June 28, 2022, 4:26 pm | Read time: 3 minutes
With a mouse click, contracts are signed online. Starting July 1, canceling them will be just as easy. A corresponding button will make it possible.
Whether it’s cell phone, internet contracts, or a subscription to a streaming service–a contract can be quickly concluded online with a click. However, providers have often not made it as easy for users to cancel. This is set to change with the cancellation button. From July, canceling a contract via a button will be as simple as making an online purchase. For example, the button must clearly state “Cancel contracts here.”
According to the Consumer Center of North Rhine-Westphalia, all so-called paid continuous obligations are affected. This includes subscriptions for magazines or streaming services, cell phone contracts, or gym memberships. From July, the new button is mandatory for all providers that also offer contract conclusions online.
Two clicks to cancel
Consumers can use the cancellation button even if they signed their contract before July 1, 2022, and possibly through a different method than online.
Clicking the cancellation button leads to a confirmation page. There, specific details can be provided, such as which contract is being canceled or when the cancellation should take effect. The cancellation is finalized by clicking another button, such as “Cancel now.”
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Receipt is confirmed
These buttons must be constantly available and easily accessible, so you shouldn’t have to log in to a website first. The respective company receives the cancellation directly through this method and must immediately confirm receipt. This usually happens via an automatic confirmation email.
If desired, you can still cancel by mail or email. Of course, the respective cancellation periods must be observed. If no specific time is given for the cancellation, the earliest possible date applies automatically.
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Consequences of a missing cancellation button
If a company does not set up the mandatory button on its site, consumers even have the right to cancel a contract there at any time and with immediate effect. They also do not have to adhere to a cancellation period.
However, they must prove the missing button themselves, for example, by taking a screenshot, explains Iwona Husemann from the Consumer Center NRW. It may also happen that the cancellation button is temporarily unavailable for technical reasons.
Important to know: Certain contracts are exempt from the cancellation button. According to the law, a written cancellation is necessary for rental or employment contracts, as well as for contracts involving financial services.