide.