Distance Selling Rules UK: Your Consumer Rights
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Buying online, over the phone, or through a catalogue has become second nature for most of us in the UK. But when you can't physically inspect what you're purchasing before handing over your money, the law gives you a set of extra protections.
These rights were originally known as the Distance Selling Regulations, and they have since been absorbed into wider consumer protection law. The principle remains the same: if you buy something without meeting the seller face to face, you get a cooling-off period, clear information, and recourse if things go wrong.
This guide walks through how those protections work in practice, what traders must tell you, and the steps to take if a seller won't play fair.
Overview
The term 'Distance Selling Regulations' is still widely used, but the rules that once sat in the 2000 regulations were replaced by the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013. These regulations apply whenever a business sells goods, services, or digital content to a consumer without any face-to-face contact.
That covers websites, mobile apps, mail order, telephone sales, and even purchases made through TV shopping channels. The rules sit alongside the Consumer Rights Act 2015, which governs quality, fitness for purpose, and what you can demand if something turns out to be faulty.
Together, these two pieces of law form the backbone of UK consumer protection for anything you buy remotely. They place specific duties on the trader around information, delivery timescales, and your right to change your mind, and they give you clear remedies when those duties are not met.
The rules apply to most consumer purchases, though certain categories (such as bespoke goods, sealed audio or video, and some services already performed) have different cancellation treatment.
Key steps
- Check the pre-contract information. Before you commit, the trader must give you clear details about the product or service, the total price including delivery, who they are, their address, and how you can cancel. If any of this is missing, that can affect your cancellation window and your overall rights under the regulations.
- Note the date you receive the goods. Your 14-day cancellation period generally begins the day after you take physical possession of the goods, or the day after the contract is formed for services and digital content. Keep the delivery note or dispatch email, because this is the evidence you may need if a dispute arises later.
- Notify the trader in writing if you want to cancel. You don't need a reason to cancel within the cooling-off period, but you do need to make your decision clear. An email, a completed cancellation form, or a letter all work. A phone call alone is risky because you may struggle to prove what was said and when.
- Return the goods promptly. Once you have told the trader you are cancelling, you normally have 14 days to send the items back. Unless the trader stated otherwise up front, you may have to cover the cost of return postage. Keep proof of posting in case the parcel goes astray on its way back.
- Chase your refund if it doesn't arrive. The trader must refund you within 14 days of receiving the goods back (or, for services, within 14 days of you cancelling). If a refund is late or refused, raise it in writing, escalate to the payment provider where possible, and consider reporting the trader to Trading Standards or Citizens Advice.
Common questions
Q Do distance selling rules still exist in the UK?
The original 2000 regulations were replaced, but the protections live on under the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013. Most people still refer to these as distance selling rules. They apply to purchases made online, by phone, by mail order, or through any other channel where there is no face-to-face meeting between you and the trader at the point of sale.
Q How long is the cooling-off period?
You generally have 14 calendar days to change your mind about a distance purchase. For physical goods, the clock usually starts the day after delivery. For services and digital content, it normally begins the day after the contract is made. Some categories are excluded, such as made-to-order items and perishable goods, so it is worth checking the trader's cancellation policy before you buy.
Q Who pays the cost of returning goods?
You may be responsible for return postage when you cancel within the cooling-off period, but only if the trader told you this clearly before you bought. If they did not mention it in the pre-contract information, they generally have to cover the return cost themselves. Faulty or misdescribed goods are treated differently under the Consumer Rights Act, and in those cases return costs usually fall to the trader.
Q Can I cancel a service that has already started?
You can, but you may have to pay for any work done up to the point you cancel, provided you agreed to the service starting within the 14-day window. If the trader did not get your express consent for early performance, or did not explain that you might owe money for work already carried out, you may be entitled to a full refund. The rules here can get technical.
Q What if the trader ignores my cancellation?
Start by putting everything in writing and setting a deadline for the refund. If that fails, you can ask your card issuer about chargeback, or use Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act for credit card purchases over a certain value. Citizens Advice can refer complaints to Trading Standards, and for larger disputes the small claims track of the county court is an option.
Q Do these rules cover purchases from overseas sellers?
The regulations apply to traders selling to UK consumers, but enforcing your rights against a business based outside the UK can be difficult in practice. If the trader has no UK presence, getting a refund through the legal system is rarely realistic. Paying by credit card or through a platform with buyer protection (such as PayPal or a marketplace scheme) gives you a more practical route to recovery.
Q Are there things I can't cancel under the regulations?
Yes. Bespoke or personalised items, sealed goods unsuitable for return on hygiene grounds once opened, sealed audio, video or software once unsealed, perishable goods, and certain accommodation, transport, or leisure bookings tied to specific dates are all generally excluded. Digital content you have started to download with your consent may also fall outside the cooling-off right.
Sources
This guide is based on primary UK law and official guidance.
- LegislationConsumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013legislation.gov.uk
- LegislationConsumer Rights Act 2015legislation.gov.uk
- Official SourceCitizens Advice: Consumer Rightscitizensadvice.org.uk
- Guidance · UK Govgov.uk: Accepting Returns and Giving Refundsgov.uk
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.