Q: Less than a week ago I paid a deposit of €150 to purchase a home appliance. I was contacted by the seller promoting this product and a company’s representative came to my house to show me the product and how it works.

The day after I placed the order and paid the deposit, I decided I don’t really need what I ordered, so I called the sales person, who came to my house, and informed her I wanted to cancel the order.

She tried to convince me to change my mind by explaining the benefits of the product, but I still wanted to cancel. She then said she would call me later. What are my rights? How can I go about this cancellation of sale?

A: Since the sale was concluded at your house, it is regulated by the Doorstep Contracts Act. This means that, legally, you have a cooling-off period of 15 days, which is valid from the date of the contract of sale.

In fact, included in the contract of sale, you should have a cancellation form to be filled in if you change your mind. This form should include all the details on how to cancel the contract.

Cancellation may, in fact, be made by signing the cancellation form and returning it to the door-to-door seller, but it may also be made in any other manner, such as by word of mouth, by telephone or fax. Preferably, consumers should cancel such contracts in writing so that they have proof of cancellation.

It should also be pointed out that when you concluded the sale with the doorstep seller, you should not have been requested to pay a deposit. The Doorstep Contracts Act clearly stipulates that a 10 per cent deposit may only be requested after the cancellation period expires.

The rest of the payment may be demanded upon delivery of the goods ordered, or in case of services, when the service commences.