Subscription Traps: How to Cancel and Get Your Money Back

What is a subscription trap?

You sign up for a free trial, life gets in the way, and weeks later you spot an unexpected charge on your bank statement. This is one common way subscription traps work. Companies make signing up simple and cancelling awkward. They count on you not noticing the charges straight away.

If you have been billed for a subscription you did not want or did not realise you had agreed to, you may be able to get your money back. Your options depend on how long ago you signed up and what you agreed to at the time.

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Your legal right to cancel

The Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 give you a 14 day cooling off period for most subscriptions bought online or by phone. This period starts from the day after you sign up. However, exceptions exist. If you agreed to digital content being provided immediately and acknowledged losing your cancellation right, or if a service began with your consent during the cooling off period, you may not qualify for a full refund.

If you cancel within this window and no exceptions apply, you are entitled to a full refund. The company must return your money within 14 days of receiving your cancellation request.

Once the cooling off period ends, your rights depend on the contract terms. Most subscription services run on a rolling monthly basis, meaning you can cancel at any time. Cancellation will usually take effect at the end of your current billing period, so you may have access until then but will not be charged again.

Some subscriptions have minimum commitment periods. Gym memberships and mobile phone contracts often work this way. If you cancel early, you may still owe payments for the remaining term. Some gym memberships may also fall under the Consumer Credit Act 1974, which can offer additional protections. Check your contract or ask the company directly if you cannot find the terms.

Your situation may be slightly different. ask a question below ↓ and our editorial team will reply with our advice.

How to cancel and request a refund

Start by contacting the company. Look for cancellation options in your account settings, as many services allow you to cancel online. If there is no obvious way to do this, email or phone their customer service team and keep a record of your request.

If the company refuses to cancel or makes it unreasonably difficult, this could constitute a breach of consumer protection rules. Businesses cannot hide cancellation options or impose excessive barriers.

When asking for a refund, explain clearly why you believe you are owed money. Useful grounds include:

• You were still within the 14 day cooling off period
• The company did not make the subscription terms clear before you signed up
• You were charged after you had already cancelled
• The service was not as described

If the company will not cooperate, you can escalate the matter. For most consumer disputes, Citizens Advice can help you understand your next steps and may direct you to a relevant ombudsman scheme.

Stopping future payments

If you pay by card and the company ignores your cancellation, contact your bank. You may be able to use the chargeback process to recover payments if you can show the charge was unauthorised or the company failed to provide what was promised. Chargeback is not a legal right and depends on your card provider's policies and the evidence you supply.

For direct debits, you can cancel the payment instruction through your bank at any time under the Direct Debit Guarantee. This stops future payments but does not end your contract with the company. You may still owe money under the agreement, so make sure you cancel with them directly as well.

Keep copies of all correspondence in case you need evidence later. GOV.UK provides guidance on cancelling contracts and getting refunds under its consumer rights pages.

The Next Step

Now that you have read through the advice above, you might want to put it into practice. Our Refund Rights Checker lets you check whether you're entitled to a refund and how to get it. Takes 1 minute. Try it now →