Information for Businesses
The Cancellation of Contracts Made in a Persons Home or
Place of Work etc Regulations came into force on the 1st
of October 2008.
The Regulations state that if a contract is concluded at a
consumers home, place of work or excursion that costs more than £35
the consumer will have a 7 day cooling off period. You must provide
the consumer with written information about their right to
cancel.
If you do not provide the cancellation notice you will be
committing a criminal offence and any contract would not be
enforceable against the consumer. There are specific details
required to be within the notice and requirements about its
prominence within a document. You can download an example cancellation
notice (PDF, 34KB).
On the 26th of May 2008 the Consumer Protection from
Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 came into force. These
regulations prohibit unfair commercial practices
including:
- 31 banned practices
- Misleading Actions
- Misleading omissions
- aggressive Practices
- Contravening Professional diligence: (Standard of special skill
and care exercised, honest practice in that traders field and
reasonably ‘good faith’ within that field of activity)
The Companies Act 2006 / Companies (Trading Disclosures)
Regulations 2008 requires a trader who trades in a name
other than his own (this only applies to sole traders and
partnerships - all Companies must disclose their name regardless),
must disclose on business documents (letters, written orders for
goods or services, invoices, receipts issued in the course of a
business and written demands for payments of debts) his own
name/partners/company name/s and an address in the UK at which
service of documents will be effective (in the case of a company
its registered number and registered office address as well).
Failure to do so is a criminal offence.
Further information on these regulations can be found at:
