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Doorstep Selling Terms UK: Trader Rules & Rights

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Written by Brad Askew Solicitor (non-practising)
Brad is on the roll of solicitors of England & Wales but does not hold a practising certificate and does not provide legal advice.
Updated June 2026 · England & Wales
Selling to customers in their own homes can be a powerful way to build a business. A personal conversation on the doorstep often closes sales that would stall online or in a showroom. The trade-off is that Parliament treats home-based sales as a higher-risk setting for consumers, and the rules reflect that. If you trade this way, your written terms of business need to do more than set out price and delivery. They need to reflect the cancellation rights, information duties and cooling-off periods that apply whenever a contract is agreed away from your business premises. This guide walks through what doorstep selling terms usually cover, the different variations traders tend to need, and the practical points worth getting right before you hand anything to a customer to sign.

Overview

Doorstep selling terms of business are the written conditions a trader uses when agreeing a contract with a consumer somewhere other than the trader's own business premises. The most common setting is the consumer's home, but the same category can cover sales agreed during a home visit requested by the customer, at a workplace, at a community event, or immediately after a brief conversation in a public place.

In legal terms these are generally known as 'off-premises contracts', and they sit under the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013, alongside the Consumer Rights Act 2015. The terms you use should set out what is being supplied, when and how it will be delivered or performed, how payment works, and the rights the consumer has to change their mind.

They should also give the consumer the prescribed pre-contract information in a way they can keep, because failing to do that can extend cancellation rights and, in some situations, leave charges unenforceable.

Key steps

  1. Identify what you are actually selling. Be clear whether the contract is for goods, for a service, for goods plus installation, or for goods that come with ongoing consumables. Each combination changes how delivery, performance and cancellation work, so the terms you issue should match the reality of the transaction rather than borrow wording from an unrelated sale. 2. Give the required pre-contract information in writing. Before the customer commits, they should receive clear details of the trader, the goods or services, the total price, delivery arrangements, complaints handling, and their right to cancel. Handing this over on paper or by email at the point of sale is usually the safest approach, and it starts the cancellation clock running properly. 3. Include a compliant cancellation notice and form. Off-premises contracts normally carry a 14 day cooling-off period during which the consumer can cancel without giving a reason. Your terms should explain how to cancel, when the period ends, and include a model cancellation form the customer can use. Getting this wrong is one of the most common reasons doorstep contracts become unenforceable. 4. Set out delivery, installation and payment clearly. Say when goods will arrive, who bears the risk during transit, when title passes, and how any installation will be carried out. If the customer asks you to start a service during the cancellation period, record that request in writing, because it affects what they may have to pay if they later cancel. 5. Keep a signed copy and a clear audit trail. Give the consumer a durable copy of the agreement and keep your own record of what was signed, when, and by whom. If a dispute arises later, a tidy paper trail showing the information you provided and the customer's acknowledgement tends to resolve it far more quickly than memory alone.

Common questions

If you're dealing with this kind of situation, a call with an experienced legal adviser can help you work out the right next step — from £89.

Common questions

Q What counts as a doorstep or off-premises sale?
In general, it is any contract agreed between a trader and a consumer somewhere other than the trader's usual business premises. That includes the customer's home, their workplace, a public place, or an excursion organised by the trader. It also catches sales where the conversation happened off-premises and the contract is signed shortly afterwards at the trader's premises.
Q Is there always a 14 day cancellation right?
For most off-premises consumer contracts, yes. The consumer can cancel within 14 days without giving a reason. There are limited exceptions, for example bespoke goods made to the customer's specification, perishable items, and certain urgent repairs. If you rely on an exception, your terms should say so clearly and the customer should acknowledge it.
Q What happens if I fail to give the cancellation information?
The 14 day cooling-off period can be extended by up to 12 months from when it would otherwise have ended. You may also be unable to recover charges for services already provided during that period, and in some cases the failure can be a criminal offence. Getting the paperwork right at the start is far cheaper than arguing about it later.
Q Can the customer use goods during the cooling-off period?
They can inspect and handle goods in the way they would in a shop. If they use the goods beyond that and then cancel, you may be entitled to reduce any refund to reflect the reduction in value. Your terms should set this expectation clearly so the position is not a surprise if a cancellation actually happens.
Q Do I need different terms for services and for goods?
It is sensible to tailor them. A service contract needs wording about how and when the work will be performed, what happens if the customer asks you to start before the cooling-off period ends, and how any ongoing obligations continue. Goods-based terms focus more on delivery, risk, title and returns. Mixed contracts often need elements of both.
Q Does this apply to business-to-business sales too?
No. The off-premises rules, including the 14 day cancellation right, generally protect consumers rather than businesses buying for business purposes. If your typical customer is a sole trader or small business, the position can be nuanced, because the same person can act as a consumer in some contracts and a business in others. Your terms should make clear which category applies.
Q What about sales under a certain low value?
Contracts below a low cash threshold set in the regulations are treated more lightly and some of the information duties do not apply in the same way. The threshold is modest, so most doorstep sales will sit above it. If you habitually sell low-value items at the door, it is worth checking gov.uk for the current figure before assuming you are outside the main rules.
If you're dealing with this kind of situation, a call with an experienced legal adviser can help you work out the right next step — from £89.

Sources

This guide is based on primary UK law and official guidance.

Brad Askew, Solicitor (non-practising)

Written & reviewed by

Brad Askew Solicitor (non-practising)

Brad is on the roll of solicitors of England & Wales but does not hold a practising certificate and does not provide legal advice. LegalDocuments.co.uk is not a law firm and does not provide regulated legal advice.

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Legal disclaimer
This article is for general information only. It is a tool to help you find your way — not legal advice, and not a substitute for speaking to a qualified adviser about your situation.