Dating agency contracts: cancelling and getting money back

Agency contracts are written by the agency; the law adds protections, but most are time-limited or depend on where you signed. This is general information for the UK and Australia, not legal advice.

Your rights at a glance

Where and how you signed matters most. This is the legal minimum; a contract can give you more, never less.

What to check in the contract before you sign

Make sure the contract states, in writing:

• the full price, including VAT in the UK, and when each part is due;
• the number of introductions, over what period, and what counts as one (a profile sent to you, or a meeting that actually happens);
• the age range and area of the people you'll be introduced to, if you were promised them;
• how to cancel, both in the cooling-off period and afterwards, and what would be deducted;
• whether you can pause ("freeze" or "hold") the membership, and whether payments continue while you do.

Our questions to ask before you pay cover the conversation; the paperwork should match it.

UK: your right to cancel

The Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 give you a right to cancel distance contracts (made online, by phone or by email) and off-premises contracts (made away from the business's premises, such as at your home or in a hotel lounge).

• How long: for a service, 14 days starting the day after the contract is made, with no reason needed (regulation 30).
• If you weren't told: if the agency didn't give you the required cancellation information, the period is extended until 14 days after you receive it, up to a maximum of 12 months (regulation 31).
• How to cancel: tell the agency clearly; the model form or an email both work (regulation 32).
• Refunds: the business must refund you without undue delay, using the original payment method (regulation 34).

If the service has already started. An agency should not start in the 14 days unless you expressly ask it to. If you asked, then cancel, you pay a proportionate amount for what was provided up to the point you cancelled, based on the agreed price, or on market value if the price is excessive. If the agency didn't give you the required information, or you didn't ask it to start, you pay nothing for the service (regulation 36).

Some agencies publish what they would deduct: one in our Manchester guide itemised set-up, profile, search and coaching charges. Ask for that list before you ask any agency to start.

The big exception. These cancellation rights generally do not apply to a contract you sign at the agency's own office. If you sign there, any right to change your mind comes only from the contract itself. Off-premises contracts where you pay £42 or less are also excluded.

UK: rights that last for the whole contract

The Consumer Rights Act 2015 applies to every agency contract with a consumer, however it was signed:

• Reasonable care and skill (section 49): the agency must provide its service with reasonable care and skill.
• What you were told counts (section 50): what the agency said about its service becomes part of the contract if you took it into account when deciding to sign. Promises about the number, age range or location of introductions matter here, so get them in writing.
• Reasonable time (section 52): if no timescale was agreed, the service must be provided within a reasonable time.
• Remedies (sections 54 to 56): if the service falls short, you can ask the agency to put it right; if that is impossible or doesn't happen within a reasonable time, you can ask for a price reduction, which can be up to the full price.
• No contracting out (section 57): a term trying to exclude these rights does not bind you.

Unfair terms. Part 2 of the Act means an unfair term in a consumer contract does not bind you. Schedule 2 lists examples of terms that may be unfair, including terms that let a business keep money you've paid when you cancel without giving you matching compensation if the business cancels, and terms that make you pay a disproportionately high sum when you end the contract. A "non-refundable from signing" clause deserves a hard look.

Paying by credit card. If you paid at least part of the price by credit card and the price was over £100 and not more than £30,000, section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 can make the card provider jointly liable for misrepresentation or breach of contract. It doesn't cover debit cards.

Australia: national rules

The Australian Consumer Law applies in every state and territory.

• Consumer guarantees: services must be provided with due care and skill, be fit for any purpose you made known or the provider advertised, and be supplied within a reasonable time if none was agreed. If a service fails a guarantee, remedies can include cancellation and a refund.
• Uninvited sales: if an agency contacted you by phone, at your door or in a public place without you inviting it, and the agreement is worth $100 or more, it is an unsolicited consumer agreement. You then have 10 business days to cancel, starting the first business day after you sign or receive the agreement, and the period stretches to three or six months if the seller broke certain rules. This does not apply if you contacted the agency first.

Victoria: introduction agreements

Consumer Affairs Victoria sets out these rules for introduction agreements:

• The agreement must be written, signed by both sides, start with "Important Notice" in bold, and state your cancellation right, the price, the term and the refund conditions.
• Upfront limit: the agent cannot demand or receive more than 30% of the price before providing the service, unless the price is $1,000 or less (or your combined agreements with that agent fall below set limits).
• Cooling-off: you can withdraw by written notice within three business days of signing. The agent must refund everything within seven days, less the lesser of $250 or 10% of the price.

Queensland: licensed introduction agents

Queensland regulates introduction agents under the Introduction Agents Act 2001:

• Agents must be licensed and show their licence number in advertising and on their website.
• You must get a disclosure statement before signing, covering services, costs, refund policy and early-termination charges.
• The agreement must be in writing and signed before any service starts.
• Cooling-off: you can end the agreement before 5pm on the third clear business day after receiving your signed copy. The agent may keep no more than the lesser of $50 or 10% of the price, and must refund the rest within seven days.
• Upfront limit: no more than 30% upfront if the agreement is $500 or more, or you have paid $500 or more in 30 days or $2,500 or more in 12 months.
• If the agent didn't give you the disclosure statement, started before you signed, or demanded more than allowed, you can cancel without penalty.

Other states and territories. We found agency-specific rules only in Victoria and Queensland; elsewhere, the national rules above apply. Ask your state or territory fair trading office whether anything extra applies to you. See dating agencies in Australia for the wider picture.

How to cancel and ask for money back

Cancel in writing, quickly, and keep a copy.

1. Act fast. Cooling-off periods are short; count from the contract date, and in Queensland from the day you received your signed copy.
2. Cancel in writing, by email if you like, quoting the contract date and the rule you rely on.
3. Outside the window, set out what was promised and what was delivered, and ask for a refund or price reduction under the Consumer Rights Act or the consumer guarantees. A log of each introduction helps.
4. Escalate. In the UK, contact your card provider (section 75 for credit cards, or ask about a chargeback) and get free advice from Citizens Advice in England and Wales. In Australia, contact your state or territory fair trading office, such as Consumer Affairs Victoria or Queensland's Office of Fair Trading. If you think it's fraud rather than a bad contract, our safety guide lists where to report it.

An example cancellation email

An example to adapt, not a legal form:

Subject: Cancellation of membership agreement dated [date]

I am cancelling my membership agreement dated [date], made [online / by phone / at my home], under my right to cancel within 14 days under the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013. Please confirm the cancellation and refund the [amount] I paid to the card I used, without undue delay. If you intend to deduct anything for services already provided, please itemise it.

In Victoria or Queensland, refer instead to your cooling-off right and send it within the three business days.

If you are weighing up an agency now, read the warning signs first, and compare the alternatives if a big upfront fee is the sticking point.

Our own online service

DatingAgency.com is not an agency. Our online dating service is a subscription that renews automatically until you cancel in Settings > Billing; card statements show the billing name displayed at checkout. Our prices page has the details.