ECC warns against online cancellation services

What are cancellation services?

Cancellation services offer to cancel a subscription on your behalf for a fee. Most cancellation services then only send a letter with the information you have filled in. The service ends once the letter has been sent. These cancellation services do not check whether your subscription has actually been cancelled subsequently. The service refers you to the company with which you want to cancel your subscription for queries about the cancellation.

What should I watch out for?

Many consumers say they unknowingly end up on the websites of cancellation services. They search online for 'cancel subscription X' and then click on a cancellation service link. Consumers use the cancellation service and receive an invoice afterwards.

Payment obligation

Het lijkt een snelle, makkelijke manier om een abonnement stop te zetten. U vult uw gegevens in, klikt op een paar vinkjes en dan op de knop ‘X opzeggen’. Maar hiermee bestelt u een betaalde dienst die u vaak niet meer kunt annuleren. Kijk daarom of op het opzegformulier een prijs staat en of u de tekst 'met betaalverplichting' ziet, voordat u uw gegevens verstuurt.

Official website

Always check on which website you are cancelling your subscription. Go directly to the subscription or membership provider's website. You should always be able to cancel free of charge there. Do you want to cancel your subscription before it ends? Then you usually still have to pay through the end date of the subscription. Sometimes you have to give one month's notice. Check the terms and conditions to see what applies to your subscription.

What can I do if I have received an invoice?

Did you fill in your details and have you now received an invoice? Then check what information you received from the cancellation company before you pressed the order button. You can find this information on the order form, for example.

Information about the price

First check whether the cancellation service has stated that it concerns a paid service. For example, check whether: 

• the price was shown on the order form
• the wording ‘with payment obligation’ was shown on the order button

Are you unable to find this in the order process? Then do not pay. Is it clear that it concerns a paid service? Then you may be able to use the statutory cooling-off period of 14 days.

Information about the cooling-off period

You usually have a cooling-off period of 14 days after purchasing a service. This is also known as ‘right of withdrawal’. The cancellation service must inform you of this before you order.

No cooling-off period
Has the cancellation service stated that the letter will be sent immediately and asked you to 'waive' your right of withdrawal? And have you agreed to this? Then you have no cooling-off period and you must pay the bill. 

Cooling-off period applies
Are you unable to find anything about the cooling-off period in the order process, or is the information about it incorrect? Then you can make use of the statutory cooling-off period. In that case, inform the cancellation service in writing that you are making use of the cooling-off period. You do not need to pay the bill. 

What can the ECC do for me?

Do you have a problem with a cancellation service from another EU country? Contact us. Do you want to cancel a subscription or membership? Then you can use our template letter.

Want to know more?

Read more about the cooling-off period for online purchases at Cooling-off period for online purchases | ECC the Netherlands.

Companies sometimes make it difficult to cancel a subscription. The quickest ways to cancel online can be found on the Consumentenbond website: Cancellation of subscriptions and memberships | Consumentenbond (in Dutch).