A silent renewal only binds you if they warned you in time — otherwise you can claim the money back

Updated July 2026

🔁 Can my subscription renew automatically without asking me?

With conditions

Quick answer

Yes, but only if the company warned you in good time — otherwise the renewal is void. The belief that a single missed cancellation deadline locks you in for another year is wrong. Under the Consumer Protection Act (KSchG, LR 944.0), an automatic renewal that relies on your silence is not binding on you — unless the company specifically alerts you, at the start of the cancellation window, to what your silence means and gives you a reasonable period to make an express declaration (Section 6(1)(2) KSchG). If that alert is missing, the subscription does not renew validly, and you can reclaim any amounts wrongly charged. The Liechtenstein KSchG is received from Austria; Austrian case law (OGH 4 Ob 80/17v) guides interpretation and sets strict requirements for the notice. In Switzerland, which has no such Act, silent renewal clauses are far more enforceable — the same everyday problem, a different law.

📋 The rules

Who is protected: The KSchG covers consumer contracts — between a business and a consumer. If your residence is in Liechtenstein, it applies regardless of where the company is based.
Deemed-declaration rule (Section 6(1)(2) KSchG): A clause that treats your silence as consent to renewal binds you only if you are specially alerted at the start of the deadline and given a reasonable period to declare expressly.
The notice must stand out: It must be capable of catching your attention and must not be buried in a stream of trivial messages (OGH 4 Ob 80/17v). An email whose purpose is not apparent does not suffice.
Unfair clauses are void: Through Directive 93/13/EEC (directly applicable in the EEA), clauses that grossly disadvantage the consumer are void — for example an unreasonably long tie-in or over-long notice period.
Conciliation available: For consumer disputes there is the Conciliation Office for Consumer Affairs at the Office of Economic Affairs. It is voluntary and non-binding; only the Court of Justice (Landgericht) decides bindingly.

🔓 Exceptions

Proper notice given: If the company warned you in good time and clearly, the renewal is valid — then you must cancel on time, or the contract runs on.
Not a consumer contract: If you conclude the contract commercially or professionally (B2B), the KSchG does not apply; then only the contract wording counts.
Special regimes: Telecom, insurance and energy contracts partly have their own cancellation and renewal rules; in case of doubt the more specific rule prevails over the general KSchG rule.

⚠️ Penalties & fines

There is no penalty for you as a consumer — but there are traps. If a renewal happened without the required notice, it is void; you can reclaim the amounts wrongly charged (unjust enrichment), and the burden of proving the correct notice lies with the company. The expensive mistake is simply stopping payment: if you reverse a direct debit or refuse to pay, the company often sends reminders, debt collection and finally enforcement (Betreibung) — and a disputed but poorly justified withholding costs you fees and stress. The right move is a written objection citing Section 6(1)(2) KSchG, a reclaim of the amount and, in a dispute, the Conciliation Office or a claim before the Court of Justice. Whoever merely stays silent and keeps paying effectively confirms the charges and makes any refund harder to obtain.

📎 Official sources

Last verified: 2026-07-12

❓ Frequently asked

I missed the cancellation date — am I locked in for a year?

Not automatically: a renewal that relies on your silence only binds you if the company alerted you in good time and clearly to the meaning of the deadline (Section 6(1)(2) KSchG). If that notice is missing, the renewal is void, and you can reclaim any amounts already charged to you.

Does this apply if the company is based abroad?

Yes — what matters is your residence, not where the company is based. If you live in Liechtenstein and act as a consumer, the KSchG protects you even when the gym, dating portal or newspaper publisher is registered in another country.

What must the notice look like to count?

It must genuinely catch your attention and must not be hidden among a series of trivial messages (OGH 4 Ob 80/17v). An email whose subject and text do not reveal that it contains the renewal warning does not meet the requirements.

Can I get overpaid amounts back?

Yes, if the renewal was void for want of notice, the money flowed without legal ground and can be reclaimed. Reclaim it in writing and rely on Section 6 KSchG; if there is a dispute, the Conciliation Office or the Court of Justice can help.

Is it the same in Switzerland?

No — Switzerland is not in the EEA and has no such Consumer Protection Act. There, silent renewal clauses are far more enforceable under the Code of Obligations, which is why the Swiss advice circulating online often misleads you here.

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