Cancel a subscription: your rights

Subscriptions and service agreements fill more and more of our daily life: streaming, mobile phone, fitness, insurance, software and business services. And many find it easier to take out a subscription than to get out of it again.

What are the rules on binding periods? When can you get out of an agreement? And what do you do if the business refuses to let you cancel? This guide answers.

What is a subscription and a service agreement?

A subscription is typically a continuous agreement for a service in return for payment: mobile, internet, streaming, newspapers, a gym and the like.

A service agreement is an agreement for ongoing service, for example a maintenance agreement for a system, an IT support contract, cleaning or alarm monitoring.

What they have in common: they are open-ended or run for an agreed period, and cancellation typically requires a notice period.

Binding periods and the consumer's right to cancel

For consumers, the most important rule is section 28 of the Consumer Contracts Act, which sets an effective limit on how long you can be bound:

• The main rule (section 28(1)): a consumer can cancel a continuous agreement for goods or services with 1 month's notice to the end of a month once 5 months have passed since the agreement was entered into. In practice you can therefore get out of the agreement after about 6 months, regardless of a longer agreed binding period.
• More expensive agreements (section 28(4)): if the total price exceeds DKK 20,000 a year and the business has had significant one-off costs at the start of delivery, cancellation can first take place once 11 months have passed, that is out after about 12 months.
• Maximum notice (section 28(5)): a longer notice period than 1 month cannot be agreed.

That means an agreed binding period of, for example, 12 or 24 months for an ordinary consumer subscription (such as a gym) as a rule cannot be enforced beyond about 6 months. The rule does not apply, however, if the binding period is regulated in other legislation (section 28(2)).

For business agreements, section 28 does not apply; here the agreement decides.

Notice periods: what applies in practice?

The notice period states how far in advance you must cancel. Typical notice periods:

Agreement type	Typical notice period
Mobile subscription	1 month to the end of the month
Internet subscription	1 to 3 months
Streaming	To the end of the current period
Fitness	At most 1 month under section 28 once 5 months have passed
Business service agreement	Agreed, often 3 to 6 months

If the cancellation terms are not clearly stated, or conflict with section 28, you can cancel under the rules of the law.

Step by step: how to cancel a subscription

Step 1: find your terms

Get your terms from:

• The original agreement or order confirmation
• The business's website
• Your account on the business's platform

Note when the agreement began, when any binding period expires, and what the notice period is.

Step 2: calculate the right cancellation date

Example: you have a subscription with 1 month's notice to the end of the month, and you want out by 31 December. Then you must have cancelled by 30 November.

Step 3: cancel in writing

Many businesses let you cancel via their website or customer centre. In any case, always send a written cancellation (for example email) so you have documentation of when and what you cancelled. Keep the confirmation.

Step 4: confirm the end date

Explicitly ask for a written confirmation of:

• That the cancellation has been received
• When the subscription ends
• What is owed, if anything

What do you do if the business will not cancel?

If the business refuses to accept your cancellation, you have several options:

1. Complain to the business's complaints department; many disputes are resolved here
2. Complain to the Consumer Complaints Board (via the Centre for Complaint Resolution), which handles disputes against businesses
3. Complain to an industry complaints board: for example the Telecoms Complaints Board or the insurance complaints board
4. Challenge the validity of the term as an unreasonable contract term or as contrary to section 28

Special situations

A price increase during the binding period

If the business raises the price during the binding period, you normally have the right to cancel as a result of the changed agreement. A unilateral, material price increase typically gives a right to cancel.

Important: this right does not apply if the price increase clearly appeared in the agreement from the start (for example an agreed price indexation).

Cancellation on moving or a life change

Some agreements give a right to cancel on significant life changes:

• Moving: internet and TV providers often give a right to end on moving
• Death: the agreement normally lapses, and the estate can cancel
• Bankruptcy of the business: you are not obliged to continue

Business subscriptions

Business relationships are regulated differently from consumer relationships:

• Fewer information requirements
• No automatic limit on binding periods under section 28
• The Consumer Contracts Act generally does not apply to agreements between businesses

In business agreements it is therefore even more important to negotiate the cancellation and binding terms clearly in the contract.

Automatic renewal

Many subscriptions renew automatically. The rules:

• Consumers must have clear information about automatic renewal when entering the agreement
• Regardless of an automatic renewal, the consumer still has the right to cancel under section 28, and a longer notice than 1 month cannot be agreed
• Notices of an upcoming renewal should be sent in good time

Subscription services from abroad

If you use subscriptions from foreign providers (for example international streaming or software as a service):

• EU law gives some consumer protection for providers in the EU
• Outside the EU, the provider's own country's law applies

Note that the European Commission's ODR platform is closed (since July 2025), so disputes with foreign providers must be sought resolved directly with the provider or via a relevant complaint body in the provider's country.

Practical examples

Scenario 1: a gym refuses cancellation

Karim signs up to a gym with an agreed binding period of 12 months. After 6 months he wants to cancel. The gym points to the binding period. But under section 28 of the Consumer Contracts Act, Karim can cancel with 1 month's notice once 5 months have passed, regardless of the agreed 12-month binding. He can therefore get out of the agreement even without a special reason such as an injury.

Scenario 2: a telecom raises the price during the binding period

Sofie has a mobile subscription, and the telecom announces a price increase. Sofie complains, pointing out that she has not accepted the price increase and that a unilateral price change gives her a right to cancel. The Telecoms Complaints Board can assess whether the price increase gives a right to cancel in the specific case.

Scenario 3: a streaming subscription renews automatically

Anders has a streaming subscription that renews automatically. Regardless of the renewal, he can cancel with 1 month's notice under section 28. If he did not get clear information about the automatic renewal when entering the agreement, he may in addition have a claim against the provider.

Business service agreements: what should you negotiate?

If you run a business and take out service agreements with suppliers, you should negotiate from the start:

• Clear cancellation terms with a reasonable notice (typically 1 to 3 months)
• A right to end on a price increase
• Clauses on the service level (SLAs)
• Breach rules: what happens if the supplier does not deliver?

Frequently asked questions about cancelling a subscription

Can a gym have a binding period of 2 years?

The gym can write a 2-year binding into the contract, but under section 28 of the Consumer Contracts Act the consumer can cancel with 1 month's notice once 5 months have passed. A binding that in reality extends beyond about 6 months for an ordinary consumer subscription therefore cannot be enforced.

What do I do if the business does not confirm my cancellation?

Keep your cancellation and proof of sending (for example an email receipt). Follow up in writing with a deadline. If you later dispute an invoice citing your cancellation, the documentation is decisive. A complaint to the Consumer Complaints Board or the relevant industry board is the next step.

Can I cancel a business subscription immediately on the supplier's breach?

Yes. On a material breach (for example the supplier consistently not delivering the agreed service) you can cancel the contract with immediate effect, regardless of the binding period. You must be able to document the breach and normally have given the supplier a reasonable deadline to put it right.

What is a reasonable cancellation procedure?

A reasonable cancellation is in writing, sent to the right address, and contains the identification of the agreement (subscription number), the date of the cancellation, the desired end date and a request for written confirmation. Always use email or registered post, never only the phone. Keep the receipt and confirmation.

Summary

The key rules on subscriptions and cancellation:

• Section 28 of the Consumer Contracts Act: as a consumer you can cancel a continuous agreement with 1 month's notice once 5 months have passed (11 months for expensive agreements over DKK 20,000 a year)
• Always cancel in writing and keep the confirmation
• A price increase as a rule gives a right to cancel
• Automatic renewal does not remove your right to cancel under section 28
• Complain to the complaint body if the business refuses to cancel

Review your ongoing subscriptions regularly; many pay for services they no longer use because they have not observed the cancellation deadline.

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The content of this article is for guidance only and does not constitute legal advice. Consult a lawyer or a consumer organisation for advice on your specific situation.