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Door-to-door sales

Door-to-door sales means selling goods or services in a consumer’s home, or anywhere outside the trader’s business premises. A right to withdraw the purchase within 14 days usually applies in door-to-door sales. There are, however, exceptions to this general rule, concerning for example made-to-measure products. In door-to-door sales, the consumer must also be given statutory advance information. Failure to comply with the seller’s obligation to provide information may, in a certain case, lead to the contract being non-binding. 

The content of the website is based on legislation that is valid from January 1, 2023.

What is door-to-door sales?

Door-to-door sales means selling goods or services in the consumer’s home. However, door-to-door sales does not necessarily have to take place in the consumer’s home: trading anywhere outside the trader’s business premises is also regarded as door-to-door sales. In door-to-door sales, the contract can be made on the initiative of either the trader or the buyer.

    • The trader comes to the consumer’s door to sell goods or services, and the contract is made in the consumer’s home.
    • The trader approaches the consumer in person on the street to offer goods and the contract is concluded immediately after this, for example on the trader’s premises, by telephone or by e-mail
    • Parties organised in private homes, where the trader sells homeware, clothes or similar.
    • An introductory visit or trip organised by the trader to a destination where the consumer is invited to purchase goods or services.

    The following examples are not regarded as door-to-door sales:

    • a sale where the total price of the product(s) is less than EUR 30.
    • a visit paid to the consumer’s home by the trader only to examine the site or take measurements if no contract is concluded on this visit.
    • regular bus services offered by the trader, for example from the city centre to the trader’s shop.

The decision is yours

You have the right to decide who comes into your home and what a suitable time for the visit is. You should not do business with a person who does not identify themselves or have reliable credentials.

You always have the right to say no. You have no obligation to buy anything, even if the seller has taken a long time to present their product. Take your time to read the contract terms carefully. Before you make a purchase, you should consider if it would be better to spend more time comparing products and prices.

You can negotiate on the terms and conditions of the contract. If the trader uses a leaflet or sample to present the product, you should only agree to pay the purchasing price when the product has actually been delivered. Do not pay the purchasing price before you have received the product.

Check the documents and information provided by the trader

Before you conclude a contract, the trader should give you:

    1. Pre-contractual information about the product or service and the trader’s contact details on paper or in some other permanent form. The pre-contractual information for example includes:
      – main characteristics of the goods or service,
      – total price including taxes and any delivery charges and other costs,
      – customer’s rights when withdrawing the purchase and instructions for cancelling,
      – trader’s address to which you can return the product.
    2. A withdrawal form which you can use to cancel the contract within 14 days.

After concluding the contract, you should receive an order confirmation and a copy of the signed contract.

Failure to comply with the seller’s obligation to provide information may lead to the contract being non-binding

Advance information plays a particularly important role in door-to-door sales. Failure to comply with the seller’s obligation to provide information may result in the consumer not being bound by the contract.

If, during door-to-door sales, the company has neglected to inform you that there is no right to cancel or how you may lose right to cancel, you will not be bound by the contract. The information must be provided in a clear and understandable manner on paper or, with your consent, in some other permanent form. If you want to invoke the non-binding nature of a contract, you must inform the entrepreneur of this within 12 months of signing the contract.

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