You signed it, then thought better of it. Sometimes you can still walk away.

In 30 seconds, here's what's true

• A cooling-off period lets you cancel some contracts for any reason, with no penalty. It's the exception, not the rule, so it doesn't cover most in-store purchases.
• A contract signed at your door (a direct agreement) can be cancelled for any reason within 10 days of getting a written copy.
• Gym and fitness memberships have a 10-day cancellation right, apply only when you prepay $50 or more, and cannot lock you in for more than one year.
• If a contract is missing required information, or the seller used an unfair or misleading practice, you may have up to one year to cancel it.
• If the seller is more than 30 days late starting delivery, you can cancel any time, but you lose that right if you accept the goods after the 30 days.

How the process works

1. 1

   Figure out what kind of contract you signed

   Cooling-off rights depend on the type of deal. Door-to-door sales, gym and personal-development memberships, timeshares, and payday loans each come with a cancellation window. A regular purchase you made in a store usually doesn't. Find your written copy and check the date you received it, because that's when your clock started.

2. 2

   Act fast if you're inside a cooling-off window

   For a door-to-door contract you get 10 days, and for a gym membership you also get 10 days, both counted from when you received the written agreement. You don't need a reason. Waiting even a few extra days can close the window for good, so don't put it off.

3. 3

   Cancel in writing and keep proof

   Tell the seller you're cancelling before the deadline. Do it in writing and send it by email or registered mail so you have a record of the date. Telling them is what counts, but proof is what protects you if they argue about timing later.

4. 4

   Watch for the longer, one-year escape hatch

   Some problems give you far longer than 10 days. If the contract left out information the law requires, or the seller lied or used a high-pressure tactic that counts as an unfair practice, you may have up to a year to cancel. That covers a lot of aggressive sales situations people assume they're stuck with.

5. 5

   Get your refund, and escalate if they stall

   Once you cancel properly, the business generally has to refund you within 15 days, or within 2 days for a payday loan. If they refuse, you can file a free complaint with Consumer Protection Ontario, and you can sue in Small Claims Court for up to $50,000.

What to do next

• Find your written copy of the contract and the date you received it.
• Identify the type: door-to-door, gym or personal development, timeshare, payday loan, or an ordinary purchase.
• If it's a door-to-door or gym contract, count 10 days from when you got the written copy.
• Send your cancellation in writing, by email or registered mail, before the deadline.
• Keep a dated copy of your cancellation and any reply.
• Check whether the contract was missing required information, which can extend your right to cancel to one year.
• If goods or services are more than 30 days late, cancel before you accept delivery.
• If the business won't refund you, complain to Consumer Protection Ontario or sue in Small Claims Court (up to $50,000).

Common myths