24 hour cooling off period after contract signing

hi -

have heard that in germany there is the right to rescind an agreement made via contract if it is done within a 24 hours period.

anyone know if this is fact or fiction?

thanks in advance...

Fact, as far as I'm aware. And not only in Germany. Why don't you tell us which company you're referring to and link to the online version of the terms and conditions?

Yes, it's true, and it even applies to things like airline tickets. If you want details and help you need to be more specific in your post.

woof.

I was under the impression that in Germany once signed, a contract cannot be cancelled, unless it was done online (in which case there is a cooling off period for around 2 weeks). I got that from a few Germans I work with.

Two months ago I signed a contract for a new satellite dish and receiver which I then decided I didn't want. According to the contract I had 14 days in which to cancel and so I did it. Had no probs but the guy in the shop was a bit pissed off.

Thanks for the input...

the contract was a personal contract between us an a woman who we were going to have act as "Tagesmutter" for our child.

I was looking for a little support in the event that she gave us problems for changing our mind within 24 hours of signing the contract.

but fortunately, in the end, she didn't give us a hard time.

but it's still good to know for future contracts...

thanks again.

Has anyone ever done this with an airline ticket?

Scroll up.

woof.

Ok just done it so it is possible.

How about a mobile-phone (well, mobile-broadband) contract? Yes, I know I should just go into the shop and ask, but I was wondering what the response was likely to be.

Any alleged cooling-off period for any old contract you signed is a giant piece of bull.

In fact, you've got some special rights mandated by EU law: If you made the contract in your own home and didn't invite the other party, or if you made a long-distance purchase be it online or by mail or phone order, or if you applied for a consumer credit. Then there is indeed a 14 days period to cancel the contract.

Other than that, you can always ask the shop or your contractual partner nicely, but they have every right in the world to insist on the contract being performed. That's why normally, the order is think first, act later.

There is a German Law which gives you 2 weeks to change your mind on signing certain contracts (we recently signed a broadband deal and chanbged our minds a few days later and we were able to 'anull' our signature...)

As I said above: There is this 2 weeks of grace, but for certain types of contracts only.

People might be confusing this grace period with the ability to return an item purchased on the Internet within 14 days.

I think it's the same thing though. The Fernabsatzgesetz says that contracts of sale entered into via telephone or internet have an automatic 2 week change-your-mind period. Fernabsatzgesetz (Wikipedia) -- 2002 it was integrated into the BGB.